Barcelona-based architecture studio Bofill Taller de Arquitectura was commissioned to design the Royal Arts Complex (RAC) by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City in 2019. Currently under construction, the 320,000-square-meter building complex comprises thirteen structures, each contributing to the promotion of artistic expression. The project is located within King Salman Park, a 13.3-square-kilometer park being developed on the site of Riyadh's former airport. The broader development includes mixed-use projects to transform the area into a major recreational district. The overall masterplan also features a stadium by Populous, planned for the FIFA 2034 World Cup.
King Salman Park is set to become one of the world's largest urban green spaces, transforming the site of Saudi Arabia's former military airport into a cultural and recreational hub. Covering 16 square kilometers, the development is expected to include a broad range of venues dedicated to art, culture, sports, and entertainment. These facilities will be spread across the park and connected by the Loop, a new transportation network encircling the site.
Bofill Taller de Arquitectura's Royal Arts Complex is located at the heart of the park. The thirteen planned structures include the National Theatre, several smaller theaters, an open-air amphitheater, the Museum of Civilizations, an art library, a cinema hall, and specialized academies for the performing and visual arts, as well as music. The cultural offering is complemented by artist studios, mastercraft workshops, a dome-shaped exhibition venue, and a Sculpture Pavilion.
The complex is organized around a 1.5-kilometer central boulevard. This "spine" functions as a smaller masterplan within the larger park project, located on the western edge of the Loop, where it bridges the park with the surrounding city. According to the studio, warm desert-toned materials were selected to ground the architecture in its natural context. The treatment of the spaces around each building varies, with greener zones contrasting with more rigid, angular areas designed for public use.
The landscape surrounding the RAC is structured into three distinct layers. The outermost, the plateau, consists of a desert expanse planted with indigenous vegetation. The second layer introduces a sculptural garden featuring permanent public artworks and carefully placed architectural elements. The third and innermost layer is the main boulevard, lined with a network of streets, five public squares, patios, and various mineral features.
Bofill Taller de Arquitectura is also working on three large-scale projects in Albania: two mixed-use towers and a seaside resort. Other recent urban renewal projects around the world include Foster + Partners' masterplan for the Chilean coastal town of Puchuncaví, MVRDV's Strategic Plan for the Densification of Roosendaal in the Netherlands, and Sasaki's new waterfront masterplan for the city of Salalah in Oman. Recent large-scale projects are also proposing views on sustainability, such as BIG's "CityWave" development, featuring one of the world's largest solar roofs, and Beta Realities' design for a car-free neighborhood in Neuendettelsau, Germany.
