Tuwaiq Palace is the central cultural facility for Riyadh’s esteemed and highly revered Diplomatic Quarter (DQ). The palace is located on a plateau northwest of Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter. Spread over 24,000 square meters, it was initially intended to serve as a club offering recreational, social, dining, banqueting, conference, and accommodation facilities. Tourists enjoy a fantastic view of the city, the Wadi-Hanifa, and beyond from the Tuwaiq Palace. The much-celebrated design of the building includes an 800-meter long twisting ‘Living Wall’. It winds on itself and goes around a lush garden. Five giant tents spread out from the Living Wall, creating an incredible image.
Tuwaiq Palace architecture and design
The Tuwaiq Palace building has a curved, linear shape and a complex plane. The unique design leads to a steady lessening of exterior walls to form a vacant space that houses the structure’s backbone. There are Teflon fiberglass and cable networks hanging from the upper side of the column. Radial cables fixed to the spine of the fan-shaped steel masts of the building support the white tents of the palace. These cables are attached to sloping masts on the ground and hinged to the anchor blocks buried in the rock. Cable networks also support stores facing the interior gardens. However, they are directly attached to the wall without supporting masts.
Tuwaiq Palace highlights
1. The big compound of Tuwaiq Palace
The Tuwaiq Palace complex covers a total area of 75,000 square meters. Approximately 24,000 square meters are available to the public. Out of this, the ground floor has an area of 8,500 square meters. The building is constructed using an 800-meter wall with 12 meters height. The width of the wall varies at different places, with a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 13 meters.
The thick, broad spine supporting the building makes the structure appear like a large palace, complete with its huge terraced walls and heavy stone cladding. The shape and color of the surrounding landscape present a sight to behold and are one of the key attractions for tourists visiting the Tuwaiq Palace. Another stunning piece of architecture is the inner courtyard of the project. It has conical walls emerging from the spine and creates an impression of an oasis in a valley.
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2. The stunning tents
The Tuwaiq Palace has mesmerizing colorful structures designed to appear like a tent. It is made of stained glass and creates the impression of being inside an oasis when one walks inside the structure. The tent is composed of vastly concentrated and unique architectural processes involving highly intricate designs. The redesigns are also highly elaborate and complex.
The Diplomatic Club Heart Tent has been created in the interior gardens of the palace. They serve as reception and banqueting areas. The construction pattern used in the tent is a cable net design. They come with insulation and tile cladding with the aim of blending in with the garden and the exterior of the surrounding palace. Uniquely, the tents are also designed to face outwards. They have a translucent fabric which is in contrast with the desert design. A stunning tile pattern created by Bettina Otto, daughter of the renowned German architect and structural engineer, Frei Otto, marks another highlight of the palace.
3. The construction and interior
In a departure from conventional methods of construction, the materials used for construction are largely hidden behind casings. The concrete wall is covered with an insulating material and finished with mortar and limestone. A thin membrane coated with fiberglass and Teflon is used to protect the tents when summer temperature surges. Stores facing the garden are custom-made with glass tiles having drawings of fish. The glass fiber membrane and Teflon ensures a translucency of 7 percent. The segmented lining membranes of the shops are lighter materials that can be easily removed for cleaning and maintenance. The whole structure is controlled and monitored using computerized equipment for the electric charge. It helps limit power consumption to a fixed level.
4. An oasis in the desert
Tuwaiq Palace is called the Oasis in the Desert because it offers a luxury staying experience. The palace has been crafted by skilled personnel from diverse regions of the world, all working towards a common goal of building a unique architectural monument unlike anything attempted in the region to date. Frei Otto, the German architect known for his expertise in working with light materials, and his team have created a unique architectural wonder in the desert region that’s attracting thousands of visitors annually. The experiences here are quite different from what one would have in a five-star facility. Tuwaiq Palace is a revelation that can only be experienced by visiting the place.
5. Facilities offered inside the palace
Tuwaiq Palace offers several amenities to provide guests with a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. The palace has many recreational facilities, restaurants serving various cuisines, and well-appointed banquet and conference halls. The palace also has world-class bowling lanes, a billiards room, a nursery, a library, and a secretariat. Other facilities include swimming, tennis, squash, sauna, fitness, and recreation rooms. Guests can enjoy formal and casual dining experiences here. The palace has in-house technical, mechanical, and related facilities support staff to address emergency needs instantly.
How to reach Tuwaiq Palace
The palace is located in the Diplomatic Quarters, Riyadh. The address of the building is 8318 Ibn Wafed, Al Safarat, 2664, Riyadh. Tourists can easily board a private taxi to reach the palace comfortably. The palace is only 8 km from the city center of Riyadh and 43.1 km from King Khalid International Airport Riyadh.
Phone number: 011 488 3331
Nearby attractions: King Khalid Grand Mosque, Yamamah Park, Al Rajhi Mosque, Wadi Hanifa, Tuwaiq mountain, and many others.
Tuwaiq Palace is among the top places to organize meetings or cultural events, inducing arts and culture into the vast background of Saudi Arabia. In addition, the palace is a crucial structure presenting architectural diversity to Riyadh and, in turn, Saudi Arabia.
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Tuwaiq Palace FAQs
Where is the Tuwaiq Palace located?
Tuwaiq Palace is located in Al Safarat in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Who is the chief architect of Tuwaiq Palace?
The renowned and reputed German architect Frei Otto and architecture firm Omrania and Associates Buro Happold are the brains behind the architecture of the Palace.
What is the use of Tuwaiq Palace?
Tuwaiq Palace serves as venues for numerous cultural events and meet-ups.
How is the weather in and around the palace?
The climate is generally hot, with temperatures around 45 degrees during the day. In winter, the weather is more pleasant. Temperatures can drop to around 10 degrees.
