King Abdullah Civic Center Master Plan

Consultants from OHK advised on an integrated master plan for the waterfront development of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, this plan paves the way for an innovative, mixed-use waterfront that has set the standard in the Kingdom for high-density, livable urban environments. With a mixture of residential, retail, civic, and recreational functions, the Civic Center design constitutes a robust strategy and new paradigm for waterfront development in Saudi Arabia. A broad survey of stakeholder and city communities’ perceptions was used to gauge the needs and expectations of local stakeholders as well as the socioeconomic and cultural opportunities and constraints posed by the development. The team developed both an economic strategy and a master plan based on a market-based and design-led process, respectively, which redefined how public spaces and civic buildings are funded and delivered, what type of standards should guide their delivery, and how they should respond to changing citizens’ needs and perceptions of quality public space.

The master plan featured a unique urban waterfront land use plan providing civic, retail, hospitality, and recreational functions, thus expanding the traditionally limited functionality of local public spaces. Infrastructure and civic amenity plans covered a comprehensive roadway, waterway, and bridge design package maximizing the integration of the site into the existing waterfront fabric and maximizing usability of the site for all strata of Dammami society. A phasing strategy was designed to leverage the potential for investment and maximize the return on public investment while ensuring uninterrupted service and continued functionality of the waterfront environment.