• Day 1 of the Architect Leaders Forum offered key insights from industry experts, including exploring the role of architects in turning masterplans into thriving communities and Saudi Arabia’s role as a leader in embedding heritage and culture in development

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The January edition of Big 5 Construct Saudi was inaugurated by Dr. Sultan Alotaibi, Sector Orchestration General Manager, Architecture and Design Commission, at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center on Sunday, opening the 2026 construction calendar in Saudi Arabia. In one of the major highlights of the opening day, Big 5 Construct Saudi hosted the second edition of Architect Leaders Forum Saudi, which gathered the region’s most influential architects and design principals to explore architectural innovation and leadership.

In the opening address of the Architect Leaders Forum Saudi, Siddarth Peters, co-founder of Love That Design and Forum Chair, outlined how architects now have an even more influential role to play in the construction of not just buildings, but communities, especially in Saudi Arabia.

“Architects are no longer being asked just to create buildings; they are now being brought into conversations about livability, sustainability and long-term value,” said Peters. Outlining how the two-day forum will take a deep dive into a range of topics at Big 5 Construct Saudi, Peters added: “What really connects all these sessions is the simple idea that architects and architecture are really at the forefront of shaping lives, improving cultural confidence and amplifying national storytelling.”

With the January edition running until Wednesday, 21 January, Big 5 Construct Saudi provides a meeting place for industry professionals to explore innovations in the finishing stages of construction, spanning building interiors and finishes, marble and stone, glass production technology and machinery, smart building, urban design and more. Co-located with Windows Doors & Facades Saudi Arabia, Marble & Stone Saudi Arabia and Urban Design & Landscape Saudi Arabia, the exhibition is welcoming more than 1,100 exhibitors from over 50 countries showcasing more than 20,000 products and solutions.

‘Architects draw on data, sense of duty and new designs to make a real difference’

In the opening session at the Architect Leaders Forum, a panel of leading professionals explored the role of architects in the creation, implementation and sustainability of modern-day cityscapes.

Mark Coffey, Managing Partner EMEA, Oberlanders Architects, opened the discussion by pointing to the amount of data now available to architects and how it can really help them drill down and understand what works and what people want from liveable and workable spaces.

“Data has always been there, but now we’re able to analyze much further within our cityscapes. We have the ability to look at multigenerational considerations and health metrics in our cities. Data can truly influence our designs. We can look at economic relationships to adjust our cities; at how health and wellness is affected and how we can gain a work-life balance when we're putting a city together.”

Fellow panelist Norah Basakran, Manager, Woods Bagot Riyadh Studio, emphasized how Saudi Arabian architects have been encouraged by the Kingdom’s leadership and Vision 2030 goals to modernize without compromising the essence of Saudi culture and to convey that in their designs. The role of an architect in Saudi Arabia, she said, has “really become more of a transition from design consultancy towards a stewardship of the Vision”.

Babiker highlighted architects are now seeing the benefits of learning from designs of days gone by and the importance of integrating natural elements such as courtyards and shading to create impactful modern-day spaces: “Our role now is not just about focusing on engagement at the beginning but learning from lessons at the end.”

In another enlightening forum session titled ‘Fireside chat: Heritage as a Foundation for Future’ Design,’ Adam Wilkinson, Director, Culture and Heritage, Buro Happold, stressed heritage must be “upstreamed” at the start of a project, not an add-on at the end.

Wilkinson said the biggest challenge in development is treating culture/heritage as a “late-stage checkbox,” adding that when heritage is introduced after designs and floor areas are fixed, “it creates conflict, rework and compromised outcomes”. Instead, culture and heritage must go hand-in-hand with development because “we can’t forget this is all about the people.”

The culture and heritage expert singled out Saudi Arabia as a model others can learn from, such as the value of “porous borders between disciplines in the Kingdom” - having heritage teams embedded within development teams - a model he described as rare elsewhere in the world.

In a session titled ‘Architecture for Nation Building: How Design Shapes Transformation,’ Yehia Madkour, Middle East Director, Perkins&Will, highlighted how the buildings at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University serve as “a landmark example of how architecture can actively support societal transformation,  translating national ambition into meaningful, lived experiences.

CIAAD masterclass delivers perfect match between AI and human skills

Meanwhile, a Masterclass by the Council for International Accreditation of Architecture & Design (CIAAD) titled ‘Artificial Intelligence: A Catalyst for Responsive Architecture and Design,’ demonstrated how AI can be used across the industry to extract technical properties from models, support quantity calculations, identify errors and strengthen quality control, leading to a reduction in time, manual effort and human error on complex projects.

Dr Albert Fakhoury, President of Council, CIAAD, stressed AI is not replacing professionals; rather, those who master AI tools and integrate them into design workflows responsibly will gain a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving construction sector.

Fakhoury took delegates through an example of a ChatGPT and Midjourney workflow, whereby ChatGPT helps craft professional prompts and Midjourney generates design visuals supporting faster iteration in concept development.

Commenting on an energetic opening day, Muhammad Kazi, Senior Vice President, dmg events, said: “Our goal for the January event, the first of two Big 5 Construct Saudi editions this year, was to support the ambitions of Vision 2030 by aligning with project cycles and enable suppliers, buyers and decision makers in the construction ecosystem to connect when it matters most.”

“Thanks to the support of our strategic partner, Architecture and Design Commission and the Saudi Society of Landscape Architecture and the energy, enthusiasm, dialogue and knowledge sharing, the opening day of both the exhibition and the Architect Leaders Forum Saudi, have strengthened Big 5 Construct Saudi’s status as the leading event in the Kingdom’s built environment and we look forward to not just a great week ahead but an exciting time for Saudi Arabia’s construction sector.” 

EcoTrail embraces environmental responsibility and long-term performance

Day two of Big 5 Construct Saudi January edition will play host to yet more deep insights on the Architect Leaders Forum Saudi stage and shine the spotlight on eco-friendly construction solutions through EcoTrail - a curated selection of products and systems developed with environmental responsibility, efficiency and long-term performance in mind.

The activation will highlight product showcases from a range of organizations, including Dubai Investments, Jotun, Guardian Glass, Perfect Doors, Sketch Enterprise Company, Saudi Guardian International Float Glass and more.

The eco-friendly solutions will be assessed by an expert jury, with awards for how the solutions are responding to expectations around performance, responsibility and performance, aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambitions.

Over the next three days, Big 5 Construct Saudi will witness several more announcements, product launches and facilitate in-depth discussions that cater to the evolving market demands of the Kingdom’s construction sector. 

Big 5 Construct Saudi is free-to-attend for industry professionals, excluding visitors under the age of 18. To register, visit: www.big5constructsaudi.com