The many mud-brick structures created in ancient Najdi architectural style excite newcomers to Riyadh who visits At-Turaif, the historic district of Diriyah and the original home of the Saudi royal family. With its geometric designs, triangular windows, and golden colors that mimic the desert terrain, these eye-catching structures emerge from At-small Turaif’s lanes, serving as a reminder of the Kingdom’s origins.
Despite Riyadh’s push for urbanization, which is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic reform program, Najdi architecture may still be found in several parts of the Saudi capital.
The traditional architectural style prevalent throughout the limestone plateau of Najdi, Saudi Arabia’s geographic center, is a focal point of Saudi heritage in many respects. As Riyadh accelerates its urban development, Um Slaim, a new design and architectural collective formed by Saudi female architects Sara Alissa and Nojoud Al-Sudairi, aspires to preserve and sustain Najdi architecture.
The collective was founded in early December and is named after Riyadh’s historic Um Slaim area, which is noted for its Najdi-style structures.
The collaboration works with various artists and architects to study how current designs and styles are displacing Najdi architecture in Saudi Arabia.
In early December, the duo opened their “research lab” between Al-Murabba and Al-Futah.
Many of the area’s people, largely migrant workers, still live in the original adobe structures.
Regional variations in Najdi architecture can be evident in domestic, religious, and administrative structures, with major architectural elements shared by all.
“The need to respond to the scorching desert climate, the demand for privacy in residential buildings, and the requirement to employ locally available materials like mud brick, stone, and wood,” Alissa stated.
Najdi buildings are distinguished not just by traditional materials, but also by their incorporation of thermal and environmental features in modern modifications.