KING ABDULLAH FINANCIAL DISTRICT - MASTERPLAN

“
All buildings and monorail stations are linked
together by air-conditioned footbridges above
street level enabling walking distance to all
meetings in the Financial District – quite
extraordinary for Riyadh."

DESCRIPTION OF HENNING LARSEN ARCHITECTS Name of project:

Henning Larsen Architects was founded in 1959 and is an international architecture King Abdullah Financial District

company with strong Scandinavian roots. Our goal is to create vibrant, sustainable buildings Client:

that reach beyond themselves and become of durable value to the user and to the society Capital Market Authority and Public Pensions Agency

and culture that they are built into. Location:

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Henning Larsen Architects attaches great importance to designing environmentally friendly Gross floor area:

and integrated, energy-efficient solutions. Our projects are characterised by a high degree 1,600,000 m2
of social responsibility – not only in relation to materials and production but also as regards Year of construction:

good, social and community-creating spaces. 2010 - 2016 (First phase)

Type of assignment:

For more information about Henning Larsen Architects and The King Abdullah Financial First prize in international competition

District, please visit www.henninglarsen.com.

BEHIND THE PROJECT

EXPLANATION OF THE ENTRY Leading figures from Henning Larsen Architects:

The King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh is set to become the leading financial Designer: Jacob Kurek

centre in the Middle East, providing an attractive working environment for the growing Project Manager: Niels Fuglsang

workforce in the financial sector. KAFD offers a wide mix of offices, residential, educational, Collaborators: Buro Happold, Møller & Grønborg, DTZ

sports and cultural facilities in different types and densities to appeal to different people and Geoffery Barnett Associates

and to meet a broad range of demands. During the building phase Henning Larsen
Architects acts as consultants ensuring that the proposed scheme achieves a standard that
will be seen as a world-class example of sustainable development. CONTACT

Farid Fellah, Communications Manager

The 1.6 million m2 masterplan comprising new buildings of more than three million m2 Phone: +45 8231 3160, [email protected]

(above ground) has been designed to meet the requirements of one of the world’s most Henning Larsen Architects

recognised green building certification systems, LEED. Henning Larsen Architects is behind Vesterbrogade 76, DK-1620, Copenhagen, Denmark

the masterplan as well as several distinctive buildings and plazas in the district – many of
which have already been pre-certified for LEED. Granted the certification, King Abdullah
Financial District will become the world’s largest green development project and first LEED-
certified district worldwide.

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Green Dot Award Category: Build, Public
KING ABDULLAH FINANCIAL DISTRICT - MASTERPLAN

“
MATERIALS
Local quality materials are used to reduce energy consumption for transportation and to
insure a long lifetime and a minimum of maintenance.
By optimising the building proportions
the outdoor temperature has been Harmony between the buildings in the financial district is ensured by the use of quality
lowered by 6-8 degrees Celsius.” materials and light colours. Light surfaces absorb less sunlight and reduce the risk of
overheating inside the buildings.

“
Because of the high density of the King Abdullah Financial District highly reflective facades,
mirror glass facades, are avoided to reduce glare from one building to another.

Local quality materials are used

Furthermore, the masterplan includes the following guidelines to ensure sustainability:

• Facades are varied in respect to orientation in order to enhance energy saving.

• Solar cells placed on roofs and integrated into the facades.

• Transparency of facades designed to create the best indoor environment controlling

• Shading of facades to reduce cooling loads and to lower outdoor temperature.

• Use of roofscapes to achieve sustainable objectives.

• Skywalks that connect the buildings and an integrated public transport system help
reduce the need for cars.

• Skywalks are energy neutral and powered by solar energy.

• King Abdullah Financial District entails district cooling.

• Intelligent lighting reduces energy consumption.

“
Due to the hot climate in Riyadh, it is
expected that most people will use the
secured, ventilated bridges with a floor
width of four to six metres.”

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KING ABDULLAH FINANCIAL DISTRICT - MASTERPLAN

COMMUNITY IMPACT
The heart of the district is a transformation of the Arabian wadi Hanifa - an oasis or riverbed
- transversing the area. The district will become an active and attractive urban space
comprising financial institutions, residential and recreational areas, shops, restaurants,
hotels, conference and sports facilities.

The district will feature something as unique as a Saudi Arabian monorail connecting the
various areas of the district. All buildings and monorail stations are linked together by air-
conditioned footbridges enabling walking distance to all meetings in the financial district –
quite extraordinary for Riyadh.

The footbridges are placed at an elevated level separated from the street traffic. Due to the
hot climate in Riyadh, it is expected that most people will use the secured, ventilated bridges
with a floor width of four to six metres. Here, business people will meet to interact and the
cafes and shops of the towers will contribute to create a vibrant and attractive environment
in the area. A visual connection from the Skywalks to the streets and plazas of the city will
help pedestrians to find their way on the elevated bridges.

DESIGN
The vision for King Abdullah Financial District is based on the site and the Arabian
landscape, and the main shape of a leaf is forming a whole with the adjoining areas. With
the green recreational promenade, the Wadi and the five landmarks in the centre, the
District will stand out against the Riyadh skyline as an icon for the pulsating heart of a
growing financial world.

LAND USE
Located in the Saudi desert, Riyadh is characterised by extreme heat which preclude
walking and makes Riyadh very much a car-oriented city. The infrastructure of the district
is an important element of the new development. The aim is to create a modern sustainable
city, which is not dominated by cars, but creates public spaces and passages, where
pedestrians meet and interact.

Hence, the Masterplan provides guidelines of how to utilise the cold microclimate of the
existing wetlands and create recreational and walking areas. In a few years lush palm trees
will cast shadows and trains will whisk families and business men through the city centre
of Riyadh. King Abdullah Financial District will have become the leading financial centre in
the Middle East and have created a variety of recreational activities for the people living in
Riyadh and a powerful financial centre for Saudi Arabia and the region.