Brief introduction
In the Saudi arabian city of Dhahran, a group of megalithic buildings was erected at the site of the first oil well discovered by the Kingdom. It is the world-famous King Abdulaziz World Cultural Centre and was designed by Snøhetta Architects.
Exterior of the building
Total flat plan
Snøhetta Architects: Founded in 1989 in Oslo, Norway. It has earned international acclaim for its forward-looking architecture that does not follow a fixed aesthetic, which is the result of its highly collaborative design approach. Notable works include the Library of Alexandria in Egypt, the Norwegian Embassy in Berlin, Germany, the New State Opera in Oslo, and the Art Gallery and Museum at the World Trade Center in New York, USA. 〗
Design Concept:
The project is a bold new initiative by Saudi Aramco to promote the culture of the Kingdom. The architect used the concept of desert patterned stones to outline the architectural form of the megalithic group. The combination of horizontal and vertical stones represents the clash between ancient traditions and visions of the future in Arab culture. The part of the boulder buried in the ground represents the traditional culture of Arabia, the middle represents modern culture, and the part on the ground represents the future, alluding to the great potential of Arab culture.
The patterned stones of the desert
Hand-drawn manuscripts
Building Description:
In the boundless desert, an oval oasis, five bare boulder-like buildings shine in the sun with a metallic luster. A "boulder" in the middle soared into the sky and soared more than 90 meters high. The silvery metal tubes enclose the building's façade layered on top of each other, giving a silky, smooth visual effect, as if it were an oily boulder polished by wind and sand. The 98-meter-high main tower is the center of the building, with a smaller "keystone" next to the main tower and three slightly lower boulders scattered on either side.
An oasis of ovals
Elevation
Indoor Introduction:
The five "boulders" have a total construction area of 100,000 square meters, and the interior includes various multicultural facilities such as auditoriums, cinemas, libraries, exhibition halls, museums, archives and so on. The main tower is an educational building with different functions on each floor: Keystone is a creative and innovative hub for students and professionals aged 22 and above in Saudi Arabia, encouraging them to become innovators of the times; the bright library contains 200,000 open access books for users of all ages; the library has a high-configuration theater for activities including operas, symphonic concerts, musicals and speeches; and the Great Hall is a multi-purpose area of up to 13 meters. Exhibitions and many other events can be held.
lobby
theater
plan
Structure, material:
The building structure is supported by a polygonal steel mesh that completely envelops the steel column structure and the reinforced concrete floor. The individual metal tube curtain wall is made of 350,000 m long curved stainless steel pipes, each 5.5 meters long steel pipe is installed side by side along the façade. Each three-dimensional steel pipe needs to be bent in different radii and in different directions. The stainless steel pipe network is integrated with the trapezoidal corrugated metal plate and the insulated snap metal outer layer of the overall assembly, which perfectly constructs the architectural image of mercerization flow.
Stainless steel tube
Curtain wall structure
At the opening of the façade window, the stainless steel pipe is squeezed into a louver, which is convenient for lighting and can also play a shading effect, which greatly alleviates the comfort of the internal environment in the extremely hot, humid and windy geographical environment in which the building is located.
Exterior wall window structure
epilogue:
The King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture showcases the Saudi government's encouragement of the people to increase their enthusiasm for knowledge and enhance the creativity of young people with its cutting-edge architectural aesthetics and complete supporting facilities. The building aims to shape "Arabia's first cultural all-round complex" and is a well-deserved new cultural landmark of the Kingdom.
Night view of the building
Project Title: King Abdulaziz World Cultural Centre;
Building area: 100000㎡;
Location: Dhahran, Saudi Arabia;
Architectural design: Snøhetta Architects.
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