Assalamu Alaikum - Royal Diriyah Opera House: a modern desert oasis honoring tradition
Assalamu Alaikum - The Royal Diriyah Opera House, planned to open in 2028 in the historic heart of Diriyah, was designed by the Norwegian firm Snøhetta and aims to blend tradition with contemporary design.
Speaking at a reception hosted by the Norwegian Embassy in Riyadh, Eli Synnevag, director and senior architect at Snøhetta, explained that the project draws heavily on Najdi architecture and seeks to honor the surrounding desert landscape and traditional building methods.
Part of a wider effort to revive the heritage area, the opera house is meant to be a cultural focal point within a master plan to make the region a lively, modern destination.
Set to open by the end of 2028, the advanced performing arts centre was developed together with the Saudi firm Syn Architects, led by the Diriyah Company and will be operated by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, she said.
Synnevag, who has collaborated with Snøhetta for almost 25 years, recalled their earlier work in the Kingdom: “Our engagement in Saudi Arabia began with the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran. I worked on Ithra back in 2008 and we were honored to be selected as the winning proposal in that international competition.”
She noted that the Ithra initiative, supported by Saudi Aramco, aimed to promote cultural development, knowledge and diversity in the country. The team later won a competition for the Qasr Al Hokm metro station in Riyadh, connecting lines in the new metro network that opened this year.
“Since 2022 we have been designing the Royal Diriyah Opera House,” Synnevag added. “That, too, came from an international competition and we feel fortunate to have been chosen. Construction began before the summer and foundation and groundwork are well underway.”
On future work, she said Snøhetta is involved in several ongoing competitions and is focusing on cultural projects - opera houses, museums, libraries - that support the cultural growth now happening in Saudi Arabia.
For the Diriyah project, the collaboration with Syn Architects was important because of their deep understanding of Najdi architecture and the local context. “That partnership was very rewarding,” she said.
Synnevag praised the Kingdom’s rapid transformation under Saudi Vision 2030: “Things are moving fast. Every visit to Riyadh brings something new. Our focus is to develop local identity and respond to the place - how we build here and how we celebrate the culture. It’s a strong push in a short time.”
On the changing cultural scene, she observed more venues for concerts, art and leisure, and said young people are eager to take part, reflecting a global trend.
Rooted in the desert landscape and Najdi building traditions, the opera house is being created as a new stage for future generations of performers and audiences. The 46,000-square-metre complex will host around 3,500 people across four venues: a 2,000-seat theatre for large productions, two smaller multipurpose theatres, and a 450-seat shaded rooftop amphitheatre for outdoor events.
Designed as a tribute to local visual culture, the venue will include installation works by Saudi artists, including Maha Malluh. The project’s cluster of interconnected buildings will offer shaded walkways and gardens, giving visitors and the wider public relief from the sun and pleasant communal spaces.
May Allah bless efforts that preserve our heritage while offering spaces for wholesome cultural engagement.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/