flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Zaha Hadid Architects’ Urban Heritage Administration Centre takes its design from the surrounding desert

Cultural Facilities

Zaha Hadid Architects’ Urban Heritage Administration Centre takes its design from the surrounding desert

The futuristic curves that have become a staple for ZHA-designed buildings are also on full display.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | October 27, 2016

Rendering courtesy of Methanoia via ZHA

After winning an architectural competition that was launched last year, Zaha Hadid Architects will build the Urban Heritage Administration Centre in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.

The project, which is inspired by the Wadhi Hanifah valley’s oasis, will have its facilities arranged around an atrium with water at its core and also features four “scooped” green oases. The outer skin of the double façade appears to be solid but is actually perforated, allowing for natural light while protecting the building’s interior from the desert heat. The double façade is meant as a reinterpretation of the area’s traditional rammed-earth structures, which provide thick walls and small exterior openings.

The Centre will cover 94,507 sf in total and will serve as the permanent headquarters for the Heritage Museum. The project will include an exhibition gallery, library, lecture hall, educational spaces for all ages, and a scientific institution for field research and documentation of nearby archaeological sites.

The design of the building is attempting to achieve an appropriate balance between tradition and innovation while also becoming a part of the nation’s evolving cultural heritage. The Urban Heritage Administration Centre is an integral piece in preserving Diriyah’s historic UNESCO world heritage listed site.

 

Rendering courtesy of Methanoia via ZHA

 

Rendering courtesy of Methanoia via ZHA

 

Rendering courtesy of Methanoia via ZHA

Related Stories

Cultural Facilities | Aug 28, 2019

Seattle’s newest substation doubles as a civic amenity

The Denny Substation includes 44,000 sf of open space that invites local residents and visitors to frequent the complex.

Cultural Facilities | Aug 23, 2019

Snøhetta to design Shanghai Grand Opera House

The Opera House is part of a new urban master plan for Shanghai.

Cultural Facilities | Aug 19, 2019

Tanglewood in the Berkshires is now a year-round facility

It recently debuted three climate-controlled event spaces and an indoor-outdoor café

Cultural Facilities | Jul 15, 2019

Steven Holl Architects and Architecture Acts to design Ostrava Concert Hall in the Czech Republic

Their winning proposal was supported by six of the seven members of the jury.

Cultural Facilities | Jul 11, 2019

BIG’s MÉCA combines three regional art agencies into one loop

The project gives Bordeaux an art-filled public space from the waterfront to the city’s new urban room.

Cultural Facilities | Jul 1, 2019

MAD Architects' proposal for the Yiwu Grand Theater will be built on the Dongyang River

MAD beat out four other proposals for the opportunity to design the theater.

Multifamily Housing | Jun 27, 2019

David Baker Architects wins 2019 HUD 'best in affordable housing' honor

The firm's Williams Terrace project is the first dedicated housing for Charleston, S.C.’s low-income seniors. It's one of four developments to win 2019 AIA/HUD housing awards. 

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jun 27, 2019

Foster + Partners unveils design of wooden boathouse for Row New York

The project will sit on the banks of the Harlem River in Sherman Creek Park.

Cultural Facilities | May 17, 2019

Mulva Cultural Center builds upon city's arts legacy

Former ConocoPhillips CEO and wife have donated millions for culture and education.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category



Museums

UT Dallas opens Morphosis-designed Crow Museum of Asian Art

In Richardson, Tex., the University of Texas at Dallas has opened a second location for the Crow Museum of Asian Art—the first of multiple buildings that will be part of a 12-acre cultural district. When completed, the arts and performance complex, called the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Jr. Athenaeum, will include two museums, a performance hall and music building, a grand plaza, and a dedicated parking structure on the Richardson campus.


halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021