The 12th Theatre Architecture Competition 2025
03. July, 2024
We are pleased to announce the 12th edition of the OISTAT Theatre Architecture Competition (TAC) for 2025, organized by the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy (SPAA) and the OISTAT Architecture Commission, with support from the Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF) and the Sharjah Architecture Triennale.
About TAC
The TAC is an international ideas competition aimed at students and emerging practitioners, celebrated for its role in fostering creative thinking and innovative design and has received entries from over 50 countries across the world with the past editions in Canada, Taiwan, Germany, Czech Republic, The Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, and France. While the winning entry may not be constructed, it offers a platform for visibility, with cash prizes and an opportunity to have the top designs exhibited at World Stage Design located at Bait Al Obaid Shamsi in Sharjah, in October 2025.
This year’s TAC seeks to explore the “Theatre of Possibilities” in United Arab Emirates (UAE). We are looking for creative ideas on how to create a flexible temporary performance studio for 6 months of the year without losing the locale of the site. The site for the competition is the unique courtyard of Bait Obaid Al Shamsi in the Heart of Sharjah—a historic area known for its authentic Arabic Islamic architecture and vibrant cultural scene. We are particularly interested in proposals that provide flexible and multiple use options for SAF and SPAA, embracing both the heritage of the site and sustainable methods of construction.
Competition Timeline
3rd June 2024: Brief issued
11th November 2024: Deadline for questions
2nd December 2024: Answers to questions published
19th December 2024: Submissions open
14th April 2025: Deadline for all submissions
May 2025: Jury finalizes entries
9th June 2025: Notification of selected entries
Cash Prizes
1st Prize: 15,000 AED
2nd Prize: 8,000 AED
3rd Prize: 5,000 AED
Joint Prizes*3: 1500 AED/each
Detailed information about the competition, including site drawings and photographs, terms and conditions, and the full design brief can be downloaded from the World Stage Design 2025 website and TAC 2025 promotional package.
About TAC
The TAC is an international ideas competition aimed at students and emerging practitioners, celebrated for its role in fostering creative thinking and innovative design and has received entries from over 50 countries across the world with the past editions in Canada, Taiwan, Germany, Czech Republic, The Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, and France. While the winning entry may not be constructed, it offers a platform for visibility, with cash prizes and an opportunity to have the top designs exhibited at World Stage Design located at Bait Al Obaid Shamsi in Sharjah, in October 2025.
This year’s TAC seeks to explore the “Theatre of Possibilities” in United Arab Emirates (UAE). We are looking for creative ideas on how to create a flexible temporary performance studio for 6 months of the year without losing the locale of the site. The site for the competition is the unique courtyard of Bait Obaid Al Shamsi in the Heart of Sharjah—a historic area known for its authentic Arabic Islamic architecture and vibrant cultural scene. We are particularly interested in proposals that provide flexible and multiple use options for SAF and SPAA, embracing both the heritage of the site and sustainable methods of construction.
Competition Timeline
3rd June 2024: Brief issued
11th November 2024: Deadline for questions
2nd December 2024: Answers to questions published
19th December 2024: Submissions open
14th April 2025: Deadline for all submissions
May 2025: Jury finalizes entries
9th June 2025: Notification of selected entries
Cash Prizes
1st Prize: 15,000 AED
2nd Prize: 8,000 AED
3rd Prize: 5,000 AED
Joint Prizes*3: 1500 AED/each
Detailed information about the competition, including site drawings and photographs, terms and conditions, and the full design brief can be downloaded from the World Stage Design 2025 website and TAC 2025 promotional package.