KAFD GRAND MOSQUE, King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo © Mohamad Ballool / Omrania .
Omrania’s design for the Grand Mosque of the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh is featured in a short video that highlights the balance of heritage and innovation.
In December 2021, the KAFD Grand Mosque was selected as a winner of the third cycle of the Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture. To explain the cultural and architectural significance of the mosque, the Al Fozan Award published a short video in which the Omrania-designed structure is called “an architectural masterpiece” and “a stunning engineering innovation inspired by its environment.”
As the video explains, the mosque is surrounded by towers and located at the intersection of three shaded pedestrian valleys. A spiritual focal point for the district, the mosque connects to the surrounding urban fabric with its multi-level plaza and sloping roof or “fifth façade” that is visible from above. Inspired by the “desert rose” sand crystal, the mosque’s faceted form blends environmental elements with modern structural design.
The mosque accommodates up to 1,466 people in its column-free interior, plus additional worshippers in the plaza. Befitting the KAFD development, the architectural design unites the essence of religious tradition with innovative technology and artistic expression.
KAFD Grand Mosque, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
