City Walk
Middle East & Africa
View Project
Bujairi Terrace
- Location
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Client
- Diriyah Gate Development Authority
- Services
- Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Wayfinding
- Sector
- Mixed use, retail and leisure
- Awards
- Architectural and Urban Creativity Award, Riyadh Province Municipality
A gastronomic destination at the edge of the First Saudi State
Bujairi Terrace is the first built realisation of Benoy’s retail and F&B strategy for the Diriyah Gate Masterplan. Spanning 15,000m2, the restaurant-led destination makes the most of its location adjacent to the At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site – the birthplace of the First Saudi State and ancestral home of the House of Saud. The Al-Bujairi district was historically Diriyah’s centre of knowledge and exchange; the design recovers that civic purpose. After opening in December 2022, the destination saw over a million visitors in its first six months.
Dates2022
Size
15,000m2
Traditional Najdi-style architecture
The design draws directly from traditional Najdi architecture, with triangular crenelations, thick mudbrick walls, flat roofs and white plaster motifs reinterpreted in a contemporary framework. Authentic building techniques and materials were used, including locally sourced stone, straw, and mud – materials with thick-walled thermal properties that naturally reduce cooling loads while maintaining continuity with the heritage site across the wadi. The wider Diriyah masterplan achieved LEED Platinum, the first awarded at masterplan level in the Middle East.
An all-weather pedestrian destination
The terrace is entirely pedestrianised, with vehicle access and 1,400 parking spaces below ground to preserve the intimate, walkable character of a traditional Najdi streetscape. Integrated architectural shading and planting create passively cooled outdoor spaces that perform from midday through to the late evening, while chiaroscuro-inspired lighting transforms the destination after dark.
Within the landscape, stone retaining walls create beds for native vegetation, completed by water fountains, palm trees and stone courtyards. 27 food and beverage outlets, including four Michelin-starred restaurants, alongside an outdoor cinema, spa, two galleries and a cultural centre extend dwell time far beyond a single meal.
Jonathan Timms
President, Diriyah Development Company
“Bujairi Terrace’s superb location within Riyadh province and overlooking the Jewel of the Kingdom, UNESCO World Heritage Site At Turaif, has led to a worldclass curation of global F&B brands.”
