Designathon 2026, a flagship national design initiative led by the Architecture and Design Commission under the Ministry of Culture, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, brought together designers, architects, engineers, and students for a three-day collaborative platform rooted in design thinking and co-design methodologies.
Positioned as one of Saudi Arabia’s prominent design initiatives, the program emphasized applied problem-solving, cultural relevance, and community impact. For the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) sector, such platforms play an important role in shaping early design intelligence and professional readiness.
As part of the event, Medialogic participated as a Knowledge Partner, contributing industry mentorship and practical workflow guidance. Rather than focusing solely on tool demonstration, the engagement centered on helping participants understand how digital workflows, BIM methodologies, and cross-platform coordination translate into real project environments.
Medialogic’s technical mentors, Adeeb and Murtuza, worked closely with participating teams, offering guidance on structured modelling approaches, coordination strategies, and real-world design thinking. The emphasis throughout the Designathon remained on enabling participants to think beyond isolated tools and toward integrated design processes.
Further strengthening the collaborative dimension of the event, Fidaa Arekat, Channel Manager, ME & Egypt at SketchUp | Trimble Architecture and Design, was actively present throughout the Designathon. She engaged directly with teams, mentoring participants and providing hands-on guidance on modelling strategies and workflow alignment. Her involvement helped bridge creative exploration with industry practice, ensuring that emerging designers understood not only how to use tools, but how to apply them effectively within professional contexts.
Commenting on her participation, Fidaa Arekat said:
“Designathon 2026 has been an inspiring platform that highlights the depth of creative talent emerging from the region. Actively mentoring participants allowed us to go beyond demonstrating tools and instead focus on how designers can think, collaborate, and build smarter workflows. At SketchUp | Trimble Architecture and Design, we believe empowering designers means equipping them not only with technology, but with the confidence and knowledge to apply it meaningfully in real-world contexts. It was a privilege to support such an impactful initiative.”
The Designathon also reflected the broader industry shift toward digitally fluent and BIM-capable professionals, particularly as Saudi Arabia continues to invest in large-scale urban development and cultural initiatives. Engagement between technology providers, industry mentors, and emerging designers plays an important role in preparing the next generation for the evolving demands of the built environment.
During the closing ceremony, Bhaskar Raman, Sales and Operations Director at Medialogic, received a memento on behalf of the organization in recognition of its participation as Knowledge Partner.
Reflecting on the collaboration, Bhaskar Raman said, “Designathon represents the kind of initiative the AECO industry needs more of, where creativity is anchored in real-world relevance. Being part of this platform allowed us to contribute to professional thinking frameworks and practical workflow understanding that will support long-term industry development.”
Through initiatives such as Designathon 2026, collaboration between design institutions, technology partners, and industry mentors continues to support knowledge-sharing and capability-building across the region’s AECO ecosystem.
https://archdesign.moc.gov.sa/en