Yesterday, after a very long flight, we arrived to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, one of the most important cities in the region. Why? We are attending the opening of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, an international, graduate-level research institution. The mission if this academic institution is to dedicated to advancing science and technology of regional and global impact, with a fellowship program that provides full tuition to graduate students pursuing the M.S., M.S. to Ph.D., or Ph.D. degrees (more info here).
The University is located on a new campus designed by HOK, 80km north of Jeddah (aerial view of the site). The campus is part of a larger master plan, also designed by HOK: A new town of 10,000 to 12,000 people, surrounding and supporting the University, living in over 6.5 million sqf on a 3,200 acre site along the Red Sea.
The project started in fall 2006, and it was finished in just 3 years. To achieve this, the HOK Planning Group accelerated the process with a “Racing the Sun” design charrette in which planners from 10 offices across multiple time zones contributed to the plan over one 24-hour period. Each HOK office had a two-hour window to create its ideas and post them on a server. In the end, each contributed an idea that ultimately found its way into the final plan.
From what we have read and heard about the project, there is a lot to see in terms of sustainable planning/design for an extreme climate, along with a new approach to protect the fragile coastal ecosystem, away from the landfill strategies we have seen on Jeddah’s coast, including a coral-reef ecosystem preserved for use as a marine sanctuary and research area.
So tomorrow we are going to visit the campus, with our cameras ready to show you how this project has been materialized. We also plan to interview a design partner from HOK to get more details about this project.
You can see more renderings, images of the construction process, completed parts of the campus and also details on the construction of the Breakwater Beacon, a landmark for the project, at the end of the article. Expect updates on the KAUST campus in the next days.
We are also going to try to show you more about the city, which so far has been only traditional architecture in housing, with some western influences on retail projects, and lots of sculptures in public spaces (Calder, Miró for example). If you have arch-tips in the area, please leave them on the comments.
Renderings
Construction
Breakwater Beacon
KAUST nearing completion
This place will be absolutely incredible, and once it us full of students and faculty it will be a sight. I am thinking on applying for a fellowship on earth sciences and environmental engineering, seems like the place to be. Everything is designed around interdisciplinary education and living.
Really interesting, I´ll be waiting for the update.
i am very exited to see the update. Archdaily u r doing great job.
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Wow, waiting for those images!!
Great job AD.
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This is in any case impressive, great coverage archdaily! More of those!
good and great job..i think i have that website for some pictures on the project…i will try to find it and post it…and i will wait for update too
烧钱啊
No doubt about the architectural job and the renaceinsse of a new academic school’ but university is not only a Campus but it interlacing with community, socaity and culture.
Will those magnific buildings be a place or a phantom image?
i agree with you very strongly
Gerson,
We just toured the rest of the complex… the whole town, very interesting mix of traditions and modernity. I´ll show you on our next update.
David, good job. Too bad KAUST doesn’t offer any design or architecture related degrees…
It’s immorral!!
good job & big work
i have electrical/electronics degree and am very happy to join your university
I HOPE I CAN STUDY THERE
fantastic
Wow. I intend to apply there to work on my phd. The whole area looks beautiful, I won’t be distracted from my work, and I’ll never be cold again! If they take me, I hope there is good things for family, as I will bring my husband.
Assalamu alaikum, i wish to be one of the student of this great university.
yali
Its really interesting
the university brought the best professors in the world
so, trust me guys, it will one of the best institutions all over the world
please i am apply for an admission to study in your country Sir please accept my request to your univeristy in saudi Thank’s you Sir
your Ishaq Omair Mohammed iam wait for your answers May Allah Bless all familys and Muslims
I am very happy with this University and its one of my desires in this world to live in saudi arabia, I pray to ALLAH fullfil my dream because i am poor person live in northern Nigeria.
Application of islamic studies