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Ithra: Culture, architecture and stainless steel fuse past, present and future
In the midst of the barren desert landscape of Dhahran rises a structure that seems to belong to another world: the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, also known as Ithra. With its organic, flowing shapes and shimmering mantle of stainless steel tubes, the building embodies a balance between tradition and innovation. This futuristic façade was achieved through a visionary interplay of design, material technology and digitally controlled manufacturing. Based on high-precision 3D data, façade specialist seele assigned each individual tube its own unique geometry— resulting in a creation that impresses both visually and technically.
By Anett Leonhard and Sonja Raupp, Stainless Steel World Germany
Designed by the renowned Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta, the centre is an architectural masterpiece. It serves as a reminder that culture is not the result of isolated efforts, but rather an interconnected web of forces and ideas that work together to create a powerful unity. The architects of this unique building drew inspiration from pebbles stacked in an arch, each supporting the others to create an impressive, cohesive formation.
Five interconnected building sections form the cultural centre: the 110-metre-high main tower is surrounded by four other‘ pebbles’ – the library, the auditorium and the large hall, which rest on the ground, as well as a fixed but seemingly floating building that leans against the tower to its left and the library to its right.
A stage for cultural highlights Ithra is both an architectural artwork and a cultural landmark. The library holds
315,000 books in Arabic and English for readers of all ages. Culture lovers can enjoy regular operas, symphony concerts, musicals and lectures in the 900-seat theatre, which offers perfect acoustics for maximum listening pleasure. The exhibition hall, which is up to 13 metres high, hosts a constantly changing programme of regional and international art exhibitions. In addition, the complex includes a cinema, an extensive archive, and a museum preserving the spirit of Saudi Arabia’ s cultural traditions. In short, Ithra is a vibrant meeting place for art, science and education. Here, people can immerse themselves in the past, experience the present and help shape the future.
350 km of stainless steel form a unique shell To realise the complex concept of the cultural centre, the planners chose duplex stainless steel grade 1.4462. This material easily withstands the region’ s extreme environmental conditions, including temperatures of over 50 degrees Celsius, sandstorms, and UV radiation. The elaborate façade, implemented by seele, was meant to
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