Opera House

This complex is a state-of-the-art theatre, performing arts centre and art district which caters for the growing art scene of Saudi.

The masterplan forms an essential part of the new cultural and social development, with major exhibition focused cultural attractions that span over multiple clusters and target visitors from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

The complex provides an educational center for the performing, cinematic, and visual arts, in addition to functional work studios and multipurpose flexible spaces, and a buzzing community with related retail and F&B outlets.

Inspired by its existing natural elements – the rocky mountains, the green meadows and the water streams, the design behind the complex tells the story of these elements that represent segments of the people’s past, present and future, and reflects the exponential growth that has taken place in Saudi.

Imagine a series of buildings where each structure is an individual character performing its own role, but together forming the overall complex, painted using a colour palette which reflects the three natural elements found in Saudi. The shades of blue found in water springs, the shades of green found in meadows, and the various tones of beiges found on the mountains’ faces.

When seen from a bird’s eye view, the architectural elements that make up the complex resemble a brilliant cluster of stars found in the sky, known as the Pleiades or ‘Al Thuraya’, which is very visible after a period of rain. The design connects each iconic architectural element in the masterplan to one another, representing the beauty of the sky after rain.

In the heart of the plot, the visitors encounter the symbol of the campfire, which is the main amphitheater and anchor of expression for the people of Saudi. Along the organic gridline generated, the site is penetrated with ‘meadow-like’ greenery branching out alongside the desired paths. The site is filled with rock inspired buildings, which are portal frames in the masterplan and are completely adaptable to any special configuration that visitor desires, whether a gallery, a dance theatre or an artist’s studio. These flexible buildings are made from natural stone material and modern Corten steel, reflecting the visual aesthetics of the Saudi mountains and desert. The primary element of the masterplan is the water well located at the tip of the site that connects the plot with the rest of the park. The well represents the source of life and inspiration generated from the water springs.

The feature buildings are designed for the visitor’s experience to appreciate the relevant art expression and functions that take place within the building.

For example, the opera house theatre is designed as a sleek object sitting on still water for the public to appreciate, but the true essence for the user experience would be the live performance from within the carefully designed theatre space.

The masterplan provides the opportunity to design additional anchor buildings, such as the amphitheaters, additional galleries and student accommodation to activate the development further. The masterplan also explores sustainable aspects, where building orientation and solar shading played a large role to ensure passive cooling and reduce solar gain, in addition to exploring further shading opportunities via public threshold spaces and geothermal temperature control.