THE RIYADH DIPLOMATIC QUARTER’S DESERT PARKS

Rough hewn native limestone cut and stacked for benches, shade structures and trail surface

by Erik Mustonen

Published in THE FIELD, ASLA PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE NETWORKS’ BLOG

History of the Diplomatic Quarter

In the 1970s the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia decided to relocate the international diplomatic community from Jeddah on the coast, to the capital, Riyadh, in the center of the country. This was to include not only all the foreign embassies, diplomatic residences and offices of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs but also all the residential, commercial, recreational and other support facilities that would make up a complete, self-sufficient neighborhood on the edge of the city of Riyadh. A German planning firm, Albert Speer and Partners, developed the master plan with Boedeker, Wagenfeld & Partners (initially Boedeker, Boyer, Wagenfeld & Partners) providing landscape architectural input.” … READ FULL ARTICLE  

Photos by Erik Mustonen – click any image for slideshow view