HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Unveils Saudi Architecture Characters Map to Honor Kingdom's Architectural Heritage
As Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Saudi Architectural Design Guidelines, HRH Crown Prince underscored the importance of Saudi Architecture in representing the country's historical identity while integrating modern urban planning principles. He emphasized that sustainable architectural development should complement the local environment and uphold traditional design elements.
'Saudi Architecture blends our rich heritage with contemporary design thinking,' HRH Crown Prince stated. 'By enhancing urban landscapes and improving quality of life, we are building an architectural framework that bridges our past and future. This initiative will serve as a global inspiration for architectural innovation.'
HRH Crown Prince also highlighted the economic benefits of Saudi Architecture, noting that the initiative will boost sectors such as tourism, hospitality, and construction by making Saudi cities more attractive. 'By envisioning a future where our cities and communities thrive, Saudi Architecture will contribute to sustainable economic growth and job creation,' he added.
The Saudi Architecture initiative aims to enrich the Kingdom's urban architectural diversity while fostering local talent. By 2030, it is expected to contribute over SAR 8 billion to the nation's cumulative GDP and generate more than 34,000 direct and indirect job opportunities across engineering, construction, and urban development sectors.
Flexible and Inclusive Architectural Framework
Saudi Architecture offers a flexible design approach that allows developers to incorporate modern materials while maintaining financial feasibility. The 19 architectural styles provide three design typologies—traditional, transitional, and contemporary—ensuring creative expression while preserving the authenticity of Saudi architectural heritage.
The initiative's implementation will occur in phases, with the first phase focusing on Al-Ahsa, Taif, Mecca, and Abha. These initial efforts will prioritize major projects, government buildings, and commercial developments.
Celebrating Saudi Arabia's Architectural Diversity
The Saudi Architecture Characters Map identifies 19 architectural styles inspired by the Kingdom's natural landscapes and historical building traditions. These styles include:
Central Najdi
Northern Najdi
Tabuk Coast
Madinah Rural
Inner Madinah
Hejazi Coast
Taif Highlands
Sarawat Mountains
Aseer Escarpment
Tuhama Foothills
Tuhama Coast
Farasan Islands
Abha Highlands
Bisha Desert
Najran
Al Ahsa Oasis
Al Qatif Oasis
East Coast
Eastern Najdi
Collaborative Implementation and Training Initiatives
The success of Saudi Architecture relies on strategic partnerships with government agencies, engineering firms, and real estate developers. Architectural design studios will play a pivotal role by providing engineering guidelines, training workshops, and skill development programs to ensure high sustainability standards and design excellence.
By integrating tradition with modernity, the Saudi Architecture Characters Map sets a new benchmark in urban planning and design, reinforcing the Kingdom's commitment to cultural preservation and future-focused development.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Syyaha
4 hours ago
- Syyaha
Mozn and Saudi Anti-Fraud Association (SAFA) Join Forces to Advance Fraud Prevention and Financial Integrity across KSA
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – 16 July 2025: Mozn, a regional leader in enterprise AI technologies, has entered into a strategic collaboration with the Saudi Anti-Fraud Association (SAFA), a non-profit professional association focused on fraud awareness and prevention. The partnership aims to strengthen expertise in combatting financial crime and enhancing fraud risk management. As part of the collaboration, the parties will co-host joint events, roundtables, webinars, and training sessions aimed at fostering knowledge exchange and building national capacity for risk awareness and mitigation. The collaboration was formalized through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), affirming both parties' shared commitment to advancing national efforts, promoting financial integrity and combatting fraud across the Kingdom. 'We are proud to partner with the Saudi Anti-Fraud Association and reinforce our shared commitment to building a fraud-resilient society,' said Malik Al Youssef, Co-founder and COO, Mozn. 'By working together to raise awareness, promote education, and foster a culture of integrity, we are contributing to a stronger national framework for fraud prevention. SAFA's leadership in professional development and community engagement complements our mission to support institutions and individuals in navigating today's complex fraud landscape.' 'Our collaboration with Mozn marks a pivotal step in advancing our mission to educate, equip, and protect the community against fraud', said Mohammed Al-Mudayris, CEO, SAFA. 'Together, we aim to deliver impactful training, raise public and institutional awareness, and support national efforts to uphold financial integrity and ethical conduct across the Kingdom.' While Mozn brings deep domain expertise in delivering real-time fraud detection, automated compliance and advanced risk protection through its flagship AI-powered platform, FOCAL, SAFA contributes strategic leadership in education, outreach, and professional development. Together, the two organizations form a powerful alliance to strengthen anti-fraud awareness, foster regulatory alignment, and enhance public-private collaboration. This Mozn-SAFA MoU aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 by promoting transparency, accountability, and digital innovation in both the public and private sectors.
