Riyadh, 13 Sha'ban 1447 AH (1 February 2026)

The Architecture and Design Commission last night concluded the fourth edition of the Designathon challenge, held at Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City (Misk) in Riyadh over three days from 29 to 31 January 2026. The event drew broad international participation, with 2,400 applicants and more than 600 competing designers and creatives.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Prince Nawaf bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, CEO of the commission, described Designathon as a leading global platform that cements design's role as an active sector in national development, empowering talent and building the capacity to tackle urban, environmental and technological challenges. The challenge's sustained success over four editions, he said, reflects the maturity of the Kingdom's design scene and strengthens its position as a global destination for architecture and design.

Through Designathon, the commission seeks to build a sustainable creative community and provide a stimulating environment where designers can turn ideas into scalable solutions and projects that improve quality of life and serve Vision 2030's goals of making cities more competitive and diversifying the creative economy.

Competitors developed innovative design solutions across three main tracks: "Design for All", "Technology in Design" and "Design from Place", drawing on design-thinking and participatory-design methodologies that raised the quality and applicability of the projects submitted.

A total of 126 teams reached the final stages and presented to a specialised jury, which selected the top three teams in each track against rigorous criteria. Nine winning teams were honoured at the closing ceremony with cash prizes exceeding SAR 525,000, alongside awards from event partners.

Designathon also offered participants an integrated learning experience through panel sessions and specialised workshops led by more than 45 mentors and experts across design disciplines, focused on skills development and innovation. It builds on earlier milestones, most notably the third edition's Guinness World Record as the largest design hackathon by number of participants.

At a Glance

  • Venue: Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City (Misk), Riyadh
  • Dates: 29 to 31 January 2026
  • Participants: More than 600 competitors
  • Organiser: Architecture and Design Commission