In 2020, ArchiNet launched the first season of Arab Architecture Week as a cultural initiative dedicated to spotlighting leading architects across the Arab world — those distinguished by their achievements, their award-winning projects, and the significant studies and research shaping architecture, urbanism, and design in the Arab region.

The program ran over seven days, from Saturday 10 to Friday 16 October 2020, and featured 53 sessions and lectures presented by a selection of architects from across the Arab world. Participation drew on a diverse mix of individuals, Arab institutions and organizations, alongside official bodies working in the architectural field across the region.

The first season was held entirely as a live broadcast on Zoom, against the exceptional backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. This made it a living archive — documented through the live stream itself — without the accompanying speaker files that would become standard in later seasons.

The season opened with a keynote by guest of honor Dr. Rasem Badran, and laid the foundation on which Arab Architecture Week was built in the seasons that followed, opening a channel of dialogue between Arab architects that continues to expand each year.