KSP - District 9

Riyadh, KSA

2025

Area: 250,000 sqm

DESIGN INTENT

Blending tradition with modernity, the project envisions a city within a park, where architecture enhances cultural heritage while responding to climatic conditions.

The approach is defined by:

  • Timeless design through colonnades, arcades, and curated materials

  • Human-centric planning prioritizing walkability, shade, and connectivity

  • Sustainability via passive cooling, native landscaping, and adaptable infrastructure

URBAN MORPHOLOGY

The masterplan is shaped as a valley, with greenery at its core, generating a cooler microclimate compared to the surrounding city and reducing reliance on active cooling.

Its form:

  • Channels prevailing winds for natural ventilation

  • Integrates wind towers and water features for evaporative cooling

  • Reduces solar heat gain through a bioclimatic approach

The sloped morphology naturally draws movement toward the park, reinforcing its role as the project’s central anchor.

ARCHITECTURAL PRINCIPLES (SALMANI GUIDELINES)

  • Massivity at the periphery

  • Porosity and permeability at the core

  • Introversion from building to urban scale

  • Spatial and visual continuity through walkways

  • Social hierarchy from intimate plazas to major public spaces

  • Local materiality

  • Light and shadow as structuring elements

CONNECTIVITY & PUBLIC REALM

A high line pedestrian pathway acts as a continuous leisure and mobility spine:

  • Connecting visually and physically to the KSP loop and surrounding urban fabric

  • Creating shaded, thermally comfortable outdoor spaces through vegetation and suspended gardens

  • Integrating PV structures for both energy generation and shading

KEY ENHANCEMENTS

A. Space & Landscape Optimization

  • Layered green spaces: plazas, courtyards, pedestrian corridors

  • Shaded multifunctional areas with pergolas, PV structures, and water features

  • Strong indoor-outdoor continuity and enhanced connectivity across the site

B. Future-Proofing

  • Flexible, modular spatial planning

  • Scalable infrastructure for evolving technologies

  • Durable, climate-adaptive construction

  • Multi-purpose spaces supporting changing uses over time

C. Vibrant Public Realm

  • Retail, cultural, and social anchors activating the streetscape

  • Human-scale design with interactive elements

  • Seamless transitions between built and open spaces

D. Market Alignment

  • Wellness-driven, biophilic environments

  • Experiential, identity-driven placemaking

  • Mixed-use, adaptable urban systems

  • Smart city integration and digital infrastructure

  • Sustainable, resource-efficient design

  • Resilient spaces adaptable to future needs.

A detailed urban planning map illustrating building heights, green spaces, water features, wind turbines, and pathways. The map integrates a side view of buildings with orange and brown shades indicating heights from G+2 to G+8, and a plan view showi
Diagram of bioclimatic architecture in an urban area showing wind tower, water feature, and natural city park with trees, illustrating design benefits for solar heat reduction and cooling.
A map illustrating urban block typology with monolithic and clustered buildings, showing wind towers, offices, residential areas, hospitality, public services, parking types, and green spaces, with legend and labels.
Diagram showing different types of parking structures, including elevations, plans, and conceptual cross-sections, with labels on porosity, permeability, social factors, materials, iteration, massivity, lights, shadows, spatial and visual connectivit
Design guideline for implementing Salmani architecture, including a site plan, architectural details, and material selections, focusing on massivity, spatial continuity, porosity, permeability, lights, shadows, social factors, and materiality.
Architectural sketch of an urban plan featuring a building with large glass windows and an outdoor space with trees. Silhouettes of people, including a parent with two children, are depicted walking through the area. Labels indicate 'Iteration' and '
A detailed urban planning map showing different zones such as green roofs, public spaces, courtyards, pedestrian corridors, and green parks. It includes visual transitions between different levels, water collection layers, and pathways for pedestrian
Three images showing elevated walkways with greenery and solar panels in an urban area. The first two images depict city streets with cars and pedestrians, and the third image shows a zoomed-in view of a pedestrian walkway with solar-powered shade st
A landscaped urban planning diagram showing key enhancements for optimized space and landscaping. It includes a map with defined zones such as public spaces, courtyards, pedestrian corridors, green parks, and green roofs. The diagram highlights layer
Diagram illustrating the concepts of resilient construction and multi-purpose spaces. The top row shows circular materials in different textures, representing durable building materials, with a focus on longevity and climate adaptability. Below, a se
A detailed urban planning diagram showing strategies for vibrant public spaces. It includes a map with colored zones for commercial and pedestrian areas, alongside descriptive text highlighting concepts like engaging streetscapes, retail and cultural
Diagram showing different types of urban spaces like workshops, park, gallery, yoga, concerts, greenery, and gastronomy, each with illustrations of people engaging in various activities.