For the 5^th annual Joy Awards, 2026, STUFISH Entertainment Architects transformed the ANB Arena in Riyadh—an empty, large-scale sound stage—into an immersive theatre designed to host 800 guests and celebrate the region’s most influential voices in entertainment alongside global icons.

Inspired by the grandeur of a traditional opera house, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens, the design is anchored by an expansive radiating golden canopy suspended above the audience. This architectural gesture integrates lighting fixtures and kinetic elements, extending seamlessly towards the proscenium before wrapping the side LED walls and framing an 80-piece orchestra. The canopy acts as both a visual signature and a unifying spatial element, enveloping the audience in a warm, theatrical glow.

The design incorporated an additional closedown screen used throughout the show, formed by sliding LED walls and descending LED cylinders to enable concealed stage transitions. This system allowed the LED walls to open behind the central element without revealing the stage, while performance props were loaded seamlessly within, merging spectacle, choreography, and technical precision into a single architectural gesture.

The result was a theatre that balanced architectural elegance with cutting-edge performance technology, reinforcing the Joy Awards’ position as one of the region’s most ambitious cultural productions.

This year’s Joy Awards lavender carpet was conceived as a modern re-imagining of the Gardens of Versailles, where classical garden principles meet contemporary event design. Rather than functioning as a single arrival point, the carpet unfolded as a carefully choreographed journey, guiding guests through a sequence of architectural moments and immersive environments.

The experience began at the base of a grand staircase, where guests were welcomed by an oversized, draped golden arch. Acting as a ceremonial gateway, the arch framed arrivals for guests who then moved through a procession of repeating arches, paired with a central water feature that introduced rhythm, symmetry, and reflection, an early nod to formal garden design.

This structured path transitioned into an expansive video tunnel, transporting guests into an enchanted forest.

The journey then opened into the main step and repeat area, anchored by a marbled rotunda stage. Encircled by layered greenery and hedge-like topiary forms, this space. Inspired by traditional bandstands the rotunda was open, central, and visible from all sides, placing guests at the heart of the experience.

A dedicated Chopard installation introduced a refined pause, with orchids suspended from a grid structure and jewellery displayed like curated garden treasures.

The international stage, set within a shallow pool, offered a moment of calm amid the energy of the carpet. Adjacent to it, the glambot echoed the carpet’s language through circular forms, golden arches, and layered greenery. The experience concluded at a rounded, covered arched entrance, extending the venue’s footprint and seamlessly transitioning guests indoors, an elegant balance of past and future.

SHOW

ABOUT THE ACTS

The following set pieces were conceptualised and creatively directed by Blackskull and Possible, with our team responsible for the architectural and scenographic design of each performance environment. Together, these elements formed a series of distinct yet cohesive worlds, each fully integrated within the overall stage system.

Ya Sham

This year’s production featured a special theatrical tribute to Syria’s most beloved television series, Ya Sham. Scenes from six iconic dramas, including Maraya and Bab Al Hara, were brought to life with detailed architectural and figurative design, authentically celebrating Syrian film and cultural heritage.

Katy Perry

The show opened with a seemingly weightless LED staircase. Illuminated steps and a blacked-out base dissolved its support, creating a floating illusion. Katy Perry performed atop the structure alongside 40 violinists, establishing a powerful opening image defined by elevation, light, and orchestral scale. The performance was conceptualised and creatively directed by Possible Productions, The Squared Division and Silent House Group, with Choreography by Blackskull Creative. The STUFISH team responsible for the architectural and scenographic design of each performance environment.

Robbie Williams & Ayed

A 40-piece orchestra was positioned against the upstage LED screen within a custom lattice structure. A floating holographic screen displayed volumetric content, creating a dialogue between live musicians, digital imagery, and performers, and blurring the boundary between physical architecture and virtual performance elements.

In Memoriam

Abeer Nehme performed on a revolving orrery that rose above the stage on a lift mechanism. The kinetic structure introduced ceremony and elevation, separating the moment from the rest of the show and reinforcing its emotional weight through slow movement and celestial form.

Pilobolus performed a spectacular shadow choreography set behind a large-scale translucent backdrop that descended from above the stage to allow the storytelling of the Joy Awards themes and the development of the Iconic trophy shape to the new 2026 version by Chopard, Abeer Nehme and Pilobolus.

The set pieces were conceptualised and creatively directed by Blackskull Creative and Possible Productions, with our team responsible for the architectural and scenographic design of each performance environment. Together, these elements formed a series of distinct yet cohesive worlds, each fully integrated within the overall stage system.

Angham & Marcin

A 1920s-inspired set centred on illuminated make-up tables for Angham and six dancers. A golden ramp extended into the stage, where dancer–paparazzi choreography incorporated camera flashes as visual language. The reveal of a crystal bead forest behind added shimmer, depth, and layered reflections.

Jude Kofie performed his amazing piano playing set against a video backdrop evoking the opera house layers of drapery playing a concert Grand Piano. Simple and Elegant to give space to the spectacular performance.

The set pieces were conceptualised and creatively directed by Possible Productions with Choreography by Blackskull Creative, with our team responsible for the architectural and scenographic design of each performance environment. Together, these elements formed a series of distinct yet cohesive worlds, each fully integrated within the overall stage system.

Liz Mitchell & Il Divo

A wireframe classical colonnade lined with LED tape began in a restrained configuration. As the performance progressed, the structure reconfigured in motion while LEDs activated, dissolving the classical language and transforming the space into a full-scale disco with moving architecture and scattered light.