royal diriyah opera house: snøhetta's oasis in desert of saudi arabia

snøhetta takes to saudi arabia

In the historic heart of Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Snøhetta has unveiled its forward-thinking design for the Royal Diriyah Opera House. Drawing inspiration from the local Najdi architecture, the proposed opera house reflects a deep connection to the surrounding desert landscape, cultural heritage, and traditional building techniques. Part of a broader initiative to reinvigorate the ancient area, the opera house will stand as a cultural beacon within a master plan aimed at transforming the region into vibrant, contemporary destinations. Scheduled to open in 2028, the project is spearheaded by the Diriyah Company and operated by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.

visualizations © Binyan

royal diriyah opera house: a desert oasis

The architects at Snøhetta have designed the Royal Diriyah Opera House as a cluster of interconnected buildings, offering a shaded oasis from the desert heat. Intertwining green gardens, accessible to both opera house visitors and the wider public, seamlessly integrates public spaces, enriching cultural and recreational experiences and emphasizing the location’s intrinsic value. Situated on the banks of the Wadi Hanifah valley, the Diriyah area, birthplace of the first Saudi state, historically featured oasis communities with Najdi-style mud-brick structures. Today, undergoing a transformative renewal, the area preserves cultural heritage while embracing Saudi traditions and heritage.

drawing from regional vernacular

Snøhetta’s design for the opera house pays homage to the vernacular archetypes of Diriyah, along with local crafts, and the surrounding desert. The concept, rooted in the idea of earth transformation from Wadi riverbeds, results in a cluster of buildings rising from the ground, constructed with natural materials such as palm, stone, and earth. Influenced by the linearity of the region’s geometric forms, history, and craft, Snøhetta explores patterns in materials to create distinct textures, offering new perspectives on traditional shapes.

Spanning 46,000 square meters, the opera house comprises four venues catering to different performance types. A 2000-seat opera theatre, a 450-seat adaptable theatre, and a 450-seat multipurpose theatre cater to diverse events, while a 450-seat shaded rooftop amphitheater adds an outdoor dimension to the overall experience. Further programming includes a visitor services pavilion, a café, retail spaces, and a distinctive shaded rooftop amphitheater, creating a multifaceted cultural destination.

Strategically oriented buildings create shaded outdoor zones accessible to the public, extending the cultural and recreational essence beyond performance attendees. These spaces feature vegetation, water misting, and careful selection of endemic plant species, fostering biodiversity and a climate-specific ecosystem. The opera house is designed to meet the highest environmental standards, incorporating water conservation, efficient lighting, building orientation, and thermal comfort strategies.

The design optimizes open spaces and natural lighting while employing approaches to reduce embodied carbon for concrete and steel structures. The roof surface of the largest building volume will support photovoltaic installations, contributing significantly to on-site or grid-wide clean energy production. Radiant cooling in specific areas will be achieved through chilled ceiling panels and displacement ventilation.