King Abdullah Financial District

As part of a massive effort to create a new financial center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, we designed seven development parcels covering a total area of 1.6 million square meters and providing over 3 million square meters of floor space with a mix of office, residential, educational, sports, retail, cultural, and religious spaces. We approached the design of each parcel by respecting the master plan, environment and local climate, integrating sustainable principles, interpreting cultural influences, using local materials and respecting construction methodology.

The design vision offers a separation between pedestrian and vehicular traffic, while including public spaces within each site. Throughout the development, protected skywalks encourage pedestrian traffic, and a monorail system promotes the use of public transportation. A traditional "wadi," a dry riverbed that collects runoff, allows for the creation of continuous public green space connecting four of the developments while providing shelter for local plants and animals. Green roofs provide additional landscaped areas.