Zaha Hadid Architects Selected to Design the King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station in Saudi Arabia
In order to serve its rapidly expanding population of more than five million, the ArRiyadh Development Authority has commissioned Zaha Hadid Architects to construct the new King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Metro Station in its capital city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
With six platforms over four public floors and two levels of underground car parking, the KAFD Metro Station will be integrated within the urban context of the financial district, while responding to the functional requirements for a multimodal transport centre and the district’s future vision. The project extends beyond the simple station typology to emphasize the building’s importance as a dynamic, multi-functional public space; not only an intermediate place perceived through quick transitions, but also a dramatic public space for the city.
Takhassussi Patchi Shop / Lautrefabrique Architectes
Architects: Lautrefabrique Architectes
Location: Takhassussi Avenue, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Architect In Charge: Jean-Pascal Crouzet & Julien Mermet-Bouvier
General Contractor: Dal Al Arabia
Area: 707 sqm
Year: 2012
Photographs: Luc Boegly
KAFD Men’s and Women’s Portal Spas Proposal / WORKSBUREAU
Seen as geologic formations rising from the land, the design for the KAFD Men’s and Women’s Portal Spas by WORKSBUREAU form great shade porticos beneath long cantilevered masses. Located in two of the civic Attractor beacons of the dense urban King Abdullah Financial District of Riyadh, the project also forms the gateway to the masterplan, framing the main park as it flows into the Wadi pedestrian artery. More images and architects’ description after the break.
NACO and HOK Win Expansion Contract for Riyadh Airport
NACO, its Saudi Arabian branch SADECO, and global architect HOK were just awarded the contract to design the expansion of King Khaled International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The design consists of the expansion of the existing terminals 3 and 4, which will enable the airport to handle 20-25 million passengers per year. Currently, the 30-year-old airport is handling approximately 15 million passengers annually. NACO, Netherlands Airport Consultants, a Royal HaskoningDHV company, and HOK will lead the design team for this prestigious project. More architects’ description and their press release after the break.
Celebration Hall of Riyadh / Studio Schiattarella
Conjugating innovation and tradition, the first prize winning proposal for the Celebration Hall of Riyadh by Studio Schiattarella, in collaboration with Tecturae, aims at adhering to the specific route adopted by the Saudi culture. The building appears to be the requirement currently expressed globally and each culture develops it in its own fashion. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Diplomatic Quarter Celebration Hall Proposal / Godwin Austen Johnson Architects
Godwin Austen Johnson Architects shared with us their proposal in an invited international competition held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Their design for the Celebration Hall is situated in the socially and architecturally significant Diplomatic Quarter of Riyadh and takes into consideration the local roots of the city. The proximity of the local Aga Khan award winning landscaped edge to the Diplomatic Quarter provides direction for prestigious architecture and a high degree of creativity. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Winners of the 2010 Aga Kahn Award for Architecture
Of a total of 410 projects, five have been selected for the 2010 Aga Khan Award for Architecture at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. The five projects, selected by a Master Jury are:
- Wadi Hanifa Wetlands, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Revitalisation of the Hypercentre of Tunis, Tunisia
- Madinat Al-Zahra Museum, Cordoba, Spain
- Ipekyol Textile Factory, Edirne, Turkey
- Bridge School, Xiashi, Fujian, China
For more information on the winners and images read on after the break.
Video: King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) / Zaha Hadid Architects
Here is a video about one of Zaha Hadid‘s latest project, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSRC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This project has a holistic approach unifying architecture and engineering, landscape and building artist expression and environmental responsive design. It is intended to not only be a leading research facility, but also a LEED Platinum certified building upon its completion.
We recently featured Zaha Hadid, as she won this years esteemed RIBA Stirling Prize for the design of the MAXXI National Museum in Rome. Full coverage of the RIBA Stirling Prize along with photographs of the MAXXI can be found here.
Also you can check our previous coverage of Saudi Arabai – in particular last year ArchDaily personally visited Saudi Arabia for the opening of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, an international graduate-level research institution. Photographs and a write up on KAUST here.
