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KAUST University, Saudi Arabia

By David Basulto — Filed under: Educational , In Progress , Travels , Urban Planning , , ,
 
KAUST Campus

KAUST Campus

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.

KAUST Campus © 2009 J.B. Picoulet – S. Lourié

KAUST Campus © 2009 J.B. Picoulet – S. Lourié

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.

KAUST Aerial view

KAUST Aerial view

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.

KAUST Construction, north research labs, Solar Tower in between

KAUST Construction, north research labs, Solar Tower in between

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

KAUST Student center

KAUST Student center

KAUST offices, north research lab

KAUST offices, north research lab

KAUST Engineering Science Hall

KAUST Engineering Science Hall

KAUST Courtyard, pedestrian spine

KAUST Courtyard, pedestrian spine

KAUST Auditorium lobby

KAUST Auditorium lobby

KAUST Auditorium

KAUST Auditorium

KAUST Administration building

KAUST Administration building

Construction

KAUST Construction

KAUST Construction

KAUST Construction

KAUST Construction

KAUST Construction, central patio

KAUST Construction, central patio

KAUST Construction, north research labs, Solar Tower in between

KAUST Construction, north research labs, Solar Tower in between

KAUST Construction, north research labs, Solar Tower in between

KAUST Construction, north research labs, Solar Tower in between

KAUST Construction, south view research lab

KAUST Construction, south view research lab

KAUST Construction, glazing of the Solar Tower

KAUST Construction, glazing of the Solar Tower

Breakwater Beacon

KAUST Construction, Breakwater Beacon

KAUST Construction, Breakwater Beacon

KAUST Construction, Breakwater Beacon

KAUST Construction, Breakwater Beacon

KAUST Construction, Breakwater Beacon

KAUST Construction, Breakwater Beacon

KAUST Construction, Breakwater Beacon

KAUST Construction, Breakwater Beacon

KAUST Construction, Breakwater Beacon

KAUST Construction, Breakwater Beacon

KAUST nearing completion

KAUST Campus © 2009 J.B. Picoulet – S. Lourié

KAUST Campus © 2009 J.B. Picoulet – S. Lourié

KAUST Research Laboratory Building interior atrium © 2009 J.B. Picoulet – S. Lourié

KAUST Research Laboratory Building interior atrium © 2009 J.B. Picoulet – S. Lourié

KAUST Administration building © 2009 J.B. Picoulet – S. Lourié

KAUST Administration building © 2009 J.B. Picoulet – S. Lourié

KAUST Library  © 2009 J.B. Picoulet – S. Lourié

KAUST Library © 2009 J.B. Picoulet – S. Lourié

KAUST Library interior, chandelier detail  © 2009 J.B. Picoulet – S. Lourié

KAUST Library interior, chandelier detail © 2009 J.B. Picoulet – S. Lourié

 

20 comments »

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.

 
# September 20, 2009 at 13:23
Rob says:

Really interesting, I´ll be waiting for the update.

 
# September 20, 2009 at 17:08
nischal says:

i am very exited to see the update. Archdaily u r doing great job.

 
# September 20, 2009 at 18:46
saul says:

sand, sand, sand and oil.

 
# September 20, 2009 at 19:25
Archlad says:

Wow, waiting for those images!!

Great job AD.

 
# September 20, 2009 at 22:49
E says:

Some of these oily desert projects aren’t too bad.

 
# September 21, 2009 at 00:21
Yorik says:

This is in any case impressive, great coverage archdaily! More of those!

 
# September 21, 2009 at 11:36
arch_m says:

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

 
# September 21, 2009 at 22:29
Cleven says:

烧钱啊

 
# September 22, 2009 at 04:28
gerson says:

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?

 
# September 22, 2009 at 10:24
    dearxh says:

    i agree with you very strongly

     
    # September 22, 2009 at 13:42

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.

 
# September 22, 2009 at 10:26
el cowboy says:

David, good job. Too bad KAUST doesn’t offer any design or architecture related degrees…

 
# September 22, 2009 at 18:12
Joseph Smith says:

It’s immorral!!

 
# September 23, 2009 at 07:33
medooo says:

good job & big work

 
# September 23, 2009 at 21:25
nurhusen mohammed says:

i have electrical/electronics degree and am very happy to join your university

 
# September 25, 2009 at 07:09
ROSYID RIDLO says:

I HOPE I CAN STUDY THERE

 
# September 28, 2009 at 02:23

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