Heatherwick studio took up the job of transforming an old desalination plant into the centerpiece of a new district on the waterfront of Jeddah. Designed for the next generation of artists and makers, the Jeddah Central Museum is expected to offer spaces including studios and ateliers with a programme of public exhibitions and large-scale commissions, on a campus that is dedicated to helping people learn, experience and inspire. Know more about it on SURFACES REPORTER (SR).
British designer Thomas Heatherwick’s studio will be designing the Jeddah Central Museum in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia by converting the desalination plant into a souk – a marketplace. Located in a former desalination plant by the Red Sea, the project will form part of a new waterfront district and boost art and craftsmanship.
The project will include the conversion of the main turbine hall into an exhibition space while the old desalination plant will be transformed into a Makers’ souk which will fuse human scale and comfort with the large industrial character of the site. As part of the 5.7sqm development of Jeddah, the project will offer tourism, entertainment, sports, cultural, commercial and residential amenities.
The released renders of the museum showcase an extended building that is covered in silver cladding alongside the market. The silver envelope is reportedly part of its low-carbon strategy and will be designed to reflect the sun and keep the insides cooler. Each of them will be having a high level of insulation and solar shading which will be provided by using the metal wrap.
Image credit: Heatherwick