The ROSHN Group, Saudi Arabia's leading multi-asset developer owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), launched the latest edition of its Musahama Design Competition at the recently held Cityscape Global in Riyadh, underscoring its commitment to nurturing local architectural and design talent.

The Musahama programme is a key part of the group's mandate to contribute to the kingdom's growth and talent development goals, specifically aiming to foster a new generation of Saudi architects capable of creating bold and culturally resonant urban designs.

Gulf Construction sat down with Oussama Kabbani, Group Chief Development Officer, to discuss the expanded competition and the crucial role the group plays in knowledge transfer and skill development within the industry.

This year, the challenge requires entrants to design a small, modular, and easy-to-deploy structure intended to function as a public space and become recognisable as a ROSHN design signature. Registration is open to a broad range of creative professionals and students, with a submission deadline set for early next year.

 Excerpts of the interview with Oussama Kabbani, Group Chief Development Officer:

Can you tell us about the Musahama Design Competition?

As a Public Investment Fund (PIF)-owned company and the leading multi-asset developer in the kingdom, our remit covers the development of local talent. And one area which matters more than most is design and architecture. We want to foster the next generation of Saudi architects, who approach design as an opportunity to enrich our urban environment with concepts that are at once bold and, at the same time, nod to the country’s rich design tradition.

We launched the first design competition last year, as part of the wider Musahama programme unveiled by the PIF last year. And the response was outstanding, with over 370 students and graduates taking part alongside 160 local design firms.

This year, we have extended the programme and made the brief much wider, with a challenge that will push the capabilities of those people who are applying.

What is the challenge for this year and how do people apply?

We are asking entrants to design a small, modular, easy-to-deploy structure that is both recognisable as a ROSHN design and which can be used as a space which is open to the public. We want to see designs that are bold, that are different, and which inspire. Designs should also be versatile, they should be modular, and adaptable.

The competition is open from now and we are looking forward to welcoming both creative professionals and students to apply, including architects and urban designers​, landscape architects and planners, interior and exhibition designers, artists and graphic designers. Any student studying architecture, design, art, or a related field can also apply.

Teams will need to submit a concept narrative, a kit-of-parts drawing, plans and sections to demonstrate the design’s use and configuration, and 3D visualisations of the design and how it will be used, and material specifications. Submissions will be judged on five criteria, including iconicity, urban activation, adaptability, execution potential, and sustainability.

Teams will have until January 1 to register and then just over two months to submit their ideas for judging. The jury is international, from across the Gulf and the wider Middle East region, and will include architects, artists and product designers, and I, myself, am the chair.

Why is this project important to you?

On a group level, our mandate is to contribute to the kingdom’s growth and one way of doing this is to promote knowledge transfer and talent development, which this competition will do. On a personal level, as someone who has spent his whole career in design and who has been able to contribute to the urban transformation of cities around the region and the world, I want to give back and offer people entering the industry an opportunity to try something new, showcase their skills, and work as a team to create an idea that will have impact. I was impressed by the ideas I saw when judging earlier for Musahama and I am excited to see what the teams come up with this year.

The ROSHN Group has said that it has a target of training up to 5,000 young Saudis in development-related areas between now and 2030. Why is this an important subject to the group?

Fundamentally, we are a company of people. Our people are the driving force, and we are powered by people. We are always looking to invest in people, either internally with our employees or externally with the wider ecosystem. We have a wider goal to train over 5,000 Saudis by 2030, in areas such as development and construction. We are a strategic partner for azm Program, the workforce development programme introduced by the Public Investment Fund. Via this partnership, we are supporting the training of young Saudi professionals in areas such as construction, development, project management, and health and safety. Musahama is part of this effort, to raise the skills and abilities of the next generation of Saudi youth as part of our push to transform the Kingdom’s urban environment.