open planted courtyard organizes a café carved directly into rock in saudi arabia

movs studio sculpts café in Ha’il’s rocky landscape

Peacock Ha’il is a café project by Movs Studio located in Ha’il, Saudi Arabia, within an evolving urban context shaped by new construction and prominent geological formations. The site originally consisted of an unfinished concrete structure positioned directly beside a tall rock formation, which became a defining condition for the project and a central design constraint.

Rather than treating the rock as a backdrop or decorative feature, the design integrates it into the architectural logic of the café. Part of the rock was carefully removed during construction to create a small interior courtyard planted with trees. This intervention required close coordination between structural requirements and design intent, ensuring that the natural formation remained integral to the spatial organization rather than a superficial focal point.

The courtyard functions as the core of the project. Large panoramic openings establish visual continuity between the interior and the rock, allowing daylight to penetrate deep into the café and softening the boundary between enclosed and open spaces. The spatial arrangement is organized around this central void, reinforcing a sense of orientation and calm within the interior.

all images by Ilya Ivanov

Extracted stones are reused in Peacock Hail café’s interior

Material continuity between architecture and landscape is further reinforced through the reuse of stones extracted during the rock excavation. Selected pieces were refined by polishing their horizontal surfaces and were reintroduced as sculptural elements that also function as standing-height tables. These elements operate at the intersection of furniture and architecture, extending the presence of the site’s geology into the interior environment.

For the interior design, architects at Movs Studio avoid excessive ornamentation and complex bespoke detailing. Furniture was designed with a utilitarian approach and fabricated by local artisans, reflecting available production methods and prioritizing clarity, durability, and ergonomic performance. This strategy supports consistency across the interior while reinforcing a sense of material honesty.

The material palette combines exposed ceilings and visible mechanical systems with smooth gray plaster walls, dark-stained wood, polished concrete floors accented with brass inlays, and deep burgundy finishes in upholstery and bar-area tiles. These materials are applied in a restrained manner, emphasizing texture, construction logic, and contrast rather than surface decoration.

Peacock Ha’il by movs studio is located in Ha’il, Saudi Arabia

Through the integration of natural rock, controlled material selection, and handcrafted elements, Peacock Ha’il establishes an interior defined by spatial clarity and contextual responsiveness. The project demonstrates how architectural restraint and site-specific interventions can shape a contemporary café environment grounded in local material conditions and human scale.

the café occupies a site defined by an unfinished concrete structure and a tall rock formation

the existing rock became a central architectural constraint and design driver

the project integrates the rock into the spatial logic rather than treating it as decoration

panoramic openings connect the interior visually to the rock formation

extracted stones were refined and repurposed as standing-height tables

dark wood and burgundy finishes add contrast within a restrained palette

furniture throughout the café was handcrafted by local artisans

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pieces of rock (close up)

pieces of rock (close up)

view on the main counter

axonometric

plan

project info:

name: Peacock Hail

architect: Movs Studio | @movs.studio
design team: Ruben Movsisian, Catherina Tarasova, Artem Lebedev, Ivan Gorbunov, Tatiana Kurochkina.

location: Ha’il, Saudi Arabia

photographer: Ilya Ivanov | @photoivanov

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom