Diriyah is considered the birthplace of the Saudi Arabian nation and one of the Kingdom’s most important heritage sites. With over 600 years of Najdi architecture and history preserved within its mud-brick structures, the At-Turaif district of Diriyah was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.
Meaning ‘inheritance passed down through generations’, Asaan will be an institution dedicated to preserving and celebrating this rich heritage, in addition to promoting creativity and knowledge sharing.
Supported by the Misk Foundation, a non-profit organisation devoted to cultivating learning and leadership in young people, the museum aims to foster connections with the nation’s cultural heritage through interactive exhibitions, immersive experiences, workshops and events. On-site conservation labs will support the restoration and preservation of historical archaeological artifacts.
Informed by traditional Najdi architecture, the Asaan Museum will be constructed in locally produced clay mud-bricks. Built to a thickness that provides high insulating properties in Diriyah’s hot desert climate, the low-embodied-carbon adobe walls incorporate a high thermal mass to maintain interior comfort while reducing energy demand for cooling.
The three-storey design is defined by the scale and geometries of the old town, as well as the museum’s traditional construction techniques and materials. Composed predominantly of the region’s local clay, this materiality echoes Diriyah’s historical vernacular architecture.
Centred around three shaded courtyards, a defining feature of the local Najdi architecture, serving as anchors to the museum’s three distinct programmes: Educational, Arts, and Administrative, these courtyards provide comfortable external spaces that shield visitors from climatic conditions. Shading devices create a variety of outdoor sheltered landscaped gardens, public plazas and rooftop promenades.
The Asaan, Misk Heritage Museum is integrated within the Diriyah Gate masterplan that protects and promotes Diriyah’s ancient cultural heritage while also creating a 100% walkable city, which prioritises water conservation, energy efficiency, wellness, and climate resilience.
Patrik Schumacher
Viviana Muscettola
Maurizio Meossi
Bidisha Sinha
Cristina Capanna
Nannette Jackowski
Marco Amoroso
Roberta Sartori
Marco Pavoni
Marie-Perrine Placais
Mark Winnington
Chiara Baiocco
Henry Louth
Inês Fontoura
Karoly Markos
Karthikeyan Arunachalam
Michael Rogers
Muriel Boselli
Nailu Chen
Neli Vasileva
Peter Safranka
Sonia Renehan
Tommaso Casucci
ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS
Patrik Schumacher
Viviana Muscettola, Maurizio Meossi (Associate Director), Bidisha Sinha (Associate Director / Interior Design)
Cristina Capanna (Senior Architect / Project Manager); Architecture: Nannette Jackowski, Marco Amoroso; Interor Design: Roberta Sartori, Marco Pavoni, Marie-Perrine Placais; BIM: Mark Winnington.
Alessandra Laiso, Andy Lin, Angela Augelli Curci, Angus Tung, Aysu Aysoy, Caleb Baldwin, Chhavi Mehta, Chiara Baiocco, Didem Sahin, Elizabeta Diakantonis, Gaurav Janendra, Gizem Muhtaroğlu, Henry Louth, Ines Fontoura, Juliana Hernandez Cardona, Karan Puranik, Karmung Sze, Karoly Markos, Karthikeyan Arunachalam, Keerti Manney, Lam Nguyen, Lars Elseth, Leeanne Li, Li Jin, Liam Rogers, Louai Jaber, Luciana Maia Teodozio, Michael Rogers, Muaz Masri, Muriel Boselli, Nailu Chen, Nannette Jackowski, Neli Vasileva, Nivedita Ramachandran, Noa Guy, Nurul Ahmad Fauzi, Peter Safranka, Rabiyya Huseynova, Roberta Sartori, Ruggero Bruno Chialastri, Shantanu Bhatt, Sonia Renehan, Teodor Andonov, Tommaso Casucci, Tracy Shum, Valeria Perco, Yihoon Kim, Zachariah Hong.
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Patrik Schumacher
Viviana Muscettola
Maurizio Meossi
Bidisha Sinha
Cristina Capanna
Nannette Jackowski
Marco Amoroso
Roberta Sartori
Marco Pavoni
Marie-Perrine Placais
Mark Winnington
Chiara Baiocco
Henry Louth
Inês Fontoura
Karoly Markos
Karthikeyan Arunachalam
Michael Rogers
Muriel Boselli
Nailu Chen
Neli Vasileva
Peter Safranka
Sonia Renehan
Tommaso Casucci
