To promote the arts… Historic Jeddah Program launches the Culture Square

The Historic Jeddah Program of the Ministry of Culture announced the launch of Culture Square, which represents a major cultural landmark and one of the important cultural destinations in Jeddah.
The project comes within the framework of efforts to revive the historic Jeddah region and promote arts and culture through specialized centers in various artistic and cultural fields, providing rich and diverse cultural and artistic experiences that enhance the visitors’ experience and contribute to making the region a global tourist destination, in line with the Saudi vision. 2030.
Culture Square, which includes the Center for Performing Arts (theater and cinema), and the Digital Arts Museum “TeamLab Without Borders” (recipient of the Mecca Award for Excellence in the Cultural Excellence Branch), is located on the banks of Al-Arbaeen Lake, overlooking the historic Jeddah area. Through its distinctive location, it constitutes a gateway linking the past and the present.

Various cultural activities

The program was keen to reflect this duality of time in its design and functions, as the Performing Arts Center offers various cultural events that include theatrical performances, international festivals, cinemas, and sessions that embody the atmosphere of “Al Markaz”, in addition to restaurants and cafes that represent points of gathering and dialogue. As for the Team Lab Museum Without borders, it highlights the modern character of culture, which combines art, science and technology.
In the heart of this cultural scene, the historic Amir Al-Bahr House stands out in the middle of the Performing Arts Center and the TeamLab Without Borders Museum, overlooking Hamza Shehata Street (the late Saudi poet), reflecting the cultural richness inherent in the site.
As part of its efforts to preserve the region’s architectural and cultural heritage, the program restored and rehabilitated the “house.” The House of the Prince of the Sea is distinguished by its unique architectural design, as it is in an octagonal geometric shape and consists of one floor. It is surrounded by large windows in the form of arches. It was used in the past as a lighthouse to guide ships.

A renewed vision

The Culture Square project embodies architecture that reflects the core values ​​of historic Jeddah, with a regenerative vision that merges the past and the future in a unique harmony, as the design blends the rich architectural heritage and the interconnected urban fabric, in continuity with the region’s identity and culture. At the same time, the design is in line with the philosophy of the TeamLab Museum, which is based on harmony between the visitor and the works of art, which is clearly visible in the roof of the building slanted towards the surrounding surfaces, which enhances the idea of ​​fusion and harmony.
Culture Square includes two main buildings, with a total building area of ​​about 26 thousand square meters. The Center for Performing Arts and Cinema extends over an area of ​​16,000 square metres, and includes the headquarters of the Red Sea Film Festival. It consists of a main entrance (the lobby), a main theater hall with a capacity of 868 seats, in addition to five cinema halls with a capacity of 564 seats, and an internal lobby (a multi-purpose room). And nine halls for dialogue sessions, a cinema, a restaurant and three cafes, while the area of ​​​​the “TeamLab Without Borders” museum is 10 thousand square meters, and includes approximately 80 independent and interconnected works, embodying one world without borders. The museum combines arts, technology and nature in an innovative, creative space, and constitutes a qualitative addition to the cultural scene in the Kingdom.
In addition, preserving public health and promoting environmental sustainability were important goals pursued by the Historic Jeddah Program in designing and implementing the Culture Square project. As an example, the use of high-quality air conditioning units, equipped with technology that purifies the air by 100%, in addition to installing elevators. They operate without touching, and the escalators are equipped with ultraviolet sterilization technology, in order to reduce the transmission of viruses and disease-causing germs. The program also focused on preserving water resources by using a system that recycles condensation water resulting from cooling units to meet irrigation needs, which enhances the efficiency of resource consumption and contributes to preserving the environment.
The Culture Square project came within the efforts of the Historic Jeddah Program to revitalize the region, preserve its tangible and intangible heritage and enrich the visitors’ experience.
The square is considered a distinguished cultural and visual landmark in Jeddah, with its design that took into account the preservation of the urban fabric in the region, and combined the use of contemporary architecture in its construction, while preserving the heritage architectural character that is inspired by historical buildings in the region, and comes within the investment of the history of the region and its distinctive cultural elements. Transforming them into economic tributaries, and making the region a distinctive destination on the global tourism map.