King Abdullah Economic City

The King Abdullah Economic City master plan is divided into several districts. The heart of the plan, the city center, includes the University, the Sports and Leisure district, residential neighbourhoods, the central business district, a civic center and the Financial Island. Each district was designed to be a vibrant city center with a unique identity, strongly linked to its context: architecturally, symbolically, and physically.

Wind Towers anchor each corner of the Financial Island. 120-story landmark tower is visible throughout the city. The highly sustainable tower includes a photovoltaic exterior wall and is oriented and formed to take advantage of the winds from the Red Sea to generate energy. The tower rises above the surrounding development and sets a new standard for environmental design in the region.

On the eastern edge is a hotel tower standing at approximately 80 stories. This facetted tower takes advantage of harbor views and is designed with a face that is folded to glimmer in the sun. The Sports and Leisure district includes a highly sustainable stadium. The stadium is surrounded by water on three sides, allowing visitors to arrive by boat. The building features a double shell that admits light while drawing hot humid air out of the building’s center.

The cultural center is located at the heart of the master plan, and includes art museums, history museums, libraries and colleges, as well as a series of mosques and schools. The center is designed as a ‘necklace’ of buildings, connected by a series of outdoor rooms, which offer outdoor display space and provide a ‘window’ into the galleries within each facility. The buildings face landscaped plazas, which are shaded with a series of delicate solar umbrellas. At the edge of the main plaza, adjacent to the canal, the main library is submerged with light wells that rise to the plaza level.