Kengo Kuma Crafts Dune-Inspired Retreat on Saudi Island

The Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has unveiled his latest ambitious project in Saudi Arabia – a remote island hospitality complex that appears to rise seamlessly from the undulating desert landscape and coral reefs of the Red Sea.

Commissioned for the upscale Ummahat AlShaykh development, Kuma’s low-slung villas blend into the contours of the island’s sandy terrain with gently curved rooflines that evoke the profile of windswept dunes. His site-sensitive approach was driven by a desire to tread lightly on the delicate coastal environment, minimizing disturbances to the island’s natural topography.

On land, the organic forms of Kuma’s buildings flow in unison with the shoreline’s sculptural geometries. But it is his design for the offshore accommodations that truly captures the imagination. Here, spiral-shaped villas emerge from the turquoise waters like living coralline structures, offering uninterrupted views across the seascape.

Throughout the project, Kuma eschewed harsh concrete in favor of natural materials evoking the coastal setting – wood, clay plaster, and cedar shingles chosen for their warmth and resilience against the corrosive marine atmosphere. The architects looked to emulate the timeless patterns of dunes and weathered rock formations.

While delivering a luxurious island escape, the development seeks to honors its remarkable setting in the Red Sea’s rich underwater ecology and stark desert terrain. It is an architecture that appears indivisible from the unique environment that inspired it.

Kuma’s Ummahat AlShaykh retreat promises an immersive experience connecting visitors to Saudi Arabia’s striking natural beauty. Yet it remains to be seen whether the project can deliver an authentic sense of place while navigating the complexities of developing one of the region’s last untouched island wildernesses.