Al Balad, Jeddah
View all projectsAs one of Saudi Arabia’s five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Al Balad is the historic heart of the Red Sea port city, Jeddah. Long a cosmopolitan trading port, it has been a meeting point of cultures from the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, the Levant and beyond. Blended with local craft and shaped by the local climate, these influences have left a rich legacy of unique urban fabric and a distinct architectural language. Our work there spans masterplanning, public realm design and architecture, and is aimed at helping to preserve this heritage and secure its future.
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Reestablishing lost connections to the Red Sea shore in this historic port city
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Gateway to Makkah; the Hajj (pilgrimage) route along Souq Alawi
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Beit Norwali, one of the most prominent heritage houses in Al Balad, its ornate ‘roshans’ (projecting wooden bays) are emblematic of the city
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The public realm work enhances and repairs the city’s delightful labyrinth of souks, lanes and barahas
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Public realm proposals for Barahat Bangash, one of the key open spaces
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An ongoing programme of activation is bringing back people to the historic core
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Sherbatli House is one of the most ornate and best-preserved houses in Al Balad with its roshans and balconies
- City
- Saudi Arabia
- Uses
- Culture, Mixed
- Client
- Ministry of Culture, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Status
- Current
- Size
- 250 ha
- Collaborators
Transport: Buro Happold
Management: Strategy&
Engineering: AtkinsRéalis