Snøhetta has unveiled its design for an opera house in Diriyah, on the outskirts of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Inspired by the surrounding desert landscape, local cultural heritage, and Najdi building traditions, the Royal Diriyah Opera House forms part of a wider master plan to redevelop the historic area.
Both the form and materiality of the opera house respond to a vernacular style in the area known as Najdi, which historically saw mud-brick structures closely clustered to create constant shade. Similarly, the proposed scheme comprises a cluster of buildings connected by open-access passages, responding to the need to shade visitors from the sun.
The concept behind the design was “the idea of earth from the riverbeds, which crack when exposed to the hot sun, is molded by wind and rain, and then finds a new shape as separate forms.” As a result, the cluster of buildings is imagined as rising from the ground to form open passages across the site. Echoing the Najdi focus on natural material, the building mass is composed of a mixture of palm, stone, and earth.
Inside, the 500,000-square-foot opera house will accommodate approximately 3,500 people across four venues, each designed for specific types of performances. A 2,000-seat opera theater forms the core of the scheme, intended for large-scale productions and headline artists. In addition, a 450-seat adaptable theater and 450-seat multipurpose theater will host smaller events, interactive programming, and rehearsals. Externally, meanwhile, a 450-seat, shaded rooftop amphitheater will host outdoor performances.
“This project aims to connect the area’s rich history with contemporary culture, highlighting the importance and integrity of arts when building future communities,” said Snøhetta co-founder Kjetil Trædal Thorsen about the development. ”Through this project, Diriyah Company showcases the significance of architecture as a catalyst for building a profound cultural understanding and for sensitizing the societal experiences.”
The scheme is due to be completed by 2028.
News of the opera house comes one month after Snøhetta completed the mixed-use AIRSIDE development in Hong Kong. The firm also recently shared construction progress on its spiraling Shanghai Grand Opera House in addition to completing the Vesterheim Commons in Decorah, Iowa.
5 Comments
Everyone want that Saudi money.
So bad, expected so much better from Snohetta
That is an insult to najdi architecture, not a tribute.
Yes, pretty crappy
Business must be slow in Oslo if they're returning to the steady Saudi money.
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