Jury Insights on Qiddiya Performing Arts Centre Wins Future Cultural Project.
At the 2025 World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Miami, Amir Idiatulin, Founder & CEO of IND and member of ISOCARP served as a jury member in the “Future Cultural Project” category. His participation came one year after IND won the same category with its Creative Cluster in Riyadh. The shift from laureate to juror offered a unique perspective on the world’s most influential architecture event and the evolving landscape of cultural architecture worldwide.
The Judging Process and How a Winner Is Born
The jury consisted of three members: Amir Idiatulin (IND, Dubai/Eurasia), Dr. Yael Reisner (UK), and Rena Sakellaridou, founder of RS SPARCH (Greece). Over a full day, they evaluated 16 finalist presentations in the Future Projects – Culture category, representing 16 studios worldwide.
“WAF’s format is demanding: 10 minutes to present, 10 minutes for questions. In that short window, a project must reveal itself, persuade, and leave a lasting impression,” says Idiatulin. “This marathon tests not only the architects but the strength of their ideas. From the jury’s side, what becomes decisive is clarity of graphics, a narrative that flows from context to social impact to sustainability, and the energy with which the author speaks about their work. Even the most brilliant concept can lose momentum if delivered without passion.”
One moment stood out as a paradox. The winner, the Performing Arts Centre for Qiddiya by Tom Wiscombe Architecture had one of the least polished presentations. The speaker ran overtime and skipped key diagrams. Yet the project’s futuristic forms rising from the Tuwaiq cliffs, and its radically open structure blurring the line between theatre and public space, left no doubt. “The project spoke for itself,” says Idiatulin. “It didn’t need perfection in delivery to win.”
Qiddiya the New Cultural Epicenter
The Performing Arts Centre is part of Qiddiya City, one of Saudi Arabia’s most ambitious giga-projects. Designed as a capital for entertainment, sports, and culture, Qiddiya aims to redefine the Kingdom’s creative landscape. The center will feature three venues with over 2,000 seats, each offering a 360° experience merging physical and digital elements, integrated into sculptural, adaptive architecture at the edge of the Tuwaiq Mountains. It signals Qiddiya’s ambition to become a global creative destination.
Cultural Architecture – From Monuments to Communities
Reviewing all 16 finalist projects, Idiatulin observed a clear shift in cultural architecture. Traditional monumental “temples of art” are being replaced by projects that act as social catalysts generating connections, activating public spaces, and fostering community engagement.
“Gone are the days when cultural buildings stood apart as isolated icons,” he says. “The most compelling projects today create environments where people gather, interact, and co-create cultural experiences.”
IND’s win in 2024, followed by the selection of another Saudi-based project in 2025, highlights the Kingdom’s growing influence on global cultural architecture.
“Our mission is to create environments where architecture, culture, creativity, and community form a unified ecosystem and WAF remains the most powerful platform to advance that vision,” says Amir Idiatulin.
IND and Amir Idiatulin Profile
Amir Idiatulin is the founder and CEO of IND and a member of ISOCARP (International Society of City and Regional Planners)
In 2008, at the age of 26, he established IND. Today, IND is an international architectural firm specializing in projects worldwide, including urban planning, residential, educational, social, and cultural initiatives. With a strong focus on creativity and sustainability, IND’s portfolio includes museums, theaters, and exhibition centers across diverse cultures.
Amir Idiatulin has received numerous international and Russian architectural awards, including the WAF 2024 award for Best Future Culture Project for a Сreative Сluster in Riyadh — one of the most prestigious global honors in architecture.
World Architecture Festival (WAF)
The World Architecture Festival (WAF), founded in 2008, is the world’s largest live awards program for architects and designers. Gathering leading professionals from around the globe, WAF combines project presentations, live jury evaluations, exhibitions, and keynote discussions to celebrate excellence and advance architectural innovation.
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