Like a crystalline form in the state of expansion, the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center's Research and Office Complex (ROC) will rise from the desert in dramatic fashion, with a network of bright-white, six-sided cells combining to form an angular, shell-like façade.
The project's design architect, Zaha Hadid Architects, released construction photos of the job site in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The steel framework for the 216,500-sf complex is complete, and work on the exterior is well under way (as images from SkyscraperCity.com show below).
The ROC will feature a series of shaded outdoor spaces, courtyards, entrances, meeting areas, indoor gardens, corridors, underground tunnels, and roof terraces. It's part of a larger petroleum research complex that also includes a residential community (191 townhouses) and leisure and sports facilities, such as indoor and outdoor swimming pools, gymnasiums, aerobics rooms, a bowling alley, and sports grounds, as well as a library, restaurant, and supermarket.
The design team from Zaha Hadid Architects, led by Hadid, Patrik Schumacher, and DaeWha Kang, describe their design approach for the ROC: "The center is inherently forward-looking; its architecture also looks to the future, embracing a formal language capable of continual expansions or transformation with no compromise in visual integrity."
"The center emerges from the desert landscape as a cellular structure of crystalline forms, shifting and evolving in response to environmental conditions and functional requirements. Consistent organizational, spatial strategies drive an adaptive approach, with each component, each individual building, fitted to the purpose it serves."
"Protective from without, porous within, the structure’s strong, hard shell conceals a softer environment – sheltered courtyards, bringing natural daylight into all spaces; buffer zones creating smooth transitions from a hot, glaring exterior to a cool, filtered interior."
IMAGES AND RENDERINGS: ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS
IMAGES: SKYSCRAPERCITY.COM/HAMADX
Related Stories
| May 15, 2013
Schneider Electric announces Global Xperience Efficiency Events for 2013
Schneider Electric’s Xperience Efficiency series will begin with events in the United States, China, Colombia, Brazil and Russia.
| May 15, 2013
Center for Green Schools, Architecture for Humanity release new tool for green schools
The 70-page guide demystifies the processes of identifying building improvement opportunities and finance and implementation strategies.
| May 14, 2013
Paints and coatings: The latest trends in sustainability
When it comes to durability, a 50-year building design ideally should include 50-year coatings. Many building products consume substantial amounts of energy, water, and petrochemicals during manufacture, but they can make up for it in the operations phase. The same should be expected from architectural coatings.
| May 14, 2013
Advanced turbines generate 6X more energy than conventional models
US-based wind energy company SheerWind just unveiled the INVELOX – a tunnel-based wind turbine that can produce up to 600% more power than traditional wind turbines.
| May 14, 2013
Raymond Clark joins HOK’s Chicago Practice as Management Principal
HOK announced today that Raymond Clark, AIA, LEED AP, has joined its leadership team in Chicago as senior vice president and management principal.
| May 14, 2013
Easy net-zero energy buildings [infographic]
"Be a Zero Hero" infographic educates building industry professionals on ultra energy-efficient structural insulated panel construction
| May 9, 2013
10 high-efficiency plumbing fixtures
From a "no sweat" toilet to a deep-well lavatory, here's a round up of the latest high-efficiency plumbing fixtures.
| May 9, 2013
Post-tornado Greensburg, Kan., leads world in LEED-certified buildings per capita
Six years after a tornado virtually wiped out the town, Greensburg, Kan., is the world's leading community in LEED-certified buildings per capita.
| May 8, 2013
Preventable curtain wall failures - AIA/CES course
In many cases, curtain wall failures are caused by fairly simple errors that occur during the fabrication and installation process. This presentation will highlight common errors and when they typically occur.
