ArtDayME - Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Biennale Foundation has shortlisted four architecture studios for the AlMusalla Prize 2027, an international competition that challenges architects to rethink the musalla as a flexible and inclusive space for prayer and contemplation.

The finalists are Al-Jawad Pike (UK), Civil Architecture (Bahrain/Kuwait), MILLIØNS (US), and NEW SOUTH (France), selected for their ability to combine spiritual values with sustainable architectural innovation.

The winning design, to be announced in March 2027, will serve as a centerpiece of the third Islamic Arts Biennale, opening on Nov. 1, 2027.

As in previous editions, the musalla will be built at the Western Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah before being relocated permanently to JAX District in Diriyah after the biennale concludes.

Unlike the first edition, which focused on a traveling musalla, this year’s challenge requires a single design that responds to two distinct locations and contexts: Jeddah and Diriyah. The structure must meet prayer requirements while remaining within a 20-by-20-meter footprint and a maximum height of 12 meters.

The jury will be chaired by Prince Nawaf bin Ayyaf, CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Architecture and Design Commission. Aya Al-Bakree, CEO of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, said the prize’s growing international recognition reflects increasing global interest in contemplative spaces that connect heritage with contemporary needs.