Western Metro Station, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Further information and case study for this project can be found at the De Gruyter Birkhäuser Modern Construction Online database

The following architectural theory-based case study is not available at Modern Construction Online

Façade Design of the Western Metro Station, Riyadh

The Western Metro Station in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, forms part of the ambitious Riyadh Metro Project—an urban infrastructure initiative that seeks to transform mobility within the capital. More than a functional transit hub, the station represents a civic symbol of technological advancement and cultural continuity. The façade was engineered by Newtecnic, whose specialist expertise enabled the integration of performance-driven systems within a culturally expressive envelope.

This case study focuses on the façade’s technological articulation and cultural lineage, rather than the spatial or programmatic organisation of the building. As noted by Watts (2016, 2019, 2023), façades in contemporary architecture operate not only as climatic moderators but also as conveyors of symbolic meaning—particularly within civic infrastructure. The façade system developed for this project served as a conceptual and technical precedent for the system implemented in Project 02, featured in the second edition of Modern Construction Case Studies.

Cultural context and architectural concept

The architectural identity of Riyadh is historically shaped by Islamic geometric traditions, desert-responsive strategies, and a strong sense of spatial enclosure. The Western Metro Station reinterprets this architectural vocabulary through digital design and fabrication, employing a visual and material language that respects cultural continuity while meeting environmental performance targets. Drawing on the regional precedent of the mashrabiya—a traditional timber screen providing privacy and solar shading—the façade translates this vernacular element into CNC-cut aluminium panels. Rather than reproducing the past, the project embodies a transformation of architectural heritage into a technologically expressive and sustainable form, aligning with the broader ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030.

Façade design strategies

A central feature of the façade is the use of perforated metal panels that reinterpret the mashrabiya. These laser-cut elements simultaneously serve three primary functions: they reduce direct solar gain, thereby lowering internal cooling demand; they express cultural identity through abstracted Islamic geometry; and they filter daylight to create an animated play of light and shadow within interior circulation zones. The use of static, precisely fabricated elements reflects a contemporary approach to the cultural-modern synthesis explored in experimental façade systems by Archigram in the 1960s, whose visionary projects proposed dynamic and technologically integrated skins that blurred boundaries between architecture and environment (Cook and Dunton, 1999).

In addition to the shading system, the façade includes a ventilated double-skin assembly composed of an outer perforated screen and an inner glazed layer. This configuration introduces a passive thermal buffer, improving insulation and facilitating airflow while reducing the building’s exposure to solar radiation. The cavity allows for moderated air movement and contributes to thermal lag—principles previously explored in Frei Otto’s tensile structures for Expo 67 (Olgyay, 2015). Together, the layering of metal and glass enhances environmental performance while preserving the façade’s visual lightness and porosity.

Material selection prioritises durability, fabrication precision, and climatic suitability. Aluminium is used for the screen elements due to its corrosion resistance and lightweight properties, while steel provides structural support. High-performance glazing with low solar heat gain coefficients completes the internal envelope. The structural framework was coordinated to enable precise mounting of the panels, allowing maintenance access and supporting visual integration across the façade. This coordinated approach reflects the principles discussed by Watts (2019), in which the façade operates as a coherent environmental and architectural system.

Comparative analysis: Modernist lineage and regional reinterpretation

The conceptual design of the Western Metro Station’s façade draws upon several architectural precedents from the High Modernist era, particularly those projects that balanced symbolism with climate responsiveness.

Louis Kahn’s National Assembly Building in Dhaka (1962–1983) employed geometric forms and deep-set apertures to address both solar control and cultural expression. The Riyadh station shares this emphasis on monumental geometry and filtered light, using abstraction as a strategy for reconciling environmental function with symbolic resonance (Al-Harthy et al., 2018).

Archigram’s experimental work in the 1960s proposed dynamic, technologically integrated façade systems that challenged conventional architectural boundaries. Their visionary approach to modularity and kinetic skins resonates with the Riyadh project’s reinterpretation of traditional Islamic ornamentation through contemporary fabrication and performance-driven design (Cook and Dunton, 1999).

Basil Al Bayati’s work in Middle Eastern contexts during the 1970s and beyond integrated Islamic motifs with modern structural systems. His approach to architectural authenticity, though less internationally recognised, aligns with the Riyadh project’s ethos of vernacular reinterpretation via digital fabrication.

Kenzo Tange’s Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo (1964) demonstrated how large-scale public infrastructure could also serve symbolic purposes. The Riyadh station draws on this precedent in its treatment of the façade not merely as cladding, but as civic expression.

Finally, Frei Otto’s German Pavilion at Expo 67 offered a model for lightweight, porous envelope systems that mediated climate through form. The station’s ventilated façade layers echo Otto’s principles of air permeability and material economy (Olgyay, 2015).

Environmental performance

The façade is designed to respond directly to Riyadh’s hot-arid climate. The perforated screens significantly reduce direct solar radiation, diminishing reliance on mechanical cooling systems. The double-skin assembly introduces passive ventilation and moderates temperature fluctuations between the external environment and interior spaces. Additionally, the patterned screens filter daylight, improving internal visual comfort while minimising glare and reducing artificial lighting loads.

These strategies were validated through extensive environmental modelling, including solar radiation analysis and computational fluid dynamics. Panel densities, geometric apertures, and cavity depths were iteratively refined to optimise energy performance while maintaining visual coherence (Riyadh Metro Project Technical Documents, 2020).

Urban integration and user experience

Beyond its environmental role, the façade contributes meaningfully to the user experience and civic landscape. Variations in transparency aid wayfinding, while visual rhythm and scale provide cues to pedestrian movement and building entry. Acoustic buffering and thermal comfort within the envelope enhance usability and occupant satisfaction. Most importantly, the façade reinforces cultural continuity, offering both residents and visitors a spatial narrative that reflects Riyadh’s past while pointing toward its future.

This aligns with the theoretical framework set out by Watts (2023), wherein infrastructure is understood not merely as functional apparatus but as civic architecture—imbued with symbolic significance, public legibility, and technical excellence.

Conclusion

The Western Metro Station façade exemplifies a nuanced integration of cultural identity, climatic strategy, and technological precision. Engineered by Newtecnic, the project reinterprets the traditional mashrabiya as a contemporary, high-performance building skin. Through CNC fabrication, double-skin systems, and responsive material selection, the façade becomes an active participant in the building’s environmental and civic performance.

Drawing on High Modernist legacies—from Kahn’s monumental forms to Otto’s climatically porous structures—the project articulates a forward-looking architectural language that respects local traditions. In doing so, it affirms the façade as a site of both technological ingenuity and cultural storytelling—precisely the kind of hybridisation that underpins the most innovative examples presented in Modern Construction Case Studies (Watts, 2016).

References

Al-Harthy, M., Al-Saleh, Y. and Al-Naim, M., 2018. Climate responsive design in the Arabian Peninsula: Tradition and modernity. Journal of Architectural Engineering, 24(2), pp.1–12.

Cook, P. and Dunton, C., 1999. Archigram. London: Princeton Architectural Press.

Olgyay, V., 2015. Design with climate: Bioclimatic approach to architectural regionalism. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Riyadh Metro Project Technical Documents, 2020. Environmental and façade engineering reports. Riyadh: Riyadh Development Authority.

Watts, A., 2016. Modern Construction Case Studies. Basel: Birkhäuser.

Watts, A., 2019. Modern Construction Envelopes. 3rd ed. Basel: Birkhäuser.

Watts, A., 2023. Modern Construction Handbook. 6th ed. Basel: Birkhäuser.