This award is for the outstanding architecture design of a commercial public sector project, which includes museums, government buildings, cinemas, airports, offices, and galleries in the Middle East.

This award is for the outstanding residential project in the Middle East based on architectural innovation and creativity in various aspects like technology, lighting, walls, flooring, façade, and outdoor area.

The award will go to the outstanding architectural project —residential, commercial, or retail, which is most sustainable, and has used extensive environment-friendly initiatives hence reducing the carbon footprints.

The award will go to the outstanding hotel project in the Middle East with a striking architecture.

The award will go to the most innovative architect design-led project in the Middle East. It could be either public, residential, retail, or a design education project high on innovative elements, better solutions, and newness. The judges will focus on highly innovative projects in terms of design, technology, and materials.

The award will go to an incredible healthcare project with an architecture that promotes the health and wellbeing of its occupants. Judges will be looking for a project with a holistic design and innovative approaches to healthcare environments.

Judges will evaluate submissions based on materiality, colour, contrast, texture, how it responds to its contextual surroundings, how the design was interpreted to the brief of the client, how it creates a space which is culturally relevant, as well as being unique and contemporary for the built environment.

For projects that prioritise human experience, well-being, and community connection.

Celebrating outstanding high-rise projects that showcase architectural brilliance, innovation, and skyline-defining impact.

Honouring a project that exemplifies sophistication, exclusivity, and impeccable architectural excellence.

Honouring a standout development that defines excellence in design, placemaking, and impact along a waterfront setting.

The award will go to the outstanding hospitality project (restaurant, bar, or club in the Middle East) with striking architecture creative design concepts. The judges will focus on projects high on design aesthetics and that promotes social interaction.

The award will be given to the year's best landscape project based on its architecture, unique concept, and technology.

This award recognises exceptional school or university development in the Middle East. The winner will be decided based on the building's architecture, innovation, and how engaging and inspiring the project is for its students and staff.

The award will go to the outstanding lighting project completed for a residential, cultural, commercial or retail development. This award will be chosen by a panel of judges who will take into consideration technology, sustainability, and innovation. Entries should support their nomination with no more than 1000 words of description of the lighting project and the note-worthy design and technology highlights.

This category awards the best overall architecture for a built architectural complex with multiple and combined functions, including (but not limited to) commercial, residential, co-working, institutional, health and wellness, cultural, hospitality, sports and recreation, transportation and more, and are physically and functionally integrated.

Any complete or incomplete masterplan dedicated to the long-term connections between buildings, infrastructure, social and economic conditions, environments, and future development.

Museums, art galleries, religious structures, visitor centres, libraries, theatres, concert halls, stadiums, arenas, and all other entertainment venues are examples of cultural projects.

This category is dedicated to any type of building and development that is already in progress or slated to begin construction soon, and gives an insight into what the future may hold through distinct architectural, use of advanced technology, and environmental qualities.

The award would go to the best adaptive reuse project that involved the repurposing of existing, sometimes historically significant, structures.

Celebrating a project that exemplifies design excellence, innovation, and transformative impact in infrastructure architecture.

Honouring a project that masterfully integrates artistic expression into architectural form.

Honouring exceptional branded residences that redefine luxury living through iconic architecture, design, and world-class service.

This category recognises outstanding architectural design in recreational spaces such as bowling arenas, gaming zones, casinos, golf arenas, and arcade venues.