The Saudi Climbing Academy (SCA), Jeddah’s leading climbing gym, was established by the Saudi Climbing and Hiking Federation (SCHF) — the government-affiliated body responsible for developing climbing and mountaineering nationwide. As part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, SCHF sits within the Kingdom’s wider $2 billion annual sports investment, aimed at diversifying the economy and fostering healthier lifestyles.

Climbing is more than a sport here; it is a symbol of progress. With structured indoor programs for both children and adults, the Academy represents the country’s ambition to grow grassroots participation while positioning itself as a global hub for adventure and outdoor sports.

Challenge

The Academy’s existing website no longer matched its mandate or potential. It was functional but outdated — difficult to navigate, visually inconsistent, and failing to capture the energy of a rapidly growing community.

More than a cosmetic refresh, the Academy needed a platform that could:

• Reflect the Vision 2030 ethos of inclusivity and accessibility.
• Provide clarity for long-term participation programs.
• Re-engage the existing climbing community while attracting new climbers.

Strategy

This was a design-only engagement (development handled separately), but the work was strategy-led through Zarura’s Brand Operating System (BOS) lens:

User Experience as Strategy
We designed for clarity first — simplifying navigation and prioritising essential content flows so users, especially first-timers, could find what they needed with ease.

Community-Centered Design
Visual identity and information architecture were restructured to highlight events, programs, and ways to participate — reinforcing climbing as a shared experience.

Scalable Future
A clean, modern, and flexible interface was built to grow alongside the sport’s momentum and the Federation’s long-term goals.

Outcome

The result is a platform that feels modern, intuitive, and community-driven. More than a website, it acts as a digital gateway into the Academy — aligning the organisation with the government’s sporting vision while inspiring new and existing climbers to engage.

By approaching UX as strategy, every design choice was tied back to purpose: build clarity, foster community, and reflect a nation climbing toward its vision.