Registration Opens for Ithra Design Challenges 2026

Registration has opened for the eighth edition of Ithra Design Challenges, a six-day competition running from November 16th to 21st as part of Ithra Design Week at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in Dhahran.

Held under the theme ‘What is the Next Norm?’, this year’s edition asks participants to rethink familiar systems and develop adaptive solutions across four design tracks.

Ninety shortlisted participants from around the world will take part. The Urban Spaces track focuses on lightweight, open-ended playground designs for cities, while Product Design looks at classroom seating that can better support engagement and well-being. Visual Communication explores how design can improve the accessibility and experience of electric mobility in Saudi Arabia, and Global Impact addresses how communities adapt to extreme heat.

Across the six days, participants will join workshops and talks built around design thinking while developing their projects under tight deadlines. One winning project from each track will move into a development phase with a production partner and later appear in a curated Ithra exhibition in 2027.

Ithra Design Week itself is organised across four themed districts: The Scene, which hosts workshops and the Design Challenges; The Agora, an open-air area for art installations and interactive experiences; The Hype, which presents work by design graduates; and The Canvas, focused on large-scale architectural installations in the Desert Garden.

Registration remains open until October 24th through the challenges page on Ithra’s official website.