Al Majlis: A Nostalgic Journey into Saudi's Sixties Architecture

Traditional Saudi Restaurant Design by Ahmed Habib Wins Prestigious A' Design Award

The design of Al Majlis, located in a mall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is a tribute to the urban fabric of the sixties. The 1,570 square meter restaurant, with its shifting modules and dynamic alleyways, captures the essence of a typical urban experience from that era. The materials and accessories used are a blend of modern and cultural elements, representing Saudi heritage.

The restaurant's layout is designed to mimic the disorderly, yet dynamic, urban fabric of the sixties. The ground floor area is 1,020 sqm, with a mezzanine floor area of 550 sqm. The restaurant features 13 closed rooms, including a VIP room, and 25 semi-enclosed rooms, providing privacy for groups of diners. The kitchen area spans 435 sqm, and the total clear double height is 9.2 meters.

The design process, which started in July 2020 and finished in September 2020, involved a series of research and data collection. This included project needs analysis, cultural research, design direction research, technical research, and operational research. The main challenge was to create an external traditional Saudi urban feeling inside an indoor space while respecting the operational and privacy needs.

Al Majlis is a traditional Saudi restaurant where guests sit and eat on the ground in groups. Each group has their own semi/enclosed space for privacy. The design team, led by Ahmed Habib, also included Mostafa Al Haj, Mohamed Sherif, and Oleksandr Bakhmatskyi.

The Silver A' Design Award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder. Al Majlis, with its unique blend of traditional and modern elements, certainly fits this description.