with an undulating lattice facade, zaha hadid architects’ metro station opens in riyadh

a sculptural landmark to enhance mobility in riyadh

The King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Metro Station, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), is a sculptural centerpiece of the ambitious Riyadh Metro network set to open its first lines on December 1, 2024. Located in Saudi Arabia’s capital, this state-of-the-art station with its undulating lattice facade plays a key role in the world’s longest driverless transit system, spanning 176 kilometers across six lines and 85 stations.

The Riyadh Metro network is a major urban initiative by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), designed to alleviate traffic congestion and improve the quality of life for the city’s growing population. With a daily capacity of 3.6 million passengers, the system will reduce car dependency and promote sustainable transportation. The opening of the Blue, Yellow, and Purple lines will connect key districts, business centers, and cultural landmarks across the city.

UPDATE March 3rd, 2025: Since its opening, the Riyadh Metro has served over 18 million passengers in its first eleven weeks, with the Zaha Hadid-designed King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Metro Station playing a key role. The KAFD station, a major interchange in the world’s longest driverless transit system, has handled over three million passengers since its inauguration, connecting the financial district with King Khalid International Airport and local monorail services. See images of the KAFD Metro Station in use in the gallery below!

a major link for the saudi arabian capital

The team at Zaha Hadid Architects completes the KAFD Metro Station, bringing a vital interchange for the city’s network. The hub connects rail services with bus routes and park-and-ride facilities. Strategically located in the King Abdullah Financial District, it links the district’s terminus to King Khalid International Airport and provides direct access to the KAFD monorail skybridge. The design incorporates both indoor and outdoor plazas, creating vibrant public spaces for the area.

Connectivity is a core principle of ZHA’s design. The station’s configuration is based on predictive modeling of rail, car, and pedestrian traffic flows, resulting in a layout optimized to minimize congestion and maximize efficiency. An undulating three-dimensional lattice structure, inspired by opposing sinewaves, organizes the building’s circulation while shaping its architectural identity.

monumental design by zaha hadid architects

The Riyadh Metro Station’s exterior is clad in ultra-high-performance concrete panels, which Zaha Hadid Architects designs with geometric perforations to reduce solar gain. This facade, a reinterpretation of traditional regional architecture, echoes the natural patterns formed by desert winds. The design balances aesthetic impact with practical environmental benefits, offering both shelter and sustainability.

ZHA optimized the station’s design to enhance structural efficiency and environmental performance while simplifying the construction process. The station’s external envelope integrates with its internal structure, supporting both the train platforms and viaducts. Sliding door panels on platforms retain cool air, while a high-efficiency cooling system, powered by renewable energy, adjusts to passenger levels throughout the day. These features have earned the station LEED Gold certification.

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project info:

name: King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Metro Station

architecture: Zaha Hadid Architects | @zahahadidarchitects

location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

completion: December 1st, 2024 (public opening)

photography: © Hufton + Crow Photography | @huftonandcrow

ZHA design: Zaha Hadid with Patrik Schumacher

ZHA project principal: Gianluca Racana

ZHA project director: Filippo Innocenti

ZHA project architect: Gian Luca Barone

ZHA project associate: Fulvio Wirz

ZHA construction support leads: Marco Amoroso, Domenico di Francesco

ZHA construction support services: Vincenzo Caputo, Abdel Halim Chehab, Marko Gligorov,

Stefano Iacopini

ZHA project team: Marco Amoroso, Vincenzo Caputo, Abdel Halim Chehab, Lee Cubeddu,

Rawan Al-Derjem, Domenico Di Francesco, David Fogliano, Manuele Gaioni, Marko Gligorov,

Subharthi Guha, Alexandros Kallegias, Lisa Kinnerud, Alexandre Kuroda, Stefano Iacopini,

Carolina López-Blanco, Jamie Mann, Mohammadali Mirzaei, Arian Hakimi Nejad, David

Wolthers, Nicola McConnell, Mario Mattia, Massimo Napoleoni, Niki Okala, Carlos Parraga-

Botero, Sohith Perera, Izis Salvador Pinto, Carine Posner, Neil Rigden, Paola Salcedo, Nima

Shoja, Thomas Sonder, Vincenzo Reale, Kate Revyakina, Roberto Vangeli, Seungho Yeo

ZHA competition team: Alexandre Kuroda, Fei Wang, Lisa Kinnerud, Jorge Mendez-Caceres

structural engineer: BuroHappold

building services engineer: BuroHappold

transport & civil engineers: BuroHappold

fire protection & life safety engineer: BuroHappold

people flow: BuroHappold

acoustic consultant: BuroHappold

sustainability consultant: BuroHappold

lighting consultant: BuroHappold

facade engineering: Newtecnic

design management: AECOM

specification consultant: AECOM

cost consultant: AECOM

signage & wayfinding: Transport Design Consultancy

safety assessment: BH with Transsol

development engineer: Riyadh Metro Transit Consultants (RMTC)

main contractor: BACS Consortium

independent checking engineer: Buro Veritas

independent safety assessor: TÜV Rheinland / ISARail Group

transit systems: Line 1 Siemens (BACS), Line 4&6 Alstom (FAST)

viaducts: AECOM & TriPod-ssd (Line1), Atkins (Line 4&6)

automatic fare collection: Indra

structure contractor: Saudi Lebanese Tarouk Contracting

MEP contractor: Zamil

interiors contractor: DEPA

elevators, escalators: ThyssenKrupp

facade contractor: Permasteelisa Gartner Saudi Arabia

landscape contractor: DEPA