Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Thomas Heatherwick and his design team at Heatherwick Studio aim to convert an old desalination plant into the centerpiece of a new district on the waterfront of Jeddah that is intended to become the top destination of the “next generation of artists and makers.”
The Jeddah Central Museum will offer production spaces including studios and ateliers, alongside a program of public exhibitions and large-scale commissions, on a campus dedicated to helping people learn about, experience, and feel inspired by the creative process.
The design includes the conversion of the main turbine hall into a dramatic exhibition space and the old desalination plant into a Makers’ souk.
It fuses human scale and comfort with the large industrial character of the site.
An incredible mix of making, learning, interaction, and exchange will mean there is life and activity throughout the day and night in a place that meaningfully reflects the past, present, and future of the city and all of Jeddah’s historic and contemporary cultures.
The new Museum is one part of a 5.7m sqm development in the heart of Jeddah, providing tourist, entertainment, sport, cultural, commercial, and residential amenities.
It seeks to be a place of inspiration and creation for both residents and visitors, promoting creativity and artistic endeavor in the Kingdom.
Jeddah has been a city of artists and makers for over a thousand years and an engagement program has already begun with the existing creative community so they can actively help to shape the design.
Project: Jeddah Central Museum
Architects: Heatherwick Studio
Lead Architect: Thomas Heatherwick
Client: Jeddah Central Development Company
Renderings: Heatherwick Studio
