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Elysium plaza
Elysium plaza
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Other Projects by ALAIN KHOURY ARCHITECT
Elysium plaza
STATUS
Concept
SIZE
100,000 sqft - 300,000 sqft
BUDGET
$50M - 100M
1. Architectural Concept & Aesthetic Vision
This premier mixed-use development is conceived as a landmark of contrasts, masterfully integrating a commanding hotel tower with an expansive, multi-level luxury retail plaza. The architectural language is fundamentally one of dynamic opposition and harmony, where two distinct forms engage in a compelling visual dialogue to create a singular, iconic identity for the Jeddah waterfront.
The Form and Geometry establish this narrative. The Hotel Tower (the vertical component) rises as a sleek, crystalline shard—a sharp, angular prism of glass and refined metalwork. It is designed to cut a definitive and elegant profile against the urban skyline, symbolizing ascension and luxury. Its extensive glass curtain wall system is engineered to maximize panoramic views, yet it is strategically protected by an advanced secondary skin. In deliberate counterpoint, the Plaza Base (the horizontal component) unfolds as a grounded, sensuously curvilinear volume. This expansive base wraps organically around the tower's foundation, creating a fluid, accessible, and inviting podium for high-end retail. Its flowing, amoebic form encourages movement and exploration, offering a welcoming public realm that contrasts with the tower's soaring verticality.
The unifying element, and the project’s most defining aesthetic feature, is the Perforated Aluminum Façade. This is not merely a cladding system but a transformative, double-skin envelope. Crafted from brilliant white aluminum, it is adorned with an intricate, algorithmic pattern deeply inspired by the principles of traditional Islamic geometric art (Mashrabiya). Technically, this façade acts as a high-performance solar screen, its precise perforations calculated to filter harsh direct sunlight, significantly reducing solar heat gain and cooling loads—a critical response to Jeddah's coastal climate. Aesthetically, it drapes the entire complex—both tower and base—in a continuous, textured, and luminous veil. This skin dematerializes the building's mass, giving it a lightweight, almost glowing appearance that changes throughout the day, unifying the disparate architectural forms under one ethereal, culturally resonant identity.
Within this shell, the Hotel Lobby establishes an immediate tone of monumental luxury and contemporary warmth. The space is dominated by towering, flawlessly finished marble columns and walls, which convey a sense of enduring grandeur and scale. Hanging at its heart is a spectacular, spiraling chandelier—a dynamic sculpture of light that draws the eye upward and serves as a focal point. This opulence is intentionally balanced with raw, tactile materials: exposed concrete ceilings reveal the building's honest structure, while rich wood paneling and accents provide warmth and intimacy. The result is a grand arrival experience that feels both awe-inspiring and genuinely welcoming, blending contemporary architectural honesty with timeless luxury.
2. Environmental & Technical Innovation
Beyond its striking appearance, the design is fundamentally driven by environmental sensitivity and technical innovation, particularly in its management of light and heat. The centerpiece of this approach is the Insulated Translucent Roof that crowns the multi-story retail atrium. This is a sophisticated engineered system, not a simple skylight. A lightweight yet intricate geometric framework—echoing the façade's design ethos—supports the primary roofing material: an insulated micro-gel panel.
The effect and performance of this system are transformative. The translucent panels allow abundant diffused natural light to penetrate deep into the plaza's heart, eliminating the need for artificial lighting during daytime hours and creating a bright, uplifting atmosphere. Crucially, the specialized insulation properties of the micro-gel material minimize thermal transfer, blocking solar heat while transmitting light. This creates a perfectly climate-controlled interior environment that remains cool and comfortable. The quality of light is soft and even, casting beautiful, dappled shadows that shift with the sun's path, evoking the serene experience of a traditional shaded courtyard or a sahn. Thus, the plaza achieves the cherished ambiance of an outdoor space—filled with natural light and a connection to the sky—but without exposure to the extreme external climate, representing a seamless fusion of environmental performance and poetic spatial experience.
This premier mixed-use development is conceived as a landmark of contrasts, masterfully integrating a commanding hotel tower with an expansive, multi-level luxury retail plaza. The architectural language is fundamentally one of dynamic opposition and harmony, where two distinct forms engage in a compelling visual dialogue to create a singular, iconic identity for the Jeddah waterfront.
The Form and Geometry establish this narrative. The Hotel Tower (the vertical component) rises as a sleek, crystalline shard—a sharp, angular prism of glass and refined metalwork. It is designed to cut a definitive and elegant profile against the urban skyline, symbolizing ascension and luxury. Its extensive glass curtain wall system is engineered to maximize panoramic views, yet it is strategically protected by an advanced secondary skin. In deliberate counterpoint, the Plaza Base (the horizontal component) unfolds as a grounded, sensuously curvilinear volume. This expansive base wraps organically around the tower's foundation, creating a fluid, accessible, and inviting podium for high-end retail. Its flowing, amoebic form encourages movement and exploration, offering a welcoming public realm that contrasts with the tower's soaring verticality.
The unifying element, and the project’s most defining aesthetic feature, is the Perforated Aluminum Façade. This is not merely a cladding system but a transformative, double-skin envelope. Crafted from brilliant white aluminum, it is adorned with an intricate, algorithmic pattern deeply inspired by the principles of traditional Islamic geometric art (Mashrabiya). Technically, this façade acts as a high-performance solar screen, its precise perforations calculated to filter harsh direct sunlight, significantly reducing solar heat gain and cooling loads—a critical response to Jeddah's coastal climate. Aesthetically, it drapes the entire complex—both tower and base—in a continuous, textured, and luminous veil. This skin dematerializes the building's mass, giving it a lightweight, almost glowing appearance that changes throughout the day, unifying the disparate architectural forms under one ethereal, culturally resonant identity.
Within this shell, the Hotel Lobby establishes an immediate tone of monumental luxury and contemporary warmth. The space is dominated by towering, flawlessly finished marble columns and walls, which convey a sense of enduring grandeur and scale. Hanging at its heart is a spectacular, spiraling chandelier—a dynamic sculpture of light that draws the eye upward and serves as a focal point. This opulence is intentionally balanced with raw, tactile materials: exposed concrete ceilings reveal the building's honest structure, while rich wood paneling and accents provide warmth and intimacy. The result is a grand arrival experience that feels both awe-inspiring and genuinely welcoming, blending contemporary architectural honesty with timeless luxury.
2. Environmental & Technical Innovation
Beyond its striking appearance, the design is fundamentally driven by environmental sensitivity and technical innovation, particularly in its management of light and heat. The centerpiece of this approach is the Insulated Translucent Roof that crowns the multi-story retail atrium. This is a sophisticated engineered system, not a simple skylight. A lightweight yet intricate geometric framework—echoing the façade's design ethos—supports the primary roofing material: an insulated micro-gel panel.
The effect and performance of this system are transformative. The translucent panels allow abundant diffused natural light to penetrate deep into the plaza's heart, eliminating the need for artificial lighting during daytime hours and creating a bright, uplifting atmosphere. Crucially, the specialized insulation properties of the micro-gel material minimize thermal transfer, blocking solar heat while transmitting light. This creates a perfectly climate-controlled interior environment that remains cool and comfortable. The quality of light is soft and even, casting beautiful, dappled shadows that shift with the sun's path, evoking the serene experience of a traditional shaded courtyard or a sahn. Thus, the plaza achieves the cherished ambiance of an outdoor space—filled with natural light and a connection to the sky—but without exposure to the extreme external climate, representing a seamless fusion of environmental performance and poetic spatial experience.
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