JABAL AL KAABA

 

 

As one of the five pillars of Islam, the Hajj brings together Muslims from all over the world.  Jabal al Kaaba is a pilgrammage hotel designed to support this massive influx of visitors to Mecca, Saudia Arabia.  Designed to accommodate 4,000 guests during the pilgrammage, the hotel features extensive dining facilities, pedestrian walkways, and communal amenities.  During the remainder of the year, the hotel supports 1,000 visitors in a five-star experience.

 

The project site spans the ring road and extends to the Grand Mosque.  Taking advantage of the natural topography enables vehicle access from the ring road while maintaining clear pedestrian access across the ring road above.  Bus parking is provided at the lower level to efficiently move pilgrims from the hotel to nearby pilgrimage sites.  Pedestrians from the hotel and surrounds are efficiently directed across the site to the Grand Mosque.

 

The contemporary design features significant contextual and historic references.  The organization of the hotel and amenities are an extensive of the adjacent development patterns and leverage existing pedestrian connections to the site.  Traditional architectural elements, such as the mashrabiya and wind tower, are reimagined as contemporary elements throughout the design.

 

Project completed as Project Designer at RNL.

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