Geometric perforations illuminate Saudi metro station by Zaha Hadid Architects

UK studio Zaha Hadid Architects has completed the King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station along the Riyadh Metro network, which opened on Sunday in Saudi Arabia's capital city.

Located in Riyadh's financial district, the station by Zaha Hadid Architects serves as a key interchange on the new metro line, which spans more than 176-kilometres across 85 stations and has a capacity of 3.6 million daily passengers.

Designed as a multi-modal transport hub, the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Metro Station has six rail platforms spread across four levels, which connect with local bus and park-and-ride services, and the KAFD monorail via a skybridge.

Additionally, indoor and outdoor plazas were included within the development.

The station's exterior, which is clad in concrete panels, features a sinuous design defined by a lattice structure composed of rhythmic "sinewaves".

This lattice structure is perforated with geometric openings that reduce solar gain on the station interior and, according to the studio, were designed as a "contemporary reinterpretation of traditional environmental sheltering" typical of the region's vernacular architecture.

"The composition of the station's facade echoes the patterns generated by desert winds in sand, where multiple frequencies and reverberation generate the complex repetition of patterns evident in the natural world," the studio said.

"The resulting configuration is a three-dimensional lattice defined by a sequence of opposing sinewaves (generated from the repetition and frequency variation of the station's daily traffic flows), which act as the spine for the building's circulation."

At ground level, glazed arches that follow the facade's curved formation serve as entrances to the station.

Inside, the station opens up to a spacious interior where the facade's lattice structure illuminates the space and serves as a decorative backdrop complemented by white concrete panels, patterned flooring and gold-hued details.

To minimise the building's energy demand, the studio integrated the use of passive strategies and a cooling system powered by renewable energy.

Other Saudi projects recently featured on Dezeen include the Sindalah island resort by Luca Dini Design, which is the first Neom region to be completed in the country and the Aramco Stadium designed by Populous ahead of the Saudi World Cup.

Elsewhere, ZHA's Mercury Tower featuring a twisting facade has reached completion in Malta, while its design for a weaving cultural centre in Uzbekistan has also recently been unveiled.

The photography is by Hufton + Crow.

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