Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
2024 - 2027
Jeddah Opera House
Drawing inspiration from historical Al-Balad, the Jeddah Opera House holds a unique architectural identity. Celebrating life, culture, and local nature and geology, the space is imagined as a new local landmark.
Project details
Located on the Red Sea waterfront, the Jeddah Opera House will connect residents and visitors to the sea through a cultural path, with a natural canopy, running from the city, through the opera house, to the water. The identity of the new Opera Quarter is driven by the opera house and its relationship with its landscape; creating a social space that promotes cultural encounters, houses events, and becomes a destination for future generations.
Designed for inclusive programming, the 150-seat rehearsal, the mid-scale 750-seat playhouse theatre, and the 1500-seat opera are flexible performance spaces which will host world class touring theatres and orchestras, as well other commercial events and community education and outreach.
“The tradition of theater grew out of public space and everyday life – the casual choreography of meetings on the street, the song of shopkeepers competing for attention, the kaleidoscope of colors, scents, and textures.”
Louis Becker
Global Design Principal
Preserving Al-Balad
Inspired by the complex web of lanes, souqs, and barahaats of historic Al-Balad, the Jeddah Opera House is a natural extension of the area’s unique character. Its architectural identity, infused with elements of Hijazi culture, poetry, and traditional craftmanship, celebrates life, culture, and local nature. The urban form of the neighborhood, shaped over time with buildings stitched together in an urban archipelago, is reflected in the opera house.
With geometric volumes inspired by Al-Balad, the opera will have a distinct appearance from different perspectives in the area. Approaching from the city, the building is broken down in scale to complement the surrounding urban fabric. Conversely, from the waterfront promenade, the massing appears as a dynamic composition of volumes, a modern landmark on the Red Sea coastline.
An artistic identity
Al-Balad’s ties to music and mathematics are apparent in the playful rhythm of the architecture. The opera house façade design represents a musical way of breaking the long regular horizontal and vertical building lines, plane by plane. On a large scale, the composition of the façade comes alive, each section is playfully shifting between the levels.
The materiality of the opera house is driven by vernacular elements, coral stone, and wood. Deep, solid stone acts as a natural climate barrier, only perforated by intricate window detailing in the form of multi-layered Mashrabiyas that add finesse to the façade and create traditional Roshans.
The Jeddah Opera House pattern blends traditional Al-Balad craftmanship with our approach to architecture and light. As pedestrians approach the opera, the Roshans offer a glimpse into the activities inside. The irregularity of the façade pattern makes each Roshan unique, from small niches to large rooms for people to gather. The careful placement of these individual and communal spaces within each foyer of the opera house directly informs the external expression of the façade.
“Through a careful balance of tradition and innovation, the opera serves as a bridge between old and new, symbolizing the evolution of art in Jeddah. We are proud to see our design for the Jeddah Opera House begin to take form.”
Louis Becker
Global Design Principal
Landscape architecture
Microclimate as a design driver
On approach to the opera, a cultural canopy creates a sense of discovery for the visitor, weaving from the city to the Red Sea with buildings clustered along the central path. Carefully selected local vegetation types have been integrated into the plan to enhance the microclimate and improve biodiversity, water management, and air purification. Walking routes are shaded to mitigate the heat stress and buildings are positioned to direct the wind flow, encouraging natural urban ventilation. The inclusion of lightweight textile-like shading creates more shade when needed, extending the comfortable microclimate from the foyer towards the sea. Moving closer to the beachfront and park areas, the landscape encourages social interaction through sensorial experiences, creating inviting spaces for gatherings.
Within the smaller alleys, Wadi vegetation provides a cooling presence with its dense foliage, improving the feeling of discovery. The North entrance to the opera creates an urban barahaat which reflects the inner foyer of the building, offering both an outdoor and indoor living room for the city. The view opens toward the sea, where urban dunes reflecting coastal vegetation are designed to meet the building with the seaside. The alley on the West side will connect this barahaat with the Opera Park via a universally accessible ramp complete with planters.
The materials used throughout the public realm echo the area’s diverse geology, a variety of stones from the main plaza to the beach offer visitors a journey through the country's rich natural formations. These diverse natural elements converge around the Opera house, imparting character to its facades and distinguishing its entrances, where visitors can celebrate both the country's rich culture and natural diversity.
Contact
All contacts
Louis Becker
Global Design Principal
Associate Design Director
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