How Marwan Lockman’s RIBA-Nominated Firm Is Rewriting Modern Bahrain

SAKHIR, BAHRAIN: An aerial view of the Al Dana Amphitheatre in Bahrain, an architectural marvel carved into the desert landscape. S/L Architects Bahraini architect Marwan Lockman’s firm S/L Architects have been nominated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for a RIBA Middle East Award, recognizing the firm’s extraordinary design of the Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre — a cultural landmark carved into the desert beside the Bahrain International Circuit. The most fearless design element of the project? The Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre doesn’t rise from the desert; it almost disappears into it — a disruptive move in a region known increasingly for its flash and high-rise scale. Yet this open-air concert venue has hosted some of the biggest names in global live entertainment, from Bruno Mars and Kevin Hart to Tiesto, the Backstreet Boys, and leading regional artists. With tens of thousands of tickets sold, it’s fast becoming one of the most successful venues in the Middle East. MANAMA, BAHRAIN: Architect Marwan Lockman poses for a portrait in front of a rusted metal backdrop. Lockman is the founder of S/L Architects and was recently nominated for the RIBA Middle East Award for his work on the Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre. S/L Architects Why should we care? Because architecture, like branding, is an act of identity. Both translate vision into emotion and experience — balancing aesthetics with authenticity, heritage with innovation, and storytelling with truth. The Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre is a tangible manifestation of exactly this. And besides, this architectural masterpiece might well go on to win the most prestigious architectural award in history, the RIBA International Prize, following this Middle East regional nomination. So what do I think are the three lessons we can learn from Marwan Lockman’s Bahraini leadership that’s not just redefining entertainment, but the nation’s identity? MORE FOR YOU Identity Over Attention A general view shows the skyline of Manama on the third day of the Formula One pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on February 28, 2025. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images While much of the Middle East continues to build upward toward spectacle, Lockman and his team at S/L Architects went inward — toward silence. It was a deliberate and disruptive move, the kind only the bravest brands make to stand out. And it landed Lockman and S/L Architects the prestigious gig. But more than that, I’d say it was a relevant and necessary move for a new generation done being dazzled by surface and spectacle. As I emphasize in The Kim Kardashian Principle, savvy audiences now — more than ever before — crave authenticity and experiences that help them express their inner selves. And when it comes to the world of architecture that translates into spaces where brands don’t just perform to audiences, but perform for them. SAKHIR, BAHRAIN: An aerial view of the Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre, located adjacent to the Bahrain International Circuit. Designed by S/L Architects, the open-air venue features a recessed form that integrates with the desert landscape. S/L Architects The power of the Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre’s first lesson, as I see it, is exactly this: evolution doesn’t always mean expansion — sometimes it can mean excavation. Looking inward — or dare I say even to the past — before reaching forward. Perhaps even seeing what we already had, and to ask whether it was enough all along? Looking back as a way of moving forward was a philosophy Marwan Lockman and his team embraced throughout the design and build process. A second-generation architect of Chinese and Egyptian descent, Lockman understands cultural nuance more than most — drawing from traditional Bahraini architectural practices to inform his modern vision in an authentic way. MORRISON, COLORADO - JULY 11: Watchhouse performs at Red Rocks Amphitheater on July 11, 2025 in Morrison, Colorado. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images) Getty Images Research also shows that this approach makes sense as modern audiences now prize autonomy, identity, and self-expression more than ever before. They want brands and experiences that understand and amplify who they already are — encourage them to march to their own drumbeat — not dictate who they should be. That’s what I’d say makes S/L Architect‘s RIBA Award nomination so compelling. By rejecting the industry convention of grandeur, Lockman and his team took a firm stand. And in an age of inflationary design, I’d say that kind of gravity is exactly what resonates the most. Purpose As Compass According to Marwan Lockman, when Eric Clapton came to perform in Bahrain, there wasn’t a proper venue. A temporary stage was built, folding chairs set out, speakers borrowed. Sure, the music happened — but that absence revealed something deeper than missing infrastructure. Under the desert sky, the Al Dana Amphitheatre in Bahrain comes alive — a testament to the power of place and performance. S/L Architects What Bahrain lacked from an architectural place was