Green Roofs to Riyadh’s Deepest Metro: Schaduf’s Journey into Saudi

When Sherif Hosni, Co-Founder of Cairo-based landscape firm Schaduf, talks about Qasr Al Hukm, there’s a noticeable pause before he calls it what it is: the flagship. “It’s the biggest project we’ve completed,” he tells SceneHome.

Schaduf began with a shared passion for sustainability—specifically, green roofs—and grew from there. But over time, one thing became clear: Saudi was the biggest market.

It wasn’t easy. Establishing a business presence in the Kingdom came with its own set of hurdles. But a strategic partnership in 2018 helped unlock the opportunity, and by 2022, Schaduf had opened a formal office in Saudi Arabia—just in time to take on its largest challenge yet.

Qasr Al Hukm is one of Riyadh’s main metro stations, part of the city’s broader infrastructure transformation. At its core is a green wall designed and executed entirely by Schaduf—spanning 36 metres underground.

Unlike earlier projects where Schaduf might have handed over execution to a local partner, this time they did it all themselves—from design to installation. They now oversee maintenance and operations, too.

Today, Qasr Al Hukm represents more than just a completed project. It’s proof of capability. And it marks the beginning of Schaduf’s regional expansion.