The King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) metro station, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), IS the centerpiece of Riyadh’s metro network, which inaugurated its first lines on Sunday December 1, 2024. Located in the heart of the Saudi capital, this ultramodern station with its corrugated lattice façade is the key interchange for the world’s longest driverless mass transit system, stretching over 176 kilometers across 6 lines and 85 stops.
The Riyadh Metro is a large-scale initiative launched by the Royal Commission for the City of Riyadh (RCRC) with the aim of relieving traffic congestion, shortening journey times and, consequently, improving the population’s quality of life. With a daily capacity of 3.6 million passengers, the project will reduce car travel and promote sustainable transport. The blue, yellow and purple lines (lines 1, 4 and 6) will serve the city’s main districts, business centers and cultural sites. The network’s hub is the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) station, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, which connects the district’s terminus with King Khalid International Airport, and provides access to the KAFD monorail flyover. The six railway platforms, spread over four levels, are connected to bus services and park-and-ride facilities to create a multimodal transport hub, as well as public spaces for the financial district. Fluidity, a fundamental principle of ZHA’s philosophy, required predictive modeling of rail, car and pedestrian traffic flows. The exterior of the power station is clad in ultra-high-performance concrete panels, which the architects geometrically perforated to limit solar gain. The façade, a reinterpretation of traditional regional architecture, echoes the natural forms shaped by the desert winds. The station’s exterior cladding joins its internal structure, supporting both platforms and viaducts. Sliding door panels retain fresh air, while a cooling system, powered by renewable energy sources, adapts to passenger numbers throughout the day. These features have earned the line building Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the US Green Building Council.
