Jeddah Opera House: Inspired by the rhythm of Al-Balad

Located on the Red Sea waterfront, the opera is the heart of the new Opera Quarter, part of the wider Jeddah Central masterplan. The identity of the new quarter is driven by its relationship with the landscape. A spine with natural cover links the city to the sea creating a social space that promotes cultural encounters, house events, and becomes a destination for future generations.

 

More than an opera, a home for all 

Designed for inclusive programming, the 150-seat Rehearsal Hall, the mid-scale 750-seat Playhouse theatre, and the 1500-seat opera Red Sea Theatre, are flexible performance spaces which will host world class touring theatres and orchestras, as well other commercial events and community education and outreach.

Preserving Al-Balad

Inspired by the dense character of historic Al-Balad with its complex web of lanes, souqs, and Barahaats, the opera is nestled within its urban fabric. With geometric volumes inspired by Al-Balad, the opera will have a distinct appearance from different perspectives in the area.

More than a facade, an inhabitable artwork

Al-Balad’s ties to music and mathematics are apparent in the playful rhythm of the architecture. The opera house façade design represents a musical way of breaking the long regular horizontal and vertical building lines, plane by plane. On a large scale, the composition of the façade comes alive, each section is playfully shifting between the levels.

The materiality of the opera house is driven by vernacular elements, coral stone and wood. Deep, solid stone acts as a natural climate barrier, only perforated by intricate window detailing in the form of multi-layered Mashrabiyas that add finesse to the façade and create traditional Roshans. 

As pedestrians approach the opera, the Roshans offer a glimpse into the activities inside. The irregularity of the façade pattern makes each Roshan unique, from small niches to large rooms for people to gather. The careful placement of these individual and communal spaces within each foyer of the opera house directly informs the external expression of the façade.

Louis Becker, Global Design Principal, Henning Larsen:

“The tradition of theatre grew out of public space and everyday life – the casual choreography of meetings on the street, the song of shopkeepers competing for attention, the kaleidoscope of colours, scents, and textures.

Through a careful balance of tradition and innovation, the opera serves as a bridge between old and new, symbolizing the evolution of art in Jeddah. We are proud to see our design for the Jeddah Opera House begin to take form.”

Cultural canopy

The cultural spine creates a sense of discovery for the visitor on the approach to the opera, weaving from the city to the Red Sea with buildings clustered along the central path. Carefully selected local vegetation types have been integrated into the plan to enhance the microclimate and improve biodiversity, water management, and air purification. Walking routes are shaded to mitigate the heat stress and buildings are positioned to direct the wind flow, encouraging natural urban ventilation.

Henning Larsen won the international design competition for Jeddah Opera House. Construction is now underway.

We are proud to be delivering for Jeddah Central Development Co. alongside Buro Happold, Nagata, and dUCKS Sceno.