| Title: | Red Sea Airport, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Markets: | Infrastructure |
| Client: | Confidential |
| Services: | Landscape architecture |
| Region: | Middle East and Africa |
| Status: | Ongoing |
| Team: | Gillespies, Foster + Partners, WSP |
| Photography: | Gillespies |
Located on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, this new state-of-the-art Red Sea International Airport will form a gateway to one of the most exquisite and luxury resorts in the world. Our landscape design and signage will create a calm, memorable and luxurious journey through the terminal, offering millions of visitor’s opportunities to connect with nature and each other.
Designed by Foster + Partners, this flagship airport will serve as the gateway to the iconic Red Sea development, showcasing its rich offer of hospitality and natural assets. It will also act as a key starting point for adventures, both inland and coastal, and will offer many visitors their first glimpse of this remarkable destination.
Gillespies is enhancing the airport experience with comprehensive landscape design and signage. We are creating serene internal and external gardens that provide a peaceful retreat for travellers before their journey or as they head to the resort. These gardens reflect the building’s organic architecture and incorporate the vibrant, textured landscapes of Saudi Arabia using a thoughtful mix of local and native species. This design not only enriches the visitor experience but also supports their well-being.
The strategic selection of local and native plants helps minimise water consumption, aligning with the project's goal of achieving LEED Platinum certification. Detailed research and environmental modelling ensured that the internal gardens feature the most suitable plant mix, while the more challenging external environment is adorned with a resilient and diverse selection of native species.
A designated drop-off/pick-up point overlooks a landscape of desert dunes, awash with native plants and Date Palm oasis. Shielded from the sun by the orientation of the building and a line of carefully positioned shade trees, the entrance is paved in high-quality stone and offers a comfortable, attractive and memorable first and lasting impression of the region.
Gillespies is also delivering a wayfinding and signage strategy for the airport. The strategy provides an unobtrusive suite of signs and pictograms that establish a clear system of arrivals, departures and landscape amenity movement patterns, supporting clear, comfortable circulation and highlighting the many amenities available to international travellers.
