Wafaiya Yanbu Hotel & Annex – Architectural Design Submission

Wafaiya Yanbu Hotel & Annex · Film

The Architectural Film

1:57 Music: Tides of the Gilded Hall Designed and presented by ARCHMIRASOL

01

Introduction

A five-star address on the Red Sea, made of Saudi light, shade and craft.

Summary of Yanbu

Yanbu: the Red Sea city of industry, coral reefs and long sunsets.

Yanbu is a historic port on the Red Sea coast of western Saudi Arabia. The Royal Commission has turned its waterfront into a planned, landscaped coastal district with promenades, beaches and marinas. The project sits on that waterfront, facing the sea and the sunset.

Key figures

228

guest keys

in 305 room modules

29,962m²

hotel gross floor area

excluding basement

36,102m²

total GFA, hotel and annex

50,261 m² built-up incl. basement

495

parking bays

12 accessible, 5 coach bays

21,935m²

site, Lots 26 and 23

Block 02, Community Area 1

2

column-free sports halls

1,209 m² and 1,150 m², 9.0 m clear

The hotel

B+G+M+1+5 storeys: basement, ground, mezzanine, first and five guest floors. A resort hotel with spa, pools, banquet and roof venues.

The annex

An indoor sports hall (1,209 m²) and a gymnasium hall (1,150 m²), column-free with 9.0 m clear height, linked to the hotel by a glazed bridge.

Concept

Light, shade and the khatam star: Saudi craft at the scale of a building.

The plan steps in a Z so that every room turns to the sea. Warm Riyadh limestone frames the building; bronze fins and laser-cut screens carry the eight-point khatam star and filter the low western sun into patterned shade.

Architectural identity – the bronze CNC screen

The screen by day – bronze over the limestone wall

Backlit at night

42 %open area

300 mmrosette module

1200 × 2400panel size (mm)

169cut-outs per panel

An original eight-fold khatam rosette drawn for Wafaiya Yanbu – Saudi-Islamic geometry, not a stock pattern.
6 mm marine-grade aluminium (5083-H321), CNC cut, bronze PVDF finish – material M03.
42 % open, within the 35–45 % shading design range: shade on the guest balconies, privacy from the street and the sea breeze kept moving.
Used on the facade screens and the roof-plant screening; fabrication DXF prepared (169 cut-outs per panel, 34 mm straps).

Massing and functional strategy: a clear stack

RoofRoof restaurant and business lounge

1,719 m²

Floors 5–6Guest rooms and suites, 45 keys per floor

3,403 m²

Floors 2–4Guest rooms, 46 keys per floor

3,403 m²

First floorMeetings and the landscaped roof decks

3,189 m²

MezzanineSpa, gyms, infinity pool and the annex bridge

2,471 m²

Ground floorArrival, lobby, banquet and dining

5,569 m²

BasementParking, kitchens and back of house

14,160 m²

Bar length shows the gross area of each hotel level.

Project information

Project	Wafaiya Yanbu Hotel & Annex – proposed five-star hotel, annex and link bridge
Location	Red Sea Waterfront, Block 02, Community Area 1, Royal Commission Yanbu, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Plots	Lot 26 – main hotel (16,894.98 m²); Lot 23 – annex (5,039.91 m²)
Owner / investor	Wafaiya
Contractor	Wafaiyah
Design office	Wafaiyah design team – architect in charge Ar. Mike Mirasol
Review authority	Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (RCJY) – Royal Commission Yanbu

Circulation and functions – guests and service kept apart

Guests arrive on the waterfall axis into the lobby; banquet guests and VIPs have their own entrances; service enters from the north into back of house.
Two guest lift lobbies, separate service lifts and protected stairs serve every wing.

02

Site description

Two lots on the Royal Commission waterfront, shaped by the sun and the sea breeze.

16,895 m²Lot 26 – main hotel

5,040 m²Lot 23 – annex

Block 02Community Area 1 on the planned RCJY waterfront

Westthe hotel faces the sea and the sunset

General site plan – entrances, parking and services

Drag to pan, use + / − or double-click to zoom, ⤢ for full screen.

