Tuwaiq Palace

The Tuwaiq palace designed by Frei Otto in the 70s is located on an arid plateau overlooking Wadi Hanifah in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The heart of the palace is a lush oasis, providing shadow and cooler air as well as an attractive and colourful garden.

The new hotel project proposes to inhabit the edges of the plateau, distancing itself from the palace in a respectful manner, leaving a land of desertic landscape in between two enable wide open views on the palace on one side and panoramic views on the surrounding landscape on the other side.

The new part of the resort develops itself along a main alleyway and mews which follow the main topographical lines of the plateau. This new ensemble sits within a 7 by 7 meter grid of tall palm trees (mainly Phoenix dactylifera) which provides shadow, dappled light and wind protection to the resort.

Within this palm grove are created plazas providing a place to meet and organise parties or events. These common spaces include characteristic water features and views on the surrounding landscape. One of them includes a citrus orchard.

Individual patios include planting and water basins to cool the air and provide an attractive amenity to each room.

The landscape water network comprises water channels running along the mews and main alleyway as well as water tables within the plazas. In addition to cooling the air and providing characteristic and attractive features to the resort, the water channels are used to irrigate most planted areas.

The existing pathway which runs along the edge of the plateau is incorporated in the project to provide a loop promenade around the estate and connect to the new circulation network.