PIF Tower, KAFD, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo © Ahmed Fahmi via iStock .
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), an international body in the field of tall buildings and sustainable design, presented Omrania with a 2021 Award of Excellence for “Best Tall Building Facade Engineering.”
Omrania and HOK designed the 80-story commercial tower as the architectural anchor of the King Abdullah Financial District and a model of high-performance facade engineering. The award from CTBUH recognizes a decade of innovation and hard work from proposal to completion. Optimized for thermal control, natural light, energy performance, dazzling views, and efficient maintenance, the building’s facade and enclosure system moderates the intense light and heat of the Saudi climate. An external layer of fins, gantries, and perforated panels provides shade, amplifying the thermal efficiency of the triple-pane unitized glazing. Together, these shading devices minimize solar gain and internal cooling loads, reducing HVAC requirements. The tower’s prismatic geometry captures and deflects the sun from a variety of angles.
The PIF Tower within the KAFD. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo © KAFD.
Project Credits
Client : Public Investment Fund (PIF)
Architecture : HOK / Omrania – Joint Venture
Interiors : Omrania / Goettsch Partners / David Wrenn
Structural Engineering : Hyder Consulting / Omrania
MEP Engineering : WSP Engineering / Omrania
Facade System Design : Front Inc. / Omrania
Site Supervision : Omrania
Project Management : Sweett Group