Open spaces and their areas

Open space	Area m²
Lot 26 open area (lot less ground-floor footprint)	11,326.01
Lot 23 open area (lot less ground-floor footprint)	2,019.91
Irrigated planting (drip and bubbler)	4,003.78
Pedestrian paving (porcelain / limestone)	2,936.10
Vehicle arrival and drop-off (granite setts)	2,001.90
Asphalt roads and surface parking	3,336.50
First-floor landscaped roof decks	2,501.92
Fire-tender route over the podium (reinforced)	1,200.00

Lot and footprint areas from the project data; landscape quantities from the tender BOQ; roof decks from the BIM room model.

Sun and wind study – Autodesk Forma

Original Autodesk Forma analysis exports, shown as produced.

01

Sun hours and sun path

Objective: Measure direct sun on the longest day (21 June) and fix the sun angles the shade must answer.
Findings: The open site and every roof receive 9 hours of sun or more. The sun sets over the water all year, moving 51° between June (293°) and December (242°).
Design response: The hotel faces west to the sunset; fins, screens and pergolas provide the shade the site cannot.

02

Daylight on the facades

Objective: Test the daylight potential of every facade of the massing.
Findings: The sea elevations perform well. Recessed balcony returns and inboard faces read lowest.
Design response: Balcony screens keep 35–45% open area, balancing shade, view and daylight in every room.

03

Pedestrian wind comfort

Objective: Assess wind comfort 1.75 m above ground on the NEN 8100 and Lawson scales (17 runs).
Findings: Ground level passes: 0% uncomfortable across the site in every run.
Design response: No mitigation is needed at grade; planting strengthens comfort along the walks.

04

The podium shelters itself

Objective: Read the plan view to see where calm air forms in the dominant west to north-west wind.
Findings: A sitting-grade plateau covers the first-floor roof deck and the pool deck, held there by the stepped tower upwind.
Design response: The stepped Z-plan is kept: it creates calm air for the amenity level at no cost.

05

Roof terraces and the design response

Objective: Check the roof venues, 34 m up, where wind and the low afternoon sun meet at 16:00.
Findings: Roof surfaces are exposed to the afternoon sea breeze from the west and north-west.
Design response: A 40–50% porous screen, 1.8–2.1 m high, on the W–NW arc; deep-slat trellis over the restaurant; long-dwell seating set one bay inboard.

06

Solar resource and PV

Objective: Quantify the solar energy on roofs and surfaces between 0° and 75°.
Findings: 10,409 m² of surface receives about 2,000 kWh/m² a year. Forma estimates 1.52 GWh/yr from 6,246 m² of panels at 15% efficiency; about 2.1 GWh/yr with 21%-class modules.
Design response: PV canopies on the upper roofs and the annex roof, integrated with the shade structures.

Shadow matrix

Morning shadows fall across the sea frontage; by 15:00 they swing inland over the annex and parking, away from the guest areas. Afternoon shade on terraces is therefore built: trellis, screens and trees.

09:0012:0015:00Summer solstice

Equinox

Winter solstice

Planting palette – native, salt and drought tolerant

Why these plants. All are native to the Arabian Red Sea coast: they tolerate salt spray, sandy saline soil and drought, and need little water once established.
Irrigation. Pressure-compensating drip and bubbler system with a smart weather-based controller, TSE-ready, over 4,004 m² of planting.
Over the basement. Trees and palms sit in engineered slab pockets.

03

Perspectives

The building and its grounds, seen as guests will see them.

Arrival

Under the porte-cochère toward the entrance

The building

Waterfront and terraces

Stepped facade from the family resort pool

From the guest balconies

Hotel and annex

From the air

After sunset: a lantern on the waterfront

Evenings on the waterfront

The waterfront in the evening west light

Sport on the site: tennis and padel

Pools and dining in the open air

Two arrivals: the hotel and the annex

The annex courtyard and arrival

Terraces facing the sea

03

Interiors

Limestone, oak and bronze: calm interiors that frame the sea.

Arrival and lobby

Dining

Banquet, business and meetings

Spa and wellness

Rooms and suites

03

Guest experience

A day at Wafaiya Yanbu, from the arrival canopy to the sunset terrace.

01

Arrival and welcome

02

Lobby lounge and café

03

Dining from day to sunset

04

Pool and outdoor living

05

Wellness and spa

06

Rooms for every stay

07

Suites and balconies

08

Business and celebrations

04

Materials and details

Marine-grade materials chosen for a long, beautiful life on the coast.

