Latham & Watkins law firm Interior design - Riyadh - ksa

Latham & Watkins law firm Interior design - Riyadh - ksa — IADA 2025 award

Latham & Watkins law firm Interior design - Riyadh - ksa received Silver Winner recognition at the International Architecture & Design Awards 2025 in Office Interior Design. Project status, design team and credits are listed alongside the presentation.

About the project

Latham & Watkins’s Riyadh office, home to many of Saudi Arabia’s leading legal professionals, underwent a comprehensive renovation aimed at enhancing both its functionality and visual identity. As one of the region’s foremost legal institutions, the office required a design that reflects its status while meeting the evolving needs of its highly skilled team.

Our design concept centered on transforming the office into a more collaborative, efficient, and future-ready environment. At the core of the renovation are two central hubs—referred to as the “hearts” of the office, each comprising a shared workstation area, cafeteria, and service zone. These hubs were strategically placed to serve as central gathering points, encouraging day-to-day interaction, promoting a sense of community, and improving overall accessibility to key amenities.

Surrounding these hubs are the individual offices of partners, associates, consultants, and administrative staff. This spatial arrangement supports both focused work and collaborative engagement, reflecting the dynamic and high-performance nature of legal practice. By creating close physical links between team members and shared resources, the design ensures a seamless workflow across departments.

A defining design element retained from the original layout, the wood wall separators, was not only preserved but enhanced. These were expanded and reimagined as modern strip wood wall separators, maintaining the office’s architectural continuity while adding texture, warmth, and a refined contemporary aesthetic. This update strikes a balance between tradition and innovation, aligning with the firm’s identity and the sophistication of its services.

Lighting design also played a pivotal role, especially in the central lounge area, where dramatic lighting features give the impression of light slicing through the ceiling. This visual treatment helps define the lounge space, adds depth, and creates an inviting, relaxed atmosphere for informal meetings and casual interactions.

Overall, the renovation of the Riyadh office is a testament to thoughtful design and strategic planning. It embodies the firm’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and adaptability, ensuring the workspace not only meets the demands of today but is also prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.

AKL ARCHITECTS

Akl Architects is an award-winning Beirut-based firm founded in 2016 by Akl Akl. Our multidisciplinary team provides comprehensive architectural services from feasibility studies to execution drawings, bills of quantities, and site supervision. We approach each project with a tailored architectural response rooted in context, program, and client needs.

With extensive experience across residential, hospitality, commercial, landscape, and interior design, we serve private and corporate clients in Lebanon and abroad. Our team—comprising architects, renderers, draftsmen, and trainees—works with cutting-edge tools and adheres to both local and international standards to deliver precise, high-quality outcomes.

We believe in crafting custom designs that reflect our clients’ visions rather than imposing a predetermined aesthetic. At Akl Architects, we are committed to professionalism, creativity, lasting relationships, and design excellence.