Saudi Al Qaid Co. for transportation, the leading bus transportation company in the western region of Saudi Arabia, commissioned In Detail Design Center to create the interior and exterior design for its new headquarters. Located at the outskirts of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, the plot is surrounded by sand dunes of the Arabian dessert. In Detail Design Center envisioned an artificial oasis with water features, palm trees and natural light. The result is a one-story building with interior gardens and glass panels, filled with natural light and accented by a stark blue hue that contrasts the greenery surrounding the building. The style leans towards industrialist contemporary interior with plain exposed ceilings and a cool color palette. The flooring in the office area is covered in grey porcelain tiles and the walls in white painted bricks.
The space includes a large lobby with a private gallery that showcased the company’s milestones since its inception. The reception area is designed to project the esteemed status of the company with open-book marble and an 8-meter-wide statement modern steel chandelier with LED lighting. The space also includes two auditoriums, a mosque, a recreation space, five meeting rooms, an external operations control room to monitor the bus fleet’s operations and open space as well as closed offices. The C-suite includes a resting area with private bedroom and seating area.
In order to overcome the main challenge of the space, which is extreme heat in the summer months, the design team leveraged the natural shading from the gardens and structure as well as incorporating water features to elevate the heat and assist in controlling the space’s climate while also benefiting from the natural sunlight.
The space is designed to project agility, excellence, technology, and modernism as well as promote collaboration across different departments, keeping in mind the intensity of the work load especially during Hajj season, when services are online 24 hours. The space is functional yet comfortable at the same time.