Exterior materials – the facade

123456

1
M01Riyadh limestone 30 mmHoned warm beige, drained and ventilated
2
M03Bronze aluminium fins and screens6 mm 5083-H321, PVDF bronze
3
M04Double-glazed curtain wallSolar-control low-E IGU
4
M05Frameless glass balustrade8+8 mm SGP laminated
5
M09GRC fascia and soffitBuff smooth GRC, integral drip
6
M08Exterior porcelain paversSand-tone, wet-slip tested

Exterior materials – arrival and porte-cochère

1234

1
M04Full-height lobby glazingStructural-glazed curtain wall
2
08-11Revolving entrance doorBronze-finish drum
3
M08Drop-off floorSand-tone porcelain with bronze-grey banding
4
M09Canopy soffitBuff GRC with integrated lighting slots

Landscape materials – hardscape and planting

12345

1
32-06Native shrubs and grassesSalt-tolerant groundcover and thumam grass
2
32-05Date and doum palmsNative coastal species in engineered pits
3
32-03Pedestrian pavingPorcelain / limestone pavers
4
32-08Stone and gravelLoose-stone windbreak and mulch
5
32-10Shade canopyAl fresco canopy and pergolas

Interior mood board – lobby and public areas

05-04Bronze khatam screenLobby feature screen and lattice
09-16Interior limestone claddingHoned limestone columns and walls
09-09Stone floor with bronze inlayHoned limestone / marble
09-07Oak slat acoustic ceilingWarm-lit coffer
12-01Stone reception counterDark marble

Interior mood board – banquet and dining

09-25Axminster carpetSea-pattern, Class 1 FR
09-08Oak coffered ceilingWith acoustic infill
09-16Limestone-clad columnsUp-lit
M04Full-height sea windowsSolar-control glazing

Interior mood board – the guest room

09-24Wool-blend carpetSand pattern
06-01Oak veneer panellingJoinery and wall panels
09-10Marble feature wallHeadboard wall
05-04Bronze lattice panelsKhatam-family pattern
12-02Blackout and sheer curtainsMotorised
08-07Lift-and-slide balcony door2,620 x 2,810 mm

Interior materials – the guest bathroom

1234567

1
09-10Marble wallsHoned, book-matched
2
12-01Stone vanity top20 mm quartz / marble
3
06-01Oak vanity unitFloating, warm-lit
4
22-02 / 22-03Undermount basin and brasswareBronze finish
5
22-04Thermostatic rain shower
6
08-04Frameless glass screenLaminated safety glass
7
09-10 / 07-05Marble floor to a linear drainOver a tanked wet-area membrane

Interior mood board – spa and Moroccan bath

09-17Tadelakt-effect wallsSpa stone and lime finish
09-10Heated marble platformBook-matched marble
09-17Stone mosaic floorSlip-resistant, to linear drains
05-04Bronze lattice niche
22-03Brassware and wash basinBronze finish

Interior mood board – the annex sports halls

09-18Area-elastic sprung sports floorMaple-finish, court-marked
09-06Impact-resistant acoustic ceilingBall-proof
M04Full-height glazing to the seaSolar-control IGU
09-28Acoustic wall panelsFabric-wrapped

Material schedule – exterior

Code	Material	Where used
M01	Riyadh limestone cladding 30 mm, honed warm beige	Facade piers, podium base, porte-cochère and bridge piers
M02	External insulated double wall 350 mm	All external walls behind cladding and screens
M03	Bronze aluminium screens and fins, khatam pattern	Balconies, upper facade, roof plant screens
M04	Double-glazed solar-control curtain wall	Podium, lobby, halls, guest-room glazing
M05	Frameless laminated glass balustrade 8+8 SGP	Balconies, terraces, roof edges
M06	Marine stainless steel, duplex 2205 / 316	Handrails, exposed fixings
M07	Textured Saudi granite setts	Vehicle arrival and drop-off
M08	Exterior sand-tone porcelain pavers 20 mm	Terraces, walks, pool decks
M09	GRC fascias, soffits and Islamic-relief panels	Canopies, podium base, parapets

Material schedule – interior

Codes refer to the project specification book.

