Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has officially commenced construction on Asaan, a landmark cultural museum in the heart of Diriyah’s At-Turaif district. Marking the studio’s first-ever adobe structure worldwide, the museum pays tribute to Saudi Arabia’s architectural past while embodying a forward-looking cultural vision.
Supported by the Misk Foundation, a non-profit founded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Asaan will house exhibitions, workshops, and conservation labs, aiming to celebrate and preserve Saudi cultural heritage. The museum is being built using locally sourced adobe bricks, a first for ZHA and a significant step in its evolving architectural portfolio.
Blending Tradition and Innovation with Adobe Architecture
Located within Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its distinctive Najdi mud-brick architecture, Asaan’s design reflects the district’s vernacular traditions. The museum will feature thick adobe walls made from a blend of clay, water, and organic materials like straw. These walls are engineered to deliver high thermal insulation and reduce energy demands in the desert climate.
“Built to a thickness that provides high insulating properties in Diriyah’s hot desert climate, the low-embodied-carbon adobe walls incorporate a high thermal mass to maintain interior comfort while reducing energy demand for cooling,” the studio said in a statement.
In a design deeply informed by local building methods, the museum structure will rise three storeys and will feature three central courtyards. These shaded courtyards serve both cultural and climatic functions—creating open-air zones for education, arts programming, and administrative activities, while simultaneously mitigating heat exposure.
Cultural Preservation Through Contemporary Design
In addition to exhibitions, Asaan will host conservation laboratories focused on restoring archaeological artefacts. This function reinforces the museum’s broader ambition—not only as a display centre, but as an active participant in Saudi Arabia’s cultural restoration.
“The three-storey design is defined by the scale and geometries of the old town, as well as the museum’s traditional construction techniques and materials,” ZHA explained. “Centred around three shaded courtyards, a defining feature of the local Najdi architecture, these courtyards provide comfortable external spaces that shield visitors from climatic conditions.”
Khaled Al-Saqer, CEO of Asaan, elaborated on the museum’s mission:
“Asaan’s role extends beyond preserving and displaying artefacts; it seeks to inspire meaningful engagement through immersive experiences that connect past, present, and future generations, strengthening pride in Saudi identity and sharing our cultural legacy with the world.”
A New Chapter in Diriyah’s Cultural Transformation
Asaan’s construction aligns with a broader transformation across Diriyah, often regarded as the birthplace of Saudi Arabia. Founded in the 15th century by Prince Mani’ bin Rabiah Al-Muraidi, Diriyah became the nucleus of the first Saudi state in 1744. Today, it is being reimagined through an ambitious series of architectural projects rooted in traditional Najdi principles.
Among these initiatives are the Royal Diriyah Opera House by Snøhetta and a sports arena by HKS—both reflecting the growing trend of architecture that merges Saudi identity with modern function.
Zaha Hadid Architects, known for their futuristic designs, is also working on other global projects, including a cascading skyscraper in Georgia and a 60,000-seat stadium in China. Asaan, however, stands apart—not for its size or spectacle, but for the symbolic and material embrace of heritage through adobe.