National Museum of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh: a sandstone-clad museum at the heart of the King Abdulaziz Historical Centre

Let me explain

The National Museum of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh opened in January 1999 to celebrate the centenary of the Kingdom's unification. It was the result of an international design competition, for client the Arriyadh Development Authority. The architectural design was by Raymond Moriyama (Moriyama & Teshima, Canada) with Rasem Badran (Jordan), and Lord Cultural Resources led exhibition planning, according to Lord. The museum is part of the King Abdulaziz Historical Centre on an 83-acre site, whose urban design and landscaping were by Moriyama & Teshima Planners. Entrances are on all sides, aligned with major streets to welcome passers-by; fountains and water play in the forecourt cool the evenings; and indigenous plants evoke the desert oasis. The structure is in-situ cast concrete with block infill and sandstone exterior cladding, according to the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. Are sandstone and water enough to make a building feel like Riyadh?