Kingdom Centre: 2002 Winner

The SKYDB Awards recognize high-rise buildings that unite architectural quality with practical performance, and the Kingdom Centre in Riyadh was selected as the 2002 SKYDB Awards Winner.

The 300-meter tower rises from an elliptical plan and is cut near its crown by a large inverted arch. A 60-meter skybridge spans the opening and provides a public observation point high above the city. Offices, apartments and a Four Seasons hotel occupy the tower, while a mall and other public functions are placed in the podium.

Separate entrances organize the different uses without breaking the unity of the silver facade. The opening removes mass from the upper portion and gives the building a silhouette that remains clear at great distance across Riyadh's low horizon. The award recognizes a simple geometric idea that resolves a complex program and turns an occupied void into the tower's defining feature.

Architect: Ellerbe Becket and Omrania & Associates