The Past Meets the Present in Jeddah’s Islamic Arts Biennale Complex

How King Abdulaziz International Airport’s Hajj Terminal was transformed to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s Islamic heritage.

By Karim Abdullatif

24/04/2023
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The main drive behind the inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale, which is ongoing till April 23rd, was to introduce Saudi Arabia’s rich Islamic history through a contemporary lens. Hence, the architectural design of the hosting complex had to follow suit - initiate a rendezvous between the past and the present.

Milan-based Gio Forma Architects designed the inaugural complex as a sequence of solids and voids engulfing an ethereal plaza. In doing so, transforming the classic structures into a cultural hub.

Originally, the airport was designed in 1981 by world-renowned Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. Gio Forma looked towards the modernist design for inspiration, highlighting its layout and typology to create a complex that relates to its existing surroundings while still having a singular identity.

Utilising the standout features of the past design, the new complex found its novel voice by instilling harmony between its different forms. A minimal outline takes over the complex while intrigue is expressed through the facades’ shifting textures and permeable lattices that bring the outdoors in - and vice versa - both aesthetically and environmentally.

Following a nuanced approach with their design, Gio Forma ensured that the hosted art will be spotlighted rather than eclipsed. The different volumes host galleries concocted in a manner that encourages artists to explore their orientations, as guests glide through the dynamic atmosphere on their cultural voyage.

Photography Credit: Marek Wolynski, Marylin Clark

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