identity interviews Gerard Evenden, Senior Executive Partner and Head of Studio at Foster + Partners, about the design behind the Red Sea Marine Life Institute in Amaala

Can you tell us about the concept for the Marina Village and how the Red Sea Marine Life Institute is integrated into this plan?

The Red Sea Marine Life Institute is part of the wider Marina Village masterplan and a key component of one of the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism projects, The Red Sea destination and Amaala. The Institute will be the beating heart of broad ambitions to protect and enhance the thriving Red Sea coast, helping the region to share valuable scientific discoveries with the world and enabling guests to experience the true beauty of Saudi Arabia’s thriving coral reefs. Set within the Amaala destination on the west coast of Saudi Arabia and located on the waterfront of Marina Village, the 10,000-square metre Institute will offer stunning panoramic views of the Red Sea and the marina, both above and below the water.

How has it adopted elements of local architecture?

The natural environment and local culture are celebrated as much as possible throughout the architecture of the project, and the design also adopts several passive measures that feed into our innovative, sustainable approach. Inspired by the traditional techniques of Arabic desert architecture – working with nature and using orientation, shade and natural air flow – the Institute lowers its reliance on mechanical cooling to create comfortable internal and external environments. The building’s distinctive forms employ similar passive cooling processes as those used by ancient Arabic wind towers, barajeel, and, together with interconnected open spaces, encourage air movement across the Institute, capturing the cooling breezes off the Red Sea. Additionally, the curved and irregular edges of the buildings are oriented to disrupt wind flow, create turbulence and cool the spaces beneath.

Can you describe the architecture of the Red Sea Marine Life Institute – what was the inspiration behind it and how does it balance both traditional and futuristic elements?

The design resembles a collection of coral-like modules that have accumulated in a reef-like structure, each intricately moulded to resemble reef patterns against the skyline. In addition, the facility is also home to one of the world’s largest manmade reef habitats, measuring an astonishing 40 metres long and 10 metres deep – alongside many naturally occurring ones, too.

The building needed to place this incredible marine architecture at the centre of its design focus. Expected to host up to 650 people at any one time, the architecture of the Institute comprises three floors: one above ground, one below ground, and one underwater. In addition to immersive exhibition spaces, visitors will be able to walk underwater, snorkel with rare species and enjoy researcher-led educational tours of the laboratories, as well as guided tours of the Red Sea in the latest submersible vehicles.

The private office spaces are naturally lit, with solar shades to reduce heat gain. The central canopy, which spans across all four of the building ‘clusters’, provides solar shading and openly ventilates the ground level. The orientation of the site channels the prevailing north-westerly winds through the canopy space, ensuring structural safety as well as maximum ventilation.

How does the project respond to its climate and context?

GRC (glass reinforced concrete) is a robust yet flexible material that can recreate the patterns of the coral reef, both in the shape of the modules as well as the texture of the walls, while delivering a safe and enduring structure. This focus on coral continues inside, where visitors are flanked by colourful tanks that lead towards the central exhibit: a suspended semi-spherical tank containing local marine wildlife and the reef – a real first-of-its-kind. All these features combine to provide an immersive experience that gives visitors a glimpse into the wonders of the marine environment – and the challenges that we face in conserving our natural habitats.

Designed to be vibrant and educational, the Institute will give people an in-depth understanding of the research occurring within its labs. As the Institute is located in a marine environment, any material needs to be able to resist high wind loads and stand up to the saline ecosystem. The design utilises GRC panels that are extremely robust in this context. The GRC panels are supported by a structural steel frame to maintain a lightweight construction. The structure is effectively supported on four points, with a large canopy that shades the central plaza, which offers panoramic views of the Red Sea and the marina.

Given that the purpose of the Institute is to conduct research that will encourage and enable the conservation of biodiversity in the Red Sea, the impact of the building on organic life was vital to consider. Forty per cent of the island site will be covered by native planting, with run-off water collected on site. Lighting has been sensitively designed to reduce night sky pollution and reduce disruption to nocturnal marine life. Ultimately, the building needs to reflect the core message of the Red Sea Marine Life Institute: to understand, protect and celebrate this unique environment and its wildlife.