Harvey Nichols, Riyadh

Riyadh is known for its expensive shopping and designer labels as much as it is the scorching heat of the desert environment, so it was unsurprising when Harvey Nichols decided to open a Saudi Arabian branch in the city.

This heat combined with the glass facades of contemporary buildings are never a good combination and when designers of the Harvey Nichols store in Saudi Arabias capital decided to progress this concept, they knew a highly effective form of solar shading would be required.

With a long involvement in the solar shading industry and the ability to use fabric to this end, Architen Landrell was employed to propose and manufacture a concept which would minimise glare and solar heat gain as well as add style and sophistication to the already chic building.

Architen Landrell installed a series of internal vertical fabric screens covering the entire faade and made from a tight mesh to shade the staff and customers within. Integrated, dynamic coloured lighting was projected along the screens to animate the faade and bring the sophisticated illusion of a system of visual layers.