Kingdom Centre

Kingdom Centre is a landmark in the heart of Riyadh, and one of the capital's most prominent landmarks, a distinctive icon of the urban character of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; it stands in the centre of the city.[8]

It is owned by the Commercial Centre Company, a subsidiary of Kingdom Holding Company, whose share began trading on the Saudi financial market within the services sector on 29 July 2007.[9] The tower's squares and facilities host artworks, celebrations and events, including the Noor Riyadh and Riyadh Season activities.[1][5]

The Noor Riyadh celebration, the first initiative of the Riyadh Art programme, was launched on 18 March 2021 with the participation of 60 leading artists in light art from more than 20 countries, among them 23 Saudi artists, through 60 artworks at multiple sites in the city of Riyadh.[1]

Belgian artist Kurt Vermeulen took part with his artwork “The Moving Star”, which stands at the centre of Kingdom Centre and is linked to the artistic title “Under One Sky”; it weighs more than five tonnes and moves for one minute at the top of every hour, and suspending it in the middle of the gap posed an engineering challenge that was overcome with the participation of a large team from various bodies and organisers.[2]

The work set a world record in the Guinness Book of Records as the brightest hanging ornament in the world, having been made using 1.2 million lamps.[3] In Noor Riyadh 2022, French artist Yann Kersalé presented the work “Pulse of Light”, a nightly display of laser lights launched from the rooftops of three towers in the city — Kingdom Centre, Al Faisaliah Tower and Al Majdoul Tower — drawing a bridge of bright lights that is seen from different locations in the capital.[4]

Kingdom Centre, together with Al Majdoul Tower and Al Faisaliah Tower, was decorated with fireworks for five minutes at nine in the evening, as part of the activities of Riyadh Season, which extended over more than 3,000 activities at 12 sites in the capital.[5]

On 15 November 2015, the illumination at the top of Kingdom Centre and Al Faisaliah Tower was directed in the colours of the flag of the French Republic, expressing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's condemnation of the terrorist acts in the capital, Paris, and the illumination continued for three days.[6] On 23 March 2016, the illumination at the top of Kingdom Centre was directed in the colours of the flag of the Kingdom of Belgium, expressing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's condemnation of the terrorist acts in the capital, Brussels.[7]

The National Energy Services Company (Tarshid) and the Commercial Centre Company, a subsidiary of Kingdom Holding Company, signed a contract on 30 May 2023 to begin the detailed studies required for the rehabilitation of Kingdom Centre and its associated facilities, with the aim of raising energy efficiency and reducing consumption.[8]

The project is expected to target five standards: replacing lighting, replacing wall-mounted (split) air-conditioning units, rehabilitating cooling systems (chillers), controlling air-conditioning units, and installing solar panels and upgrading building management systems (BMS).[8]

The cooperation comes to enhance savings and apply energy-efficiency solutions in service of the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 in raising energy efficiency and finding more sustainable solutions in the Kingdom's buildings.[8] The Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kingdom Centre Company, Nada Saleh Al-Otaibi, expressed the company's pride in cooperating with Tarshid, and described Kingdom Centre as one of the most important landmarks of the capital, Riyadh, and a model to be emulated at other similar sites.[8]

Q: Where is Kingdom Centre located? A: In the heart of the city of Riyadh, in the centre of the capital, and it is one of its most prominent landmarks.[8]

Q: What are the most prominent artworks that the tower has hosted? A: The work “The Moving Star” by Belgian artist Kurt Vermeulen at Noor Riyadh 2021, and the work “Pulse of Light” by French artist Yann Kersalé at Noor Riyadh 2022.[2][4]

Q: What record did the work “The Moving Star” set? A: It entered the Guinness Book of Records as the brightest hanging ornament in the world, and it was made using 1.2 million lamps.[3]

Q: How did Kingdom Centre take part in occasions? A: With fireworks during Riyadh Season, and with illumination in the colours of countries' flags on occasions, as in the illumination of the flags of France and Belgium.[5][6][7]

Q: Is there a project to raise energy efficiency in the tower? A: Yes, it began on 30 May 2023 with a contract between Tarshid and the Commercial Centre Company to study the rehabilitation of the tower and its associated facilities in line with five standards.[8]

Related topics on the platform include New Murabba, King Salman Park, Sports Boulevard and Qiddiya, alongside Riyadh.