Asaan museum breaks ground in Diriyah ceremony
The groundbreaking ceremony at Diriyah Sales Center was attended by senior representatives from the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), Diriyah Company, and design partners Zaha Hadid Architects.
Cultural institutions were also present in a show of support for the museum's mission.
Spanning 40,000 sq. meters, the museum is envisioned as a living institution that reflects Saudi identity through immersive exhibitions and cultural experiences.
It will highlight traditional arts, crafts, oral histories, and social customs in a space designed to bring Saudi heritage to life.
In a statement to Arab News, Khaled Al-Saqer, CEO of Asaan, said the architectural vision for the project was rooted in a deep cultural responsibility.
'The vision was to preserve and pass on Saudi heritage from generation to generation,' Al-Saqer said. 'With the rapid advancements in technology, we wanted to make sure there is no gap between current and future generations and their connection to their historical roots.
'At Asaan, we are developing heritage in a new way — one that bridges this gap and ensures our cultural legacy is protected and passed forward.'
He emphasized that Asaan is not just about preserving artifacts, but about inspiring deeper engagement with Saudi heritage.
Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the museum draws inspiration from traditional Najdi design, combining organic forms with modern lines to reflect the authenticity and evolution of Saudi architecture.
The structure itself is intended to be a cultural statement, rooted in local tradition yet open to global dialogue.
The museum will feature a conservation lab to support the restoration and preservation of heritage artifacts.
It will serve as a center for knowledge exchange and training, preparing future generations of Saudi museum professionals.
Asaan is part of the Misk Foundation's broader mission to promote creativity, heritage appreciation, and knowledge sharing through platforms that empower Saudi youth and cultural institutions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ArabGT
an hour ago
- ArabGT
UAE Leads the Arab World in U.S. Car Imports
ArabGT This surge reflects the country's role as a major regional automotive hub, not only for local consumption but also as a gateway for re-export to other markets in Asia and Africa. Saudi Arabia Close Behind Saudi Arabia maintained its position as the second-largest Arab importer of American automotive products, with total imports reaching $866 million. Of this, $652 million went toward passenger cars, $101 million for buses and trucks, and $113 million for spare parts. In May 2025 alone, imports hit $243 million, signaling robust market activity across both private and commercial sectors. Kuwait Steady and Consistent Kuwait recorded $226 million in imports from the U.S. during the same period, reflecting a stable and confident market. Passenger cars made up the largest portion at $153 million, followed by $47 million for commercial vehicles and $26 million for spare parts. In May, Kuwait brought in $54 million worth of imports—showing steady demand for American-made vehicles. The Bigger Picture: A Two-Way Trade On the flip side, the U.S. automotive export industry continues to perform strongly, with total exports reaching over $69 billion in the first five months of 2025. However, American imports outpaced that figure significantly, with over $183 billion in vehicles and parts brought in. The bulk of these imports came from just five key countries: Mexico, Japan, Canada, South Korea, and Germany. Together, these five nations accounted for more than 81% of the U.S.'s total automotive imports—highlighting the deeply interconnected nature of the global automotive supply chain.
Argaam
an hour ago
- Argaam
Saudi Darb says lawsuit against former board members accepted
Saudi Darb Investment Co. (formerly Al Baha Investment and Development Co.) announced that the lawsuit it filed against former board members for the term from Feb. 10, 2010 to Feb. 9, 2013 has been accepted and the case has been registered with the General Secretariat of the Securities Disputes Resolution Committees, and the requirements are being completed. In a statement to Tadawul, the company added that the requirements are being completed, noting that it following up on developments in this regard. It indicated that the related costs cannot be determined at this stage, adding that any developments regarding this issue will be announced in due course. According to Argaam 's data, the company filed on May 8 a complaint with the Capital Market Authority (CMA) against former board members, who served from Feb. 10, 2010, to Feb. 9, 2013. It said the former board members had signed a contract to sell company assets under which the company acquired a crusher, a cement concrete project, and a hollow core project from Al-Sateaa Modern Contracting Co. for SAR 86 million.
Argaam
an hour ago
- Argaam
Al Yamamah Steel's wind power plant fulfils 46% of market demand: CEO
Sahal Al-Thobaiti, CEO of Al Yamamah Steel Industries Co., said that the annual production capacity of the company's wind power systems factory is estimated at around 50,000 tons of steel towers, equivalent to around 1 gigawatt (GW) of production capacity. This represents nearly 46% of the total wind energy projects expected to be launched in the market in the near future. In an interview with Argaam, Al-Thobaiti said that the total investment in the plant amounts to SAR 240 million. Of this, 70% or SAR 170 million, was secured through a loan from the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, while the remainder came from the company's own resources. The factory is a strategic step aimed to support the Kingdom's move toward renewable energy and is considered the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia and the GCC region, specializing in the manufacture of wind steel towers, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to localize industries, the CEO said. Al-Thobaiti also pointed out that the plant serves as a nucleus for localizing the wind power industry, expecting demand to grow moving forward. The Kingdom aims to implement wind energy projects with a capacity of 16 GW by 2030, while the projects currently implemented do not exceed 400 megawatts (MW). On the financial front, the CEO said that the renewable energy sector — specifically wind and solar energy — is likely to contribute between 26% and 30% of Al Yamamah Steel's total revenues in the coming years, adding that this will help diversify income sources and boost annual revenue growth. Al-Thobaiti said the company's total loans stood at around SAR 835 million as of the end of March 2025. He added that the increase in loans was due to the scale of ongoing projects and the need to finance raw materials, expecting short-term loans to decline to SAR 750-780 million by the end of this fiscal year. Al Yamamah Steel's board of directors approved, on Feb. 8, 2021, to begin construction of Al Yamamah Wind Power Systems plant at the cost of SAR 293 million, data compiled by Argaam showed. The company announced, on July 16, the completion of construction work and trial operations at the wind power plant in Yanbu Industrial City. Commercial operations are scheduled to commence on Aug. 1, 2025.
