Ground has been broken on the Jeddah Opera House, designed by Danish architect Henning Larsen for a site on the shores of the Red Sea.
As well as the 1,500-seat auditorium, there will be a 750-capacity playhouse and a rehearsal hall.
The design draws inspiration from the local landscape, with a spine covered in local vegetation over covered walkways that lead to the sea. It is also influenced by Jeddah’s Unesco-listed Al-Balad neighbourhood, and uses coral stone and wood as its primary materials.
The building will be the heart of the Opera Quarter, which is part of a wider Jeddah Central masterplan.
Louis Becker, Henning Larsen’s design principal, said: “The tradition of theatre grew out of public space and everyday life – the casual choreography of meetings on the street, the song of shopkeepers competing for attention, the kaleidoscope of colours, scents and textures.
“Through a careful balance of tradition and innovation, the opera serves as a bridge between old and new, symbolising the evolution of art in Jeddah.”
