The architecture practice’s new office will serve as a hub for its ongoing work in the country, including regeneration projects in Al Balad and AlUla
Allies and Morrison has opened a new studio in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, establishing a permanent presence in the city’s historic Al Balad district.
The studio, located within the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, is led by Zainab Alireza, an urban designer. She previously co-directed the Sustainable Cities Lab, a forum for Saudi female architects and planners that examined the role of women in achieving resilience, wellbeing, and community development within the framework of KSA Vision 2030.
Jo Bacon, Managing Partner, said: “This will be a base for the region in the most historic of places which has such a commitment for renewal and regeneration. It is exciting to behold and an honour to be working clients who are both protecting and developing Al Balad.”
The new Jeddah office space is intended to help the practice build closer engagement with its local clients and stakeholders.
The firm states that, similar to its Bankside studio in London, the Jeddah location will feature a shopfront, which it describes as an important element in fostering connections with the surrounding area.
Allies and Morrison has been active in the Middle East for 16 years. The practice was a joint recipient of the RIBA International Prize in 2021 for its role in the Msheireb Downtown Doha Masterplan, a large-scale urban regeneration project that aimed to create a new compact and walkable neighbourhood.
The practice has also been working on masterplanning and regeneration schemes for another of the country’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, at AlUla.
>> Also read: Saudi architecture chief: ‘Distilling country down to only NEOM doesn’t do it justice’
No comments yet