No one can reasonably accuse Saudi Arabia of lacking ambition. Its government is currently executing an unprecedented development boom that includes the construction of a 170 km long skyscraper and a cuboid skyscraper, transforming the country into a top tourist attraction. As part of this effort, Heatherwick Studios unveiled plans to transform a former desalination plant on Jeddah’s waterfront into a one-of-a-kind museum and cultural destination.
The Jeddah Central Museum is located on the shoreline of the Red Sea and retains much of the site’s original infrastructure, which was used to convert seawater into potable water, as renderings show.
Naturally, keeping the site building at a comfortable temperature for visitors can be quite a problem in an area that can get very hot during the summer months, but Heatherwick Studios representatives said that each will add a high level of insulation and sunlight.The sun-reflecting shading and silvery metal wrap give the project a unique and eye-catching look. It will reduce the museum draw on the grid, but there are no numbers yet on its capacity.
Matt Cash, partner and group leader at Heatherwick Studios, said: “This project will take an abandoned desalination plant that people in Jeddah have always seen from afar and transform it into a place to use and explore. We transform it into a designed space.”
Heatherwick Studio
The museum itself is dedicated to educating and inspiring people with exhibits related to the creative process. It also offers studios and workshops, public exhibitions and a bustling market. With nice touches that recall London’s Battersea Power Station, Heatherwick Studio transforms the enormous turbine hall of a former desalination plant into a dramatic exhibition space.
The Jeddah Central Museum is part of a larger development project covering 570 hectares (about 1,400 acres). It features tourist facilities, sports, cultural, commercial and residential areas. It’s not yet known when it will be completed, but Heatherwick Studios is no stranger to redevelopments like this, having previously transformed a grain silo into a stunning museum and a coal storage area into a charming shopping center.
Source: Heatherwick Studios
