qortuba oasis
riyadh, saudi arabia
2018

Qortuba Oasis winner of the Cityscape Global Awards 2018 in the Residential, Low to Medium-Rise category for built projects.


Situated towards the north east of Riyadh, Qortuba Oasis is a contemporary low-rise compound for expatriates. An ample range of apartment buildings and villa types have been studied in order to offer a variety of combinations in creating an overall harmonious vision for Qortuba Oasis. The challenge was to develop a pertinent and economical set of buildings that work together seamlessly for the project, with a limited amount of variations, yet ensuring the long term success of the project. The adopted strategy was a play of different configurations of the 3 apartment types (80m² 100, and 120 m²) for the buildings which produced a multitude of variations, and an adaptation of 6 identified villa types on all the assigned plots, cleverly laid out to avoid undesired repetition.
Green design throughout a passive strategy guided the concept: intelligent facades, carefully sized openings, sun protection, cross ventilation, wind towers, patios, minimal heat absorption materials palette and creation of a micro environment in every building.
Electro-mechanical systems contribute to the green design with an active strategy such as optimization for sustainable mechanical systems, electrical supply saving (solar energy where possible and lighting etc…), water use optimization and supply (city water, water reserve, recycling for irrigation etc…)
total BUA: 39 000 m² + 13 000 m² basements
land: 41 000m²
 
135 apartments units
104 villas

team:

architecture: nabil gholam architects
3D images: nabil gholam architects
photographer: Marco Pinarelli