Muharraq Municipality Launches Welcome Monument Design Contest
Competition seeks a landmark reflecting Bahraini identity and welcoming visitors to Bahrain
The monument will be located at the intersection leading to Bahrain International Airport.
The contest is open to local engineering offices, designers, artists, engineers and relevant university students.
Entries must be original, feasible and submitted by November 22, 2026.
Muharraq Municipality has launched a competition to design a welcome monument at the intersection leading to Bahrain International Airport, aiming to create a distinctive landmark that reflects Bahrain’s national identity and values of hospitality and openness.
Engineer Shaikh Mohammed bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, Undersecretary for Municipal Affairs at the Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture Affairs, said the project aims to enhance Bahrain’s urban landscape while creating a visual gateway that welcomes visitors to the Kingdom.
He said the competition supports efforts to strengthen national identity and provides an opportunity for Bahraini talents and creative professionals to contribute to sustainable urban landmarks connected to the country’s heritage and community.
He noted that the project’s location gives it particular national and tourism importance, and the competition encourages cooperation among the municipal sector, engineering offices, creative professionals and academic institutions.
Competition Open to Local Talents
Engineer Khalid Ali Al-Qallaf, Director General of Muharraq Municipality, said the competition is open to licensed local engineering and architectural offices, design studios, designers, artists, engineers, and students from universities, colleges and local educational institutions in relevant fields.
Participation may be individual or in teams of up to four members. Each team may register in only one category.
Al-Qallaf said designs must be original and created specifically for the competition. They must also be practical and executable, reflect Bahraini identity and hospitality in a contemporary style, and consider traffic movement, the nature of the site and visual harmony with the surrounding area.
Submission and Evaluation
Participants are required to submit a design concept, general plan, drawings and facades, three-dimensional perspectives, material specifications, dimensions and an implementation mechanism, along with the documents required for their respective category.
Entries must be submitted by email to competition@mun.gov.bh no later than November 22, 2026.
The submitted designs will undergo two stages of screening and evaluation by a specialized judging committee.
The evaluation will consider several criteria, including innovation, the ability to reflect Bahrain’s national identity, feasibility of implementation, and the quality of presentation and communication.
