Masar, pedestrian boulevard in Mecca

Title Masar, pedestrian boulevard in Mecca

Location Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Year 2017-2021

Services Concept, schematic and detailed design

Surface 3.5km, 1.200.000 sqm

Team One Works Spa, Paisa’ Architettura del Paesaggio S.r.l.

The MASAR Project is located in the Holy City of Mecca, in the heart of Islamic culture and religion. The project includes over 1.2 million square meters of new development articulated by a central pedestrian boulevard that connects the main public station of Mecca with the iconic Al Haram Mosque.

The pedestrian Boulevard, flanked by hotels, commercial structures, residential buildings, parking lots and public spaces for pilgrims, visitors and local residents, is characterized by a dynamic landscape design that evolves from a “turbulent” and fluid character in the station area to the west, then becoming “calm” and linear near the Kaaba to the east.

The landscape reinforces the character and hierarchy of the spaces throughout the development of the project: the variation of vegetation marks the entrances to the main spaces and the variations of scale facilitate orientation along the Boulevard and emphasize the axiality, character and functionality of the different areas of the avenue.

The pattern varies from formal and linear rows of palm trees along the pedestrian flow to organic and dense clusters of evergreen, colorful trees and shrubs in the squares and courtyards with seating areas along the boulevard. The core of the development is the central Mosque Plaza, enriched by lush greenery and gardens to give it a unique and iconic character.

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