The Riyadh Metro network, set to become the world’s longest driverless transit system, officially began passenger operations on December 1st, 2024. Planned by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), this extensive network stretches over 176 kilometers, covering six lines and 85 stations, significantly improving the city’s transportation system by connecting vital districts, business hubs, and cultural landmarks throughout Saudi Arabia’s capital city.
Riyadh Metro’s Impact and Operations
The initial phase saw the launch of the Blue, Yellow, and Purple lines – Lines 1, 4, and 6. These lines are designed to reduce traffic congestion, shorten travel times, and improve the daily life of Riyadh’s rapidly growing population. By offering a daily capacity of 3.6 million passengers, Riyadh Metro aims to decrease reliance on cars and promote more sustainable transportation methods across the city.
RELATED: Zaha Hadid Architects Design King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station
Innovative Design and Functionality
The network’s significant node, the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Metro Station, was designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA). This station serves as the main interchange for the network, linking the KAFD terminus with King Khalid International Airport and facilitating access to the KAFD’s local monorail via a skybridge.
Spanning four levels, the KAFD Metro Station features six rail platforms and integrates additional transport services such as buses and park-and-ride facilities. This integration turns the station into a multi-modal transport hub for Riyadh, complete with new public plazas both indoors and outdoors to serve the financial district.
Architectural Excellence
The design of the KAFD Metro Station demonstrates how architecture can improve connectivity and flow. The station’s layout is optimized to manage and direct the flow of rail, car, and pedestrian traffic, utilizing a three-dimensional lattice that supports the building’s dynamic circulation. This structure is based on a series of opposing sinusoidal waves, derived from traffic flow patterns, which effectively organize movement within the station.
The exterior of the station is equally innovative, clad in ultra-high-performance concrete panels. These panels are not only structurally efficient but also feature geometric perforations that help minimize solar heat gain.
Environmental Considerations and Sustainability
Zaha Hadid Architects placed a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability in the design of the KAFD Metro Station. The station is designed to maximize structural and environmental efficiencies, which simplifies the construction process while improving the station’s overall spatial quality. The integration of the station’s external and internal structures supports its complex functions without compromising on design or sustainability.
The station employs advanced passive design techniques and features a high-efficiency cooling system. This system uses renewable energy sources and adjusts automatically based on passenger numbers. Additionally, sliding door panels on each platform help maintain a controlled and cool environment within the station. This thoughtful design has led to the KAFD Metro Station receiving a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the US Green Building Council, marking it as a leader in energy and environmental design.
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Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
ZHA Design: Zaha Hadid with Patrik Schumacher
ZHA Project Principal: Gianluca Racana
ZHA Project Director: Filippo Innocenti
ZHA Project Architect: Gian Luca Barone
ZHA Project Associate: Fulvio Wirz
ZHA Construction Support Leads: Marco Amoroso, Domenico di Francesco
ZHA Construction Support Services: Vincenzo Caputo, Abdel Halim Chehab, Marko Gligorov, Stefano Iacopini
ZHA Project Team: Marco Amoroso, Vincenzo Caputo, Abdel Halim Chehab, Lee Cubeddu,
Rawan Al-Derjem, Domenico Di Francesco, David Fogliano, Manuele Gaioni, Marko Gligorov,
Subharthi Guha, Alexandros Kallegias, Lisa Kinnerud, Alexandre Kuroda, Stefano Iacopini,
Carolina López-Blanco, Jamie Mann, Mohammadali Mirzaei, Arian Hakimi Nejad, David
Wolthers, Nicola McConnell, Mario Mattia, Massimo Napoleoni, Niki Okala, Carlos Parraga
Botero, Sohith Perera, Izis Salvador Pinto, Carine Posner, Neil Rigden, Paola Salcedo, Nima
Shoja, Thomas Sonder, Vincenzo Reale, Kate Revyakina, Roberto Vangeli, Seungho Yeo
ZHA Competition Team: Alexandre Kuroda, Fei Wang, Lisa Kinnerud, Jorge Mendez-Caceres Structural Engineer: BuroHappold
Building Services Engineer: BuroHappold
Transport & Civil Engineers: BuroHappold
Fire Protection & Life Safety Engineer: BuroHappold
People Flow: BuroHappold
Acoustic Consultant: BuroHappold
Sustainability Consultant: BuroHappold
Lighting Consultant: BuroHappold
Facade Engineering: Newtecnic
Design Management: AECOM
Specification Consultant: AECOM
Cost Consultant: AECOM
Signage & Way Finding: Transport Design Consultancy
Safety Assessment: BH with Transsol
Development Engineer: Riyadh Metro Transit Consultants (RMTC)
Main Contractor: BACS Consortium
Independent Checking Engineer: Buro Veritas
Independant Safety Assessor: TÜV Rheinland / ISARail Group
Transit Systems: Line 1 Siemens (BACS), Line 4&6 Alstom (FAST)
Viaducts: AECOM & TriPod-ssd (Line1), Atkins (Line 4&6)
Automatic Fare Collection: Indra
Structure Contractor: Saudi Lebanese Tarouk Contracting
MEP Contractor: Zamil
Interiors Contractor: DEPA
Elevators and Escalators: ThyssenKrupp
Facade Contractor: Permasteelisa Gartner Saudi Arabia
Landscape Contractor: DEPA
