The Ministry of Tourism Headquarters, Riyadh

With the goal of promoting a new vision for a flexible workspace and economic diversification, this project was made possible thanks to AAID‘s collaboration with Designlab Experience, acting as the ‘Ministry’s Design Guardian’.

The team drew inspiration from the rich landscapes and cultural habits of Saudi Arabia to create a modern, state-of-the-art workspace that integrates function and technology. The headquarters’ radical transformation was also conceived as a blueprint to modernise the internal culture of the workplace, moving from cubicles and fixed desks to an open and agile environment – encouraging collaboration and interaction.

The objective was to showcase the country’s rich landscape, heritage, and variety of habitats of the 13 regions through the architecture, without being thematic and focusing on function. We drew on the Kingdom’s natural landscape, its canyons, cascading green terraces, and granite caves, along with the palette of intense colours inherent to the local topography, like the Red Sea’s vibrant blue-green hue and the deep rust tone of desert sand. References to local craftsmanship, from textile and basket weaving to wood carving, are found throughout the space, showcasing the culture and traditions of Saudi Arabia.

Photography Credits – Courtesy of the Ministry