Client: Mr. Ibrahim Suheibani
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Services Provided: Design & Supervision
Total Built-up Area: 3,000 m²
Construction Cost: US $3,000,000
Starting Date: 1995 (Design) – 1999 (Supervision)
Completion Date: 1996 (Design) – 2002 (Supervision)
Challenge:
The Suheibani Residence was envisioned as a modern adaptation of Najdi and Salmani architecture, a timeless architectural language deeply rooted in Riyadh’s cultural identity. The challenge lay in integrating the principles of traditional Najdi design—such as courtyard living, privacy, and climate responsiveness—while ensuring modern comfort and contemporary functionality. The project also needed to harmonize with its desert surroundings, embracing regional materials and passive cooling techniques.
Approach:
Designed by Dar Al Omran - Rasem Badran (DAO-Badran), the residence was developed around a central courtyard, a defining feature of Najdi urbanism, ensuring seamless interaction between indoor and outdoor spaces. The architectural language emphasized earth-toned materials, shaded colonnades, and intricate detailing, reinforcing the Salmani aesthetic of refined simplicity. The spatial composition followed a hierarchy of privacy, allowing gradual transitions from public to private spaces, while integrating contemporary engineering solutions to enhance comfort, ventilation, and structural efficiency. The landscape was meticulously planned to reflect the natural desert terrain, creating a visual and environmental extension of the architectural form.
Impact:
The Suheibani Residence redefined the application of Najdi and Salmani principles in contemporary residential design, offering a sophisticated yet culturally authentic living experience. By merging heritage elements with modern engineering and landscape solutions, the project stands as a benchmark for architectural continuity in Riyadh’s evolving urban fabric. Through its timeless materiality, spatial fluidity, and contextual harmony, the residence ensures that tradition and innovation coexist, shaping a refined and enduring architectural legacy in Saudi Arabia.
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