GFA 12.500 m², 10 millions USD, 5 storeys
Design: Mattia Malavenda
Client: Fawaz Al Hokair

The Riyadh Exhibition Centre project came from the idea of a saudi property developer, Fawaz Al Hokair, to ride the opportunity of the new global trend in exhibition and educational entertainment: the tour exhibitions.

First of its kind in Saudi Arabia, the new building must be iconic, have modern architecture features and in the same time be internally flexible for different kind of exhibition theme, type and other funtions in the future.
 

The building has a core and structure in reinforced concrete and the shell is basically a glass cube screened by a system of preformed sun-brakes.
This elements are designed with parametric software tools and the surface effect of the facade take inspiration from the dunes of the desert.

The sun-brakes are made in FSC wood, manufactured and preformed with CNC machinery and assembled on the facade through a light substructure anchored to the tempered double glass facade.

Internally, the exhibition spaces are benefitted by the natural light, diffused but not direct, and the soft curve of the screening elements give to the space an impression of ephemeral suspension and serenity.

View of the exterior from the galleries are anyway allowed by the sun-brakes system.
Reducing the direct solar radiation into the building results in a consequent reduction of the air cooling costs, and that's a challenge in the saudi arabian climate.