The 50 Masters of Design 2026

Rakan Aljandali is a Design Principal and Creative Director at KCA International, with more than eighteen years of experience shaping luxury hospitality, residential, and institutional environments across the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. Over the course of his tenure, he has contributed to the evolution of the firm’s design direction, leading multidisciplinary teams and establishing a body of work that engages both cultural specificity and contemporary global standards.

His portfolio includes a range of high-profile developments, from landmark hotels and branded residences to civic and religious projects. Notable works span the Inside Burj Al Arab Tourism Experience, the Award wining Desert Resort, the Imam Saud Grand Mosque in Riyadh, and The Chedi Hotel Wadi Safar in Diriyah. This latter project received “Hotel Concept of the Year” at the CID Hospitality Awards 2024, while Rakan himself was recognized as Interior Designer of the Year at the CID Awards MENA 2024.

His approach is grounded in the construction of narrative. Rather than treating interiors as isolated compositions, he positions them as spatial sequences that unfold through material, light, and movement. Cultural references are not applied superficially but are reinterpreted through contemporary lenses, often resulting in spaces that feel both rooted and forward-looking. Within this framework, attention is directed toward the orchestration of first and last impressions, as well as the subtle activation of the senses.

Alongside this, he has been an active advocate for the integration of emerging technologies within the design process. Tools such as artificial intelligence, immersive visualization, and advanced digital modeling are employed not as ends in themselves, but as instruments to deepen design intelligence, and expand creative exploration. His ongoing interest in Regenerative Design reflects a shift beyond conventional sustainability, seeking instead to position design as a contributor to ecological and cultural continuity.

Beyond practice, Rakan frequently participates in industry discourse through lectures, panels, and media appearances, addressing topics ranging from the future of hospitality to the evolving role of technology in creative fields. His work, both built and conceptual, is unified by a consistent ambition: to produce spaces that are not only visually compelling, but experientially enduring.