Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University

The design of the Academic Colleges at Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University uses innovation as a means of giving back to and transforming society. This translates into a vision of community, sustainability and innovative learning environments in one of the most socio-economic and politically complex regions in the world.

Saudi Arabia’s culture, architectural tradition and regional climate presented a rich context for the new university. The Academic Colleges respond to these criteria and also promote advances in learning environments and building technology. The design process included an in-depth analysis of site, program and regional culture in order to achieve a deep understanding of the project context. This understanding of context as ‘place’ informed an architecture that responds to the region’s architectural heritage, materials and proportions; and creates innovative learning environments for a changing society.