Milan-based Gio Forma Studio has completed a new cultural facility in Saudi Arabia, Design Space AlUla.
The building is located within the Al Jadida Arts District, close to the ancient caravan city of Al Ula and 25 km from Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its ancient rock tombs.
The curator of Design Space Al Ula is architect and urban planner Sara Ghani. Mr. Ghani said: “Design Space AlUla celebrates AlUla’s natural history, cultural heritage and local materials and is committed to inspiring a sustainable future rooted in place.
“Our goal is to foster a design economy, provide resources for designers to explore and experiment, and for visitors to research, explore, and connect with the process behind AlUla’s design journey. To be a place of.”
The building incorporates COR-TEN steel, glass and polished concrete and provides exhibition, workshop and archive space.
The facility aims to foster collaboration between design professionals, students and academics, while strengthening AlUla’s cultural economy.
The project, in contrast to megaprojects such as NEOM, places greater emphasis on Saudi’s indigenous architectural culture and traditions, and builds on the country’s growing push to develop alternative approaches to architecture and sustainability. forming a part.
In a recent interview, Sumaya Al Solaiman, CEO of the Saudi Architecture and Design Commission, told BD: [architecture] NEOM alone is not enough. ”
Under Ghani’s direction, Design Space AlUla seeks to engage with emerging and established design professionals while exploring design through the lens of AlUla’s natural and cultural landscape. . The institution provides a comprehensive space covering a variety of design disciplines, from architecture to product to graphic design, and aims to highlight the wider role of design in regional character, quality of life and the economy. That’s what I’m aiming for.
The building will be open from February 15th to June 1st with an opening exhibition. Titled ‘Mawrid: Celebrated Inspired Design’, the exhibition is curated by Ghani and aims to showcase the design process behind recent projects inspired by AlUla.
The exhibition will also feature participants from the AlUla Design Awards and the inaugural AlUla Design Residency, including designers from Bahrain, Denmark, France, India and Saudi Arabia.
The Geo Forma Studio project was completed following the establishment of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) in 2017. RCU was tasked with leveraging the region’s unique culture, heritage and natural resources to transform the region into a global tourism destination. The goal is to welcome 2 million tourists a year by 2035.
This initiative is in line with the goals outlined in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, which focuses on promoting and developing tourism and leisure in the country.
UK-based firms involved in developing RCU’s spatial strategy include Prior & Partners and Allies & Morrison. Prior and partners’ contributions include proposals to address the negative effects of relentless development over recent decades and restore the historic character of the landscape and built environment.