both a place and a brand pulse. And that’s how the Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre was designed — through a brand-centric lens and a genuine need — to give Bahrain something far greater than a performance space, to provide its attendees with greater meaning and purpose. Today, the venue — that was also part inspired by the Red Rocks Ampitheater in Colorado — draws audiences from across the Middle East for live performances and concert tours, supported by world-class venue management and operational guidelines. From Metallica to Guns N’ Roses, the stage has hosted global icons and emerging local talent — creating a new kind of fan engagement that merges music, identity, and belonging. Am I surprised? Not at all. Recent research shows time and again that purpose-driven brands consistently outperform their peers in loyalty and engagement. AL SAKAR, BAHRAIN: The a striking fusion of modern design and desert minimalism, redefining cultural architecture in the region. S/L Architects When people feel uncertain about the future, they seek brands that articulate the values they can no longer find elsewhere. Research from the University Of Southern California reveals how over 60 percent of younger audiences now expect brands to take clear stands on social and cultural issues, not to be political, but to be principled. S/L Architects under Lockman’s leadership built a cultural guidepost — an experience that turns architecture into values. It’s the kind of transformation that RIBA celebrates: design that leads society forward, not just upward. Heritage as Strategy The old Gadhabiyuh palace, Bahrein, Bahrain, circa 1926. (Photo by Sir R. Hay/Royal Geographical Society via Getty Images) Royal Geographical Society via Getty Images Bahrain has always been at a crossroads — a trading island where pearl divers, poets, and merchants gathered under open skies. So it’s no surprise that Lockman and team built the Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre as a modern majlis — a gathering place for dialogue, emotion, and collective experience. In doing so, S/L Architects transformed the project from a live entertainment venue to a cultural act of recovery — reawakening Bahrain’s unique architectural and social DNA — older, more tempered and more pragmatic — buried under decades of modernization and oil wealth. Built with local materials, gabion retaining walls, and sustainable systems like storm-water tanks and recycled tyres, the Amphitheatre focused more on function over form and restraint in the usage of materials. And that’s the third leadership lesson here. In a world obsessed with what’s next, could real innovation lie in heritage? I certainly think so. The bravest and most savvy brands don’t just look ahead — they look within. Pearl divers shell oysters for pearls on the deck of a boat in Bahrain, Persian Gulf, 1955. (Photo by Authenticated News/Archive Photos/Getty Images) Getty Images Research from the Journal of Business Research backs me up revealing how brand heritage enhances perceived quality and credibility, and allows brands to command a premium price. The RIBA National Awards increasingly recognize building reuse and heritage architecture, and Lockman’s leadership defines a new era of cultural sustainability in the Middle East. And while the Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre now stands alongside other global landmarks like Exhibition World Bahrain and the Bahrain International Conference & Exhibition Centre — the amphitheaters brand story embodies a level of heritage and meaning that sets a new standard for the national brand architecture. Looking Inward to Lead Outward SAKHIR, BAHRAIN: A nighttime view of the Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre, showing the illuminated stage and tiered concrete seating. Designed by S/L Architects, the venue is embedded into the desert terrain and integrates sustainable materials and lighting systems. S/L Architects There is no doubt in my mind that the Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre isn’t just a triumph of design — it’s a triumph of brand identity. And that’s why architect extraordinaire, Marwan Lockman and his talented team at S/L architects nomination for a RIBA Middle East Award 2025 feels inevitable. And while the concert venue’s space is undeniably breathtaking, its purpose-driven design — and the emotional promise behind it — is where it truly resonates. Lockman didn’t choose spectacle as his legacy; he chose substance, by looking inward at his own truth, the truth of Bahrain — his Bahrain. In doing so, he became a guiding light for his fellow Bahrainis. Yes, he certainly built a modern day masterpiece, but he also built a compass, and a forever bond with his fellow Bahrainis. So perhaps the real question is this: are you building on human truths to create resonance that truly endures? Because while most of y’all are looking outward for meaning, I’d say this — true ascent will always begin from within. Named Esquire’s Influencer of the Year, Jeetendr Sehdev is a media personality and leading voice in fashion, entertainment, and influence, and author of the New York Times bestselling phenomenon The Kim Kardashian Principle: Why Shameless Sells (and How to Do It Right.) 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