Saudi cultural movement in the spotlight at Central Saint Martins college in London

RIYADH: In the heart of Al-Watan Park, in the historic district of Al-Futah, stands a familiar yet overlooked silhouette: the Burj Al Khazzan. This 61-meter-tall water tower, built in the 1970s by Swedish architect Sune Lindstrom, long served a crucial role: storing water for a rapidly growing capital.

Today, as Riyadh redefines its urban identity under Vision 2030 and the Green Riyadh initiative, the Burj may soon begin a new life — cultural, ecological, symbolic.

Still at the conceptual stage, the transformation project was envisioned by Stella Amae, a Franco-Japanese architecture firm based in Paris and Barcelona, after a consultation launched by the Public Investment Fund.

“The Burj is a unique object. It speaks of heritage, of water, of collective memory. We want to make it a living landmark, a Tree of Life,” said Alexandre Stella, co-founder of Stella Amae.

The design draws inspiration from the trunk of the date palm — a regional symbol — and the triangular patterns of Najdi architecture. The structure would become a bioclimatic facade, interacting with air, light, sound, and humidity to create a true sensorial ecosystem.

“We envisioned a living skin, one that breathes. It would capture the sounds of the city, diffuse soft light, include bird nesting boxes … This would not be a frozen monument, but a living urban organism,” he added.

More than an architectural gesture, the project aims to meet a social need: to create a space for gathering, contemplation, and transmission — in a district already rich in cultural institutions.

“The neighbourhood lacks a central point, a gathering space. The water tower could become that symbolic core,” Stella said.

A sustainable, reversible, and experimental architecture

The project follows a sustainable and experiential design approach, with particular attention to environmental impact and long-term viability.

One of its key technical features is the use of ultra-high performance fiber concrete — a cutting-edge French engineering innovation that ensures structural strength and durability over time.

Another central principle is reversibility. The bioclimatic facade is designed as a lightweight, removable structure, non-invasive to the original building — allowing full restoration of the water tower if needed, in a spirit of heritage preservation and architectural temporality.

The project involves international creative talent, including Studio Jouan for sound design and BOA Light Studio for lighting. No local partners have been involved yet, because the project is still in the exploratory phase.

The targeted potential delivery date is 2030 — echoing the broader transformation milestones of the Saudi capital.

While the project is at a design phase, Stella Amae is currently working on an archaeology research center and museum in Al-Sufouh, Dubai, with X-Architects.

The firm has also contributed to several major projects in the Middle East, including a residential project at Diriyah Gate 2 with AS.Architecture Studio in Paris and the Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Grand Mosque in Diriyah, in collaboration with X-Architects from Dubai.

However, the potential Burj Al-Khazzan project holds a unique place in their approach: “It raises questions about urban heritage, water, memory … It is not just an architectural object. It is a piece of the city, a piece of history that we want to turn into the future,” Stella said.

Turning a former water tower into a Tree of Life is a powerful metaphor for a city seeking to grow a new kind of urbanism — one that honors its past and looks toward a more sustainable future.