Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Architecture Design Images, KSA Architecture Exhibition, Photography
Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
26 January 2023
Design: OMA
Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Photograph by Marco Cappelletti, Courtesy of OMA
Islamic Arts Biennale, Saudi Arabia
With a scenography designed by OMA / Iyad Alsaka and Kaveh Dabiri, the first edition of the Islamic Biennale has opened in Jeddah, hosted by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation. Artworks are displayed over 120,000 square meters of exhibition spaces, taking over the Western Hajj Terminal, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and winner of the Aga Khan Award in 1983.

Under the title Awwal Bait, which translates as First House, the biennale explores how Islam?s most sacred sites ? Makkah, the destination of the annual pilgrimage, and Madinah, the place where Prophet Mohamed is buried ? inspire Muslims around the world to create a sense of belonging in their home, bringing unity in a plural world.
Iyad Alsaka, OMA Partner: ?This exhibition is an opportunity to discover and learn about Islamic culture. More than 200 ancient objects are on display, some of which have never been seen by the larger public. In addition, there are artworks by contemporary artists from Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East and Northern Africa to countries like the UK and South Africa, giving a new dimension to the timeless rituals of Islam.?

The OMA-designed scenography divides the exhibi...