Gulf Insider
a day ago
- Gulf Insider
Saudi Arabia Plans Massive Expansion Of Its Transport Network
Saudi Arabia's Minister of Transport and Logistics Services has outlined the Kingdom's ambitious plans to double the transport and logistics sector's contribution to its gross domestic product (GDP). This will include expansion of its railway network by over 50 per cent, and more than double the current passenger capacity at its airports. Minister Saleh Al-Jasser revealed the targets during a ministerial session titled 'Shaping the Future of Transport: People, Technology, and Policy' at the Global Aviation and Maritime Transport Summit. He said the Kingdom is advancing steadily to build an integrated transport ecosystem centered on people and powered by technology and modern policies and highlighted ongoing efforts to develop logistics zones and enhance multimodal integration by connecting transport systems with customs and digital infrastructure, improving service efficiency and nationwide coverage. A key initiative for Saudi is the integrated logistics zone at Jeddah Islamic Port, directly linked to the main seaport, customs warehouses, and air cargo facilities. The minister said that the zone will soon be connected by rail to King Abdulaziz International Airport through an upcoming land bridge project. Launched in mid-2021, the National Transport and Logistics Strategy is part of Saudi Vision 2030. It aims to unify the country's multimodal logistics framework and solidify its position as a leading global hub. It includes the unified national digital logistics platform, which links customs, ports, airlines, and freight forwarders, and has already cut customs clearance times by more than 30 per cent. Al-Jasser stated that Saudi Arabia is developing a fully integrated logistics model that combines infrastructure, policy, and technology to future-proof the sector and enhance international partnerships.
Gulf Insider
a day ago
- Gulf Insider
Is Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Going To Be The 'Super Hub Of The Future'?
Riyadh as a 'super hub of the future'? That's what the real estate consultancy Knight Frank is projecting as the Saudi city oversees one of the most ambitious and fast-track developments, whether it's infrastructure, housing, office towers, or creating retail and entertainment destinations. 'The Saudi capital is rapidly transforming into a dynamic destination for global wealth… strategically diversifying its economy away from oil dependence and evolving into a powerhouse for finance, culture and lifestyle,' says Knight Frank. Riyadh continues to attract 'significant domestic and international business activity' – and which led to nation-wide unemployment rate fall to a record low of 7% in Q4-2024′. In the final quarter of last year, Saudi Arabia issued more than 160,000 new business licences, which is a 67% increase from the same period the year before. It brought the total number of registered commercial entities in the Kingdom to more than 1.6 million. 'A key initiative is the 'Regional Headquarters Programme', which has already surpassed its 2030 target, with around 600 international companies,' says the report. This includes corporate giants such as Bechtel, Northern Trust and PwC,w which have committed to 'establishing regional bases in Riyadh'. All of which has led to Grade-A office vacancy rates of 'just 2%', while prime office rents surged by 23% in the past year (and by 84% since Q1-2020). Riyadh's office inventory is projected to expand from 5.5 million square metres to 9.8 million square metres by 2027. 'This growth is supported by state-led infrastructure developments and rising interest from institutional investors targeting long-term exposure to the Kingdom's evolving office landscape,' says the statement. In parallel, the infrastructure investments are moving more or less on schedule. There are the attractions such as the 220-kilometre stretch of Sports Boulevard, an 'expanding' King Khalid International Airport – currently serving 113 domestic and international destinations – and the Riyadh Metro and public bus network. 'These developments are attracting expatriates, entrepreneurs and families, reshaping perceptions and reinforcing Riyadh's emergence as a global city of choice for the next generation of talent,' says Knight Frank. 'Combined with the rise in major multinationals opening offices in the city and high-quality residential and leisure developments, Riyadh has a uniquely compelling offer as a live-work-play destination both within the GCC and globally,' said Harmen De Jong, Regional Partner – Head of Consultancy, MENA at Knight Frank.