Code	Material	Where used
09-09	Honed limestone floor with bronze inlay	Lobby and public areas
09-10	Marble floors and walls	Guest bathrooms, feature walls, spa
09-16	Interior limestone feature cladding	Lobby columns, banquet columns
05-04	Bronze feature screens and lattice	Lobby, guest rooms, spa
06-01	Oak veneer joinery and wall panelling	Guest rooms, suites, lounges
09-07 / 09-08	Oak slat and coffered acoustic ceilings	Lobby, banquet, dining
09-24 / 09-25	Wool-blend and Axminster carpets	Guest rooms, corridors, banquet
09-17	Spa stone, tadelakt-effect finish	Spa and Moroccan bath
09-18 / 09-06	Sprung sports floor, impact-resistant ceiling	Annex sports halls
22-01 to 22-05	Sanitaryware and brassware	Guest and accessible bathrooms

Colour palette – the warm tones of the Red Sea coast

Exterior

Riyadh limestone

Bronze PVDF

Buff GRC

Solar glass

Sand porcelain

Interior

Honed limestone

Warm oak

Dark marble

Bronze lattice

Sea-blue accent

Details

Detail – the external wall build-up

1
Internal cement plaster, painted
2
Inner leaf – 200 mm concrete blockwork
3
Continuous mineral-wool insulation 50 mm (A1)
4
Outer leaf – 100 mm blockwork, stainless ties
5
Air and water control membrane
6
Drained, ventilated cavity 25–40 mm on duplex 2205 rails
7
Riyadh limestone 30 mm, honed warm beige (M01)

A 350 mm insulated double wall behind drained limestone keeps heat out (U ≤ 0.34 W/m²K), sheds driven rain and lets every stone panel be replaced.

Detail – the khatam screen

1
Balcony fin panel 900 x 3,000 mm, 6 mm 5083-H321 aluminium
2
Eight-point khatam star on a 300 mm module, 35–45% open
3
PVDF 70% bronze metallic, 3-coat, 35–40 microns
4
Concealed duplex 2205 brackets, slotted for ±3 mm/m movement, EPDM isolation
5
Fixed to the slab edge; deflection ≤ L/180 under SBC 301 coastal wind

6 mm marine aluminium 5083-H321, laser-cut on a 300 mm khatam module, PVDF bronze. Concealed duplex brackets with slotted fixings take the coastal wind and thermal movement.

Detail – planting over the podium

1
400 mm podium slab over the basement
2
Hot-applied rubberised bitumen membrane 6 mm, reinforced
3
Protection sheet and FLL root barrier
4
Drainage / retention composite board
5
Filter fabric
6
Lightweight engineered soil, 600 mm shrubs (1,200 mm tree pits)
7
Gravel / organic mulch 75 mm

Gardens grow over the basement on an engineered build-up: a 6 mm reinforced membrane, root barrier and drainage protect the slab, and soil is limited to the 20 kPa structural load.

05

The hotel

A clear stack of public base, guest floors and roof venues over one basement.

Area schedule – spaces and functions

Level	Hotel m²	Annex m²	Main functions
Basement	14,159.50	–	Parking, kitchens, back of house
Ground floor	5,568.97	3,020.00	Arrival, lobby, banquet, dining
Mezzanine	2,471.25	805.00	Spa, gyms, infinity pool, sports halls
First floor	3,188.64	805.00	Meetings, roof decks
Floors 2–6 (each)	3,402.75	–	Guest rooms and suites
Roof	1,719.00	1,510.00	Roof restaurant, business lounge
GFA (excluding basement)	29,961.61	6,140.00	Total 36,101.61 m²
BUA (including basement)	44,121.11	6,140.00	Total 50,261.11 m²

Gross areas as drawn.

228 keys in 305 room modules

Key type	Floors 2–4 (×3)	Floors 5–6 (×2)	Keys	Modules
King	19	19	95	95
Twin	14	14	70	70
Accessible king	2	2	10	10
Executive suite	7	6	33	66
Two-bedroom suite	4	3	18	54
Presidential suite	0	1	2	10
Total	46	45	228	305

Floor plans – functional zoning and key spaces

Choose a level; enlarged plans of key spaces sit under each floor. Drag to pan, + / − or double-click to zoom, ⤢ for full screen.

Building section and elevations – how the levels connect

Façade: warm limestone, champagne-bronze fins and blue-green glazing.

Basement parking under the whole podium.
Double-height lobby on the ground floor.
Five guest floors, 4.0 m floor to floor.
Roof venues above the guest floors.

