The world’s longest driverless transportation system opens. With a design Inspired by desert dunes, the King Abdullah Financial District Station prioritizes connectivity
The King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station in Riyadh is now open. The work of Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), the design draws its inspiration from the desert dunes and the vernacular architecture.
Inaugurated on December 1, the Riyadh Metro is set to become a new landmark for the city. This transportation network, the longest driverless system in the world, extends for 176 km. Its six lines (three of which are already operational) and 85 stations connect the key districts of the Saudi capital.
One of the project’s most significant elements is the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Station, designed by ZHA. This building is much more than a simple piece of infrastructure: it’s a key transport interchange, and a symbol of sustainability and innovation.
The station, which serves as an interchange between mainlines, King Khalid International Airport, and the financial district monorail, was conceived as a multimodal hub combining rail, bus, and park-and-ride transportation.
Distinguished by sine wave structures inspired by the shapes sculpted by the desert winds, KAFD station has been designed to optimize internal circulation and reduce congestion.
The waves also extend to the façade, which is clad in high-performance concrete panels perforated with geometric designs. These perforations not only limit solar gain but also reinterpret the environmental treatments of traditional local architecture through a contemporary lens.
The interiors feature a neutral color palette, with dynamically curving walls finished in shades of white and beige to increase brightness levels. The carefully designed lighting scheme combines spotlights and strip lights to guide commuters.
KAFD station is a prime example of sustainability excellence. Through the use of high-tech materials, a highly efficient cooling system powered by renewable energy, and a range of passive design strategies to minimize energy demand, it has achieved LEED Gold certification. Sliding doors on the platforms help keep cool air inside, improving passenger comfort without increasing energy consumption.
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Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Completion: 2024
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
Design: Zaha Hadid with Patrik Schumacher
Project Principal: Gianluca Racana
Project Director: Filippo Innocenti
Project Architect: Gian Luca Barone
Project Associate: Fulvio Wirz
Main Contractor: BACS Consortium
Consultants
Structural: BuroHappold
Services Engineering, Transport, Civil, Fire Protection, Safety, Acoustics, Circulation, Sustainability and Lighting: BuroHappold
Façade Systems: Newtecnic
Costs, Design Management and Specification: AECOM
Signage and Way Finding: Transport Design Consultancy
Safety Assessment: BH with Transsol
Development Engineer: Riyadh Metro Transit Consultants (RMTC)
Independent Checking Engineer: Buro Veritas
Independant Safety Assessor: TÜV Rheinland / ISARail Group
Transit Systems: Line 1 Siemens (BACS), Line 4&6 Alstom (FAST)
Viaducts: AECOM & TriPod-ssd (Line1), Atkins (Line 4&6)
Automatic Fare Collection: Indra
Elevators and Escalators: ThyssenKrupp
Photography by Hufton+Crow, courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects