desert rock resort by oppenheim architecture opens in hejaz mountains, saudi arabia

Oppenheim Architecture’s Desert Rock debuts in saudi arabia

Oppenheim Architecture’s Desert Rock resort in the Hejaz Mountains, Saudi Arabia, finally opens. It is part of the Red Sea Project, dubbed the world’s most ambitious luxury tourism development currently under construction on the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast. The Desert Rock is the recently completed architecture on site. The team has designed it as a resort nestled within the ancient mountains of Hejaz in the region of western Saudi Arabia and along the Red Sea coast. Oppenheim Architecture draws inspiration from the Nabataean civilization, which once inhabited the Arabian Peninsula and is renowned for its rock-carved architecture.

Visitors arrive at a hidden valley, which is the access point to the resort. The architecture sprawls across 30,000 square meters of land. The accommodations range from ground-level villas to suites embedded within the mountains. All of them benefit from natural light as they are raised from the ground as well as due to the large openings of the windows to mimic the cave mouths. Oppenheim Architecture says that the construction of the Desert Rock resort, now open to the public, has not obstructed the historic Hejaz Mountains.

Accommodations from cliff hanging to hidden villas

Oppenheim Architecture has worked with the developer Red Sea Global for the completion of the Desert Rock resort in Saudi Arabia. It has different villas with varying design features. The Wadi Villas have private pools and spacious living areas. There are also Cliff Hanging Villas that perch high above the resort for aerial views. For more private spaces, visitors can stay in the Mountain Cave Suites and Mountain Crevice Villas. They have cliffside pools suspended on the edges of the Massif. As for the Royal Villa, it cocoons in one part of the valley for a private retreat.

For the construction of the Desert Rock, Oppenheim Architecture says to have repurposed excavated materials. The architectural team then adds that they have used ‘passive cooling and efficient systems to reduce energy consumption’ and native plants to embed greenery within the rocky spaces. ‘By respecting and enhancing the natural environment, we have created a sanctuary that allows guests to experience the beauty and power of the landscape in deeply personal and meaningful ways,’ says Chad Oppenheim, Founding Principal of Oppenheim Architecture. 

project info:

name: Desert Rock

architects: Oppenheim Architecture | @oppenheimarchitecture

developer: Red Sea Global | @redseaglobal

location: Saudi Arabia