The world’s largest King Salman park in Saudi Arabia is taking shape as it is set to transform Saudi’s capital, Riyadh. The project is gradually transforming a former airbase into a green oasis that promises to reshape the capital’s environment. Moreover, it acts as a testament to innovative urban design in one of the world’s most challenging environments. The park project is being implemented by German-based Gerber Architekten. Thomas Lücking, the company’s managing director, adds, “The idea was to really create a forest and have under its canopy a thousand gardens.
The park, spanning 16 square kilometers, will reportedly be the largest urban park in the world. Furthermore, it is set to challenge conventional approaches to urban development in extreme climatic conditions. “How to structure the park was the biggest initial challenge,” Lücking noted. “And what helped us was really understanding Riyadh and the Arabian peninsulas and the wadis. It is a key element in the environment in and around Riyadh. Here, the main structuring element was creating a manufactured wadi,” he added. Other challenges faced included connecting the city to the park. The completion of the park will elevate Riyadh’s environmental aspect along other projects such as the Riyadh Expo 2030 venue.
The Scope of Implementation on the World’s Largest King Salman Park
The ambition on the world’s largest King Salman park spans far more than creating a simple green space. It represents a comprehensive approach to urban regeneration and addressing critical environment challenges. Furthermore, it provides Saudi residents with a new way of interacting with nature in a desert metropolis. Water management emerged as a crucial innovation. Lücking noted that the project uses treated wastewater from the city, approximately 150,000 cubic meters daily. The approach not only solves waste-management issues but provides a sustainable irrigation solution for the park’s ambitious green infrastructure. The park is expected to be completed by 2030.
However, some areas will open sooner than then. Moreover, it will host more than 700 plant species, a dramatic increase from the 100-120 species currently cultivated in Riyadh. Approximately half of them are indigenous to Saudi Arabia. However, many of them are being newly introduced to the region’s horticultural landscape. “We wanted to create a place where people can truly enjoy nature,” noted the company’s founder, Eckhard Gerber. Architectural elements are deliberately integrated into the landscape, rather than imposed on it.
