Today, SOM signed a contract with the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Urban Planning and Development Authority for the implementation of the draft National Strategic Plan 2050.

The contract was signed during a ceremony held as part of the Innovation Conference in the Social Housing Sector 2026. SOM Partners Thomas Behr and Doug Voigt were present for the signing, alongside His Excellency Eng. Ahmed Abdulaziz Al-Khayat, Chief Executive Officer of the Urban Planning and Development Authority.

The National Strategic Plan 2050 will guide every aspect of Bahrain’s sustainable urban planning and development over the next 25 years. The plan builds on SOM’s Bahrain 2030 National Planning Development Strategy, submitted in 2007 following an 18-month process of research, analysis, consultation, and design exploring how sustainable land development can support the Kingdom’s stable, predictable, and long-term economic growth.

The contract continues SOM’s longstanding work in sustainable urban development in Bahrain, including the Bahrain Bay Master Plan, the Arcapita Bank Headquarters, and the Four Seasons Bahrain Bay hotel.