a desert observatory near alula
In the remote desert in the northwest Saudi Arabianear his ancient city Al Ulla, Heatherwick StudioAlUla Manara rises from the open ground as a cluster of stone-lined pipes turned to the sky.
The visitor center and masterplan are designed for a newly designated Dark Sky Park in the area, where the nightscape allows astronomy, tourism and research to meet under unusually clear conditions.
Commissioned by the Royal Commission for AlUla following an international design competition, the project introduces a destination for astrotourism and celestial research alongside one of Saudi Arabia’s most charged archaeological landscapes.
AlUla is already known for its sandstone mountains, ancient settlement patterns and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hegra, while Manara adds another kind of ground reading, one that looks up as much as the desert floor.
AlUla Manara is designed as a stone astrotourism center in the Saudi Arabian desert. Images courtesy of Heatherwick Studio
tubular forms turn towards the sky
With the work of AlUla Manara, the group at Heatherwick Studio draws the building from spiral geometries found in space and natural formations on earth, from galaxies and planetary rings to shells and fossils. The main structure brings together a series of tubular forms clad in textured stone, a material language that captures the tones and surfaces of AlUla’s sandstone landscape without copying it too directly.
The composition centers around three interlocking telescope-like formations, each angled upwards to frame the sky and draw daylight into the building. The eerie form feels geological from a distance, then more mechanical up close, like a cluster of observatory instruments expanded into architecture.
the astrotourism visitor center is planned for one of the region’s first Dark Sky Parks
science, exhibitions and observation
Inside the visitor centre, Heatherwick Studio is designing exhibition spaces, immersive exhibitions, galleries, a planetarium, a restaurant and a rooftop observation deck. The building also brings research into focus, allowing visitors to glimpse the scientific work taking place in the center’s facilities rather than separating the public experience from the technical study.
Stuart Wood, Executive Partner and Group Leader at Heatherwick Studio, describes the project as a way to bring visitors closer to astronomy.
‘We saw an opportunity to break down these barriers and create a place where visitors can step into the wonder of the universe,‘ explains, ‘an environment that is both exciting and inspiring, standing alongside the most advanced science of our time.‘
Stone-clad tubular forms take cues from AlUla’s sandstone mountains and desert geology
design for desert light
The architecture responds to the extreme shift between the light of the desert and the observation of the dark sky. Within each tube are integrated shading devices to control solar exposure during the day and maintain visibility at night, while operable windows allow the building to adapt to changing weather conditions and reduce energy demand.
Throughout the wider masterplan, AlUla Manara will connect to nearby hiking trails and introduce accommodation, a star-gazing lodge and remote pods for overnight guests in the landscape. Several telescopes are planned near the center and will give scientists and astronomers access to some of the clearest skies in the region.
inside, the center will include galleries, a planetarium and a rooftop observation deck
the design is based on spiral geometries seen in galaxies, planetary rings, shells and fossils
project information:
project name: AlUla Manara
plan: Heatherwick Studio | @officialheatherwickstudio
location: near AlUla, Saudi Arabia
customer: Royal Commission on AlUla
