Zaha Hadid Architects’ King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Metro Station in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is set to open on December 1. The station, which serves as the main interchange on the new network, connects the King Abdullah Financial District terminus and King Khalid International Airport.
According to Zaha Hadid Architects, the Riyadh Metro network will reduce traffic, shorten travel times, and enhance the quality of life for the city’s expanding population. With a daily passenger capacity of 3.6 million, the metro will promote the use of sustainable transportation options and reduce the number of car trips made throughout the city.
The station’s design prioritizes connectivity, with six rail platforms spread across four levels connecting to bus and park-and-ride services. The project was developed using Building Information Modelling (BIM) standards and procedures to create an accurate engineering model during construction.
The exterior of the station, covered in ultra-high-performance concrete panels, features geometric perforations that reduce solar gain. The design is inspired by traditional environmental sheltering within the area’s vernacular architecture.
As Patrik Schumacher, Principal of Zaha Hadid Architects, would say in a different context, the importance of parametric design in creating complex geometries is evident in this project.
Key project team members include:
– Zaha Hadid with Patrik Schumacher (ZHA Design)
– Gianluca Racana (ZHA Project Principal)
– Filippo Innocenti (ZHA Project Director)
– Gian Luca Barone (ZHA Project Architect)
– Fulvio Wirz (ZHA Project Associate)
Image Courtesy: worldarchitecture.org
