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Kingdom Centre
 

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Tower from the conference centre side - 2003-10 (226049)
(c) Chris Spillios
 
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Looking up inside the space next to the hole - 2003-10 (220311)
(c) Daniel Kieköwer
 
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Currently pink but ever changing in shade - 2003-10 (224333)
(c) Chris Spillios
 
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View from Al Faisaliyah Center - 2003-10 (220416)
(c) Daniel Kieköwer
 
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Looking down over the opening - 2003-10 (220306)
(c) Daniel Kieköwer
 
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Office entrance on the north side - 2003-10 (220364)
(c) Daniel Kieköwer
 
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Identification
Official name Kingdom Centre
Alternative names *
Emporis Building Number 100934
 
Location
Address *
Exact Latitude *
Exact Longitude *
Location Map (POI) *
Neighborhood Al-Olaya
City Riyadh
State ar-Riyâd [الرياض]
Country Saudi Arabia
 
Technical Data
Height (tip) *
Height (struct.) 302 m 992 ft
Height (roof) *
Height (top floor) *
Height (obs. floor) *
Length (max) *
Width (max) *
Floors (OG) 41
Floors (UG) *
Floor overview *
Construction start *
Construction end 2002
GFA *
Height Floor-to-floor *
Height Floor-to-ceiling *
Elevators *
Escalators *
Parking places *
 
Building in General
Type of construction skyscraper
Architectural style *
Status completed

Facts
- The building is the tallest in Saudi Arabia, and was topped out in January 2001.
- Kingdom Centre was planned from the beginning as an iconic symbol of Saudi Arabia, and the final design was selected after a 3-year process which included over 100 submissions by major architectural firms.
- The tower's unique shape culminates in a triangular opening spanned by a 56 meter skybridge with a public observation deck.
- Occupants include a five-star hotel, a major bank headquarters, a sports club, a wedding and conference center, and a luxury condominium and apartment complex.
- Kingdom Centre is the tallest skyscraper in the world below 50 floors.
- At its completion this was the 25th tallest building in the world, and the tallest of the 21st century.
- The spaces to the left and right of the hole contain an enormous latticework of diagonal steel beams. On the restaurant level there is a conference room with a skylight looking up at this area.
- The hotel's ballroom is the largest in Riyadh, and the largest in the entire Four Seasons hotel chain.
- The observation deck has a steeply arched floor, and features diagonal cross-beams along the windows.
- The building has an entrance on each of its four sides, each one serving a different usage (hotel, shopping, ballroom, and apartments/offices).
- The tower is aligned in a direct axis with Al Faisaliyah Center, Riyadh's other major skyscraper.
- A three-level shopping center fills the east wing. The mall won a major design award.
- Landscaped courtyards filled with palm trees welcome visitors on the north and south sides of the tower.
- The lighting fixtures in the driveway mimic the shape of the tower, with a recessed arc in place of the hole.
- The inverted catenary arch at the top was described by the developer as a "necklace" for the city of Riyadh.
- The large opening is illuminated at night in continuously changing colors.
- Almost all of the facade is reflective blue glass, but the opening is lined with aluminum to highlight the unique shape.
- The ellipse motif taken from the tower's footprint appears also in the light fixtures, ceiling panels, entrance canopy, wastebaskets, and furniture.
- The main lobby is a soaring elliptical space with ribbed vaulting, elevated walkways, a fountain, and rows of palm trees.
- Kingdom Centre is the winner of the 2002 Emporis Skyscraper Award, selected as the "best new skyscraper of the year for design and functionality".
- Hear the radio interview (21MB, MP3) about the Kingdom Centre held by the BBC with Daniel Kieckhefer, Emporis senior editor from Chicago.

News
- Emporis Skyscraper Award for 2002 pres (2003-10-26 16:37:00)

Companies involved in this Building*
Architect: Omrania & Associates , Ellerbe Becket, Inc.

Emporis Premium Companies: MANNTECH Building Maintenance Systems.

Other companies: Kingdom Holding Company, Kingdom Holding Company, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, El Seif Engineering Contracting Co., Saudi Arabian Bechtel Company, Sendai Eversendai Engineering Group, Ove Arup & Partners [Arup], Ellerbe Becket, Inc., Ellerbe Becket, Inc., Ellerbe Becket, Inc., Lerch Bates, Inc., Arup Facade Engineering, Saudi Lighting Company, Ltd., Ellerbe Becket, Inc., Saudi Crawford Doors, Ltd., JC Maclean Group, Kvernstoen, Rönnholm and Associates, Inc., Yamamoto Moss, Thompson Cole Quantity Surveyors, Alan G. Davenport Wind Engineering Group BLWTL, Aleesco Ready Mix Concrete, Mitsubishi Electric Saudi, Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Saudi, Ltd., Götz Middle East, Saudi American Glass Factory, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2002:
Kingdom Centre was chosen as one of the best new skyscrapers of the year 2002 and received 6249 voting points. Click here to read more about the Emporis Skyscraper Award 2002.