Based on its successful submission to an inter­national competition launched in 2018 AS+P was commissioned with the design planning for a roughly 2,500-hectare-large area in Riyadh. For the approx. 300 hectare included in the first development phase AS+P worked with local planning partners to also draw up the execution planning.

The structure of the urban planning masterplan takes into account the course of the side arms of the Wadi-Sulay system that run through the project area. Wadis are dry riverbeds that carry water after periods of heavy rain. Riyadh is surrounded by two wadis that are eminently important for hydrology and avoiding flood damage in the city region.

These unique natural structures are of great value in many regards. Ecological aspects such as the natural blue-green infrastructure to draw off surface water, fertile soils, and a number of native plant species play an important role. Moreover, such components not only convey identity; the contrast between these green lifelines and the otherwise barren desert landscape is also key. As such, it is only logical and a central element of the open space concept to protect, upgrade, and integrate the wadis. After all, they are highly instrumental in improving the quality of life enjoyed by the residents of the new district.

The wadis themselves are protected but thanks to sensitive planning interventions also serve recreational purposes and can be accessed via a micro-mobility network. They form the backbone of a diverse and unique open space system that is otherwise made up of natural, near-natural and urban spaces.