Parking – every bay coded by location

252HB Hotel basement

102AB Annex basement

4VG VIP garage, ground floor

62SH Hotel surface

75SA Annex at grade

12 accessible bays and 8 EV bays in the basement.
5 coach bays at the arrival courts, clear of the drop-off; surface bays under tree rows.
495 bays in total.

06

The annex

Two column-free sports halls with their own arrival, bridged to the hotel.

Column-free halls for sport and events

1,209 m²indoor sports hall

1,150 m²gymnasium hall

9.0 mclear height (FIBA / Sport England)

0internal columns: long-span steel roof

Annex plans – functional zoning

Colours as the hotel plans.

Inside and around the annex

07

Services and sustainability

Quiet, hidden services and a roof that works: shade, screens and solar power.

Air conditioning – system and plant screening

System. Chilled-water plant with coastal-coated air-cooled chillers (or district-cooling interface) serving fan-coil units in the rooms and air handlers in public areas.
Screening. Roof plant sits behind the 1.8 m roof parapets and bronze khatam plant screens, out of view from the street and the sea.
Unit positions on the upper roofs are to be confirmed in detailed design with the MEP engineer and RCJY.

Electrical, waste and fire services – locations

Transformers. MV/LV supply with RMUs, transformers and N+1 standby generators; the electrical room is marked on the site plan. Substation positions to be confirmed in detailed design with the RCJY utilities department.
Waste. Garbage chutes on the guest floors drop to a refuse store in the basement back of house, collected from the service entry. External bin positions to be confirmed with RCJY.
Fire water. Sprinklers, wet risers, hydrants, hose reels and fire pumps to SBC 801; fire-tender route over the podium. Hydrant positions to be confirmed in detailed design with the RCJY utilities department and Civil Defence.

Sustainability and energy efficiency

≈ 2.1 GWhsolar power a year from 6,246 m² of PV

U ≤ 0.34W/m²K insulated walls to SBC 601

35–45%open khatam screens shading the west

TSE-readydrip irrigation of native planting

Solar resource

PV canopies on the upper roofs and the annex roof, integrated with the shade structures.

10,409 m² of surface receives about 2,000 kWh/m² a year (Autodesk Forma).

Compliance with the Saudi Building Code and RCJY requirements

Code / requirement	How the design complies
SBC 201 – general building, accessibility, egress	10 accessible keys, roll-in showers, 900 mm doors; protected stairs on every wing
SBC 301 / 304 – loads and concrete	Coastal wind exposure for screens and cladding; sulphate-resisting concrete for the saline ground
SBC 601 / 602 – energy	U ≤ 0.34 W/m²K walls, low-E solar-control glazing, shading by fins and screens
SBC 701 / 702 – plumbing	Water-efficient fittings to MEWA; separate drainage and interceptors
SBC 801 – fire protection	Sprinklers, wet risers, hydrants, fire alarm and voice evacuation; fire-tender route
RCJY building regulations and design guidelines	Setbacks per the lot survey; screened plant; earth-toned materials; landscaped frontage
SASO / SALEEM product conformity	Required for every material in the specification book

Proposed programme after approval

Durations from the tender documents: 7-week tender, 30-month construction from commencement, 12-month defects period. Month 0 is the date of RCJY approval; no calendar dates are implied.

0612182430364248

Design development, IFC drawings and RCJY permits

Tender (7 weeks) and evaluation / award (4 weeks)

Construction – 30 months

Enabling, excavation and dewatering

Substructure and basement

Superstructure

Facade and screens

MEP installation

Interior fit-out

Landscape and external works

Testing and commissioning

Pre-opening and operator handover

Sectional completion: link bridge, annex, external works, hotel

Defects notification period – 12 months

RCJY presentation requirements – compliance index

Every requirement of the RCJY presentation checklist, with a link to where it is answered.

01Project name, location, owner and design office
02Visual identity of similar projects (identity references)
03Area schedule with spaces and functions
04Compliance with the RCJY architectural identity
05Design concept and the final solution
06Compatibility with the RCJY urban context
07Distribution of circulation and functions
08Site studies: sun path and wind
09Sustainability and energy efficiency
10General site plan: entrances, parking, services
11Open-space layouts and areas
12Floor plans of all levels with functions and areas
13Vertical sections and level relationships
14Exterior day perspectives
15Exterior night perspectives
16Interior perspectives of the main spaces
17Architectural treatments: