Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA Opens its First Edition in Western Hajj Terminal
26/01/2023.
[Jeddah] Saudi Arabia 23.01 > 23.04.2023
metalocus, ANTONIO CORREDERA
metalocus, ANTONIO CORREDERA
Under the title "Awwal Bait", which translates as "First House", and with a scenography designed by OMA / Iyad Alsaka and Kaveh Dabiri, the first edition of the Islamic Biennale has opened in Jeddah, hosted by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation. Artworks are displayed over 120,000 square meters of exhibition spaces, taking over the Western Hajj Terminal, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and winner of the Aga Khan Award in 1983.
Iyad Alsaka, OMA Partner said that the biennale is an opportunity "to discover and learn about Islamic culture. More than 200 ancient objects are on display, some of which have never been seen by the larger public. In addition, there are artworks by contemporary artists from Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East and Northern Africa to countries like the UK and South Africa, giving a new dimension to the timeless rituals of Islam.”
The exhibition explores how Islam’s most sacred sites – Makkah, the destination of the annual pilgrimage, and Madinah, the place where Prophet Mohamed is buried – inspire Muslims around the world to create a sense of belonging in their home, bringing unity in a plural world.
Iyad Alsaka, OMA Partner said that the biennale is an opportunity "to discover and learn about Islamic culture. More than 200 ancient objects are on display, some of which have never been seen by the larger public. In addition, there are artworks by contemporary artists from Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East and Northern Africa to countries like the UK and South Africa, giving a new dimension to the timeless rituals of Islam.”
The exhibition explores how Islam’s most sacred sites – Makkah, the destination of the annual pilgrimage, and Madinah, the place where Prophet Mohamed is buried – inspire Muslims around the world to create a sense of belonging in their home, bringing unity in a plural world.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Rendering. OMA-Designed Islamic Arts Biennale Opens its First Edition in Jeddah
Rendering. OMA-Designed Islamic Arts Biennale Opens its First Edition in Jeddah
Rendering. OMA-Designed Islamic Arts Biennale Opens its First Edition in Jeddah
Rendering. OMA-Designed Islamic Arts Biennale Opens its First Edition in Jeddah
The OMA design divides the exhibition space into two complementary areas: A choreographed trajectory through a sequence of newly built galleries where the exhibits manifest gradually in a journey from darkness to light. And the second area, under the terminal’s canopy, a desert-like landscape alludes to the journey of Hijrah – Prophet Mohamed’s journey from Makkah to Madinah.
The Biennale give also the opportunity, in a separate gallery named AlMadar, or The Orbit, twelve local and international institutions including Kuwait’s Al Sabah Collection of Islamic art, together with an exhibition that pays homage to the Hajj Terminal – both celebrating their 40th anniversary.
The project is OMA’s first built work in Saudi Arabia and marks a new chapter in the office’s long-standing involvement in the country. OMA’s portfolio in the Middle East includes projects such as Qatar National Library, the headquarters of the Qatar Foundation and Concrete at Alserkal Avenue in Dubai. OMA’s think tank AMO has published extensively on the rapid urbanization of the region in two special issues of Volume magazine, Al Manakh (2007) and Al Manakh: Gulf Continued (2010).
The Biennale give also the opportunity, in a separate gallery named AlMadar, or The Orbit, twelve local and international institutions including Kuwait’s Al Sabah Collection of Islamic art, together with an exhibition that pays homage to the Hajj Terminal – both celebrating their 40th anniversary.
The project is OMA’s first built work in Saudi Arabia and marks a new chapter in the office’s long-standing involvement in the country. OMA’s portfolio in the Middle East includes projects such as Qatar National Library, the headquarters of the Qatar Foundation and Concrete at Alserkal Avenue in Dubai. OMA’s think tank AMO has published extensively on the rapid urbanization of the region in two special issues of Volume magazine, Al Manakh (2007) and Al Manakh: Gulf Continued (2010).
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Project description by OMA
The first edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale brings together a mix of ancient artefacts and contemporary artworks, displayed over 120,000 square meters of exhibition spaces, taking over the SOM-designed Western Hajj Terminal.
The OMA-designed scenography divides the exhibition space into two complementary parts:
(1) A choreographed trajectory through a sequence of newly built galleries allows visitors a progressive sense of orientation as they move from one room to another. Inspired by the concept of the Qiblah – the direction Muslims face when they pray – the exhibits manifest gradually in a journey from darkness to light, starting in a dimly lit room filled with 17th-century astrolabes – used to calculate the Qiblah – and concluding in the bright space hosting an installation which incorporates the First Saudi Door of the Ka’bah in Makkah, installed during the reign of King Abdul Aziz.
(2) Under the terminal’s canopy, a desert-like landscape alludes to the journey of Hijrah – Prophet Mohamed’s journey from Makkah to Madinah. Slopes and slanted walls of various heights, arranged in relation to the geometry of the existing structure, have been built to display the artworks, creating a sense of exploration throughout the visit. Two freestanding pavilions act as reference points in the open landscape, exhibiting artefacts from Makkah and Madinah. In contrast to the rough atmosphere outside, the exhibits in the two pavilions are embedded in a bright, diaphanous screen wrapping the perimeter of the walls.
Islamic Arts Biennale design by OMA. Photograph by Marco Cappelletti.
Independent from the theme of the Biennale, a separate gallery named AlMadar, or The Orbit, features items from twelve local and international institutions including Kuwait’s Al Sabah Collection of Islamic art, together with an exhibition that pays homage to the Hajj Terminal – both celebrating their 40th anniversary.
More information
Architects
OMA. Partner-in-Charge.- Iyad Alsaka. Associate-in-Charge.- Kaveh Dabiri. Project Architect.- Saskia Simon.
Project team
Anna Bozek, Parinaz Eslami, Luigi Ferretti, Milyausha Garaeva, Benedetta Gatti, Gaetano Giordano, Sarah eI-Harouny, Hans Larsson, Laura Martinelli, Filippo Rispoli and Yushang Zhang.
Collaborators
Lighting Design.- Les éclaireurs.
Scenography Technical Design.- The Space Factory.
Scenography Technical Design.- The Space Factory.
Curatorial team
Dr. Saad Alrashid, Dr. Julian Raby, Sumayya Vally and Dr. Omniya Abdel Barr.
Client
Diriyah Biennale Foundation, Saudi Arabia Ministry of Culture.
Area
Total site.- 120,000 m².
Scenography 70,000 m².
Interior exhibition space 10,000 m².
Landscape and outdoor exhibition space 60,000 m².
Scenography 70,000 m².
Interior exhibition space 10,000 m².
Landscape and outdoor exhibition space 60,000 m².
Dates
The Islamic Arts Biennale will run from 23 January until 23 April 2023.
Location
Western Hajj Terminal. M4QV+V5G, King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah 23721, Saudi Arabia.
Photography
OMA. Office for Metropolitan Architecture
Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) is a leading international partnership practising architecture, urbanism, and cultural analysis. OMA's buildings and masterplans around the world insist on intelligent forms while inventing new possibilities for content and everyday use. OMA is led by eight partners – Rem Koolhaas, Reinier de Graaf, Ellen van Loon, Shohei Shigematsu, Iyad Alsaka, Chris van Duijn, Jason Long, and Managing Partner-Architect David Gianotten – and maintains offices in Rotterdam, New York, Hong Kong, Doha, and Australia.
OMA-designed buildings currently under construction are the renovation of Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) in Berlin, The Factory in Manchester, Hangzhou Prism, the CMG Times Center in Shenzhen and the Simone Veil Bridge in Bordeaux.
OMA’s completed projects include Taipei Performing Arts Centre (2022), Norra Tornen in Stockholm (2020), Axel Springer Campus in Berlin (2020), MEETT Toulouse Exhibition and Convention Centre (2020), Galleria in Gwanggyo (2020), nhow RAI Hotel in Amsterdam (2020), a new building for Brighton College (2020), and Potato Head Studios in Bali (2020). Earlier buildings include Fondazione Prada in Milan (2018), Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow (2015), Fondazione Prada in Milan (2015); G-Star Headquarters in Amsterdam (2014); Shenzhen Stock Exchange (2013); De Rotterdam (2013), CCTV Headquarters in Beijing (2012), New Court, the headquarters for Rothschild Bank in London (2011); Milstein Hall at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York (2011); and Maggie's Centre, a cancer care centre in Glasgow (2011). Earlier buildings include Casa da Música in Porto (2005), Seattle Central Library (2004), and Netherlands Embassy in Berlin (2003).
Iyad Alsaka
Iyad Alsaka joined OMA as a director in 2007 and became partner in 2011. Responsible for OMA’s work in the Middle East and Africa, Iyad has led projects including the acclaimed masterplan for Waterfront City in Dubai, the HIA Airport City masterplan in Doha, Concrete at Alserkal Avenue, a new public venue for Dubai’s cultural district, and the Qatar National Library in Doha. Iyad's current projects include The Prestige Mumbai, the Wafra Tower in Kuwait City, the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai, and the Qatar Cultural and Sports Hub in Doha. Born in 1969 in Syria, Iyad holds a degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Aleppo.
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