JAX District: The Latest Architecture and News

The Diriyah Biennale Foundation has revealed the four architecture studios shortlisted for the 2027 AlMusalla Prize, an international competition that commissions the design of a musalla, a space for prayer and contemplation, for the third edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale. Opening on November 1, 2027, at the Western Hajj Terminal in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Biennale will feature a new prayer structure designed by one of the shortlisted teams: Al-Jawad Pike (United Kingdom), Civil Architecture (Bahrain/Kuwait), MILLIØNS (United States), or NEW SOUTH (France). The winning proposal will be announced in March 2027 and realized as part of the exhibition before being permanently relocated to JAX District in Diriyah.

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The third edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale opened on January 30, 2026, and will remain on view through May 2, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, the Biennale takes place at JAX District, a former industrial area in Diriyah near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif. Titled "في الحِلّ والترحال" / In Interludes and Transitions, the exhibition is led by Co-Artistic Directors Nora Razian and Sabih Ahmed, while Milan-based architect Sammy Zarka contributed as the Associate Architect and Exhibition Designer. The exhibition scenography is designed by Formafantasma, and the event brings together more than 65 artists from over 37 countries, including more than 25 newly commissioned works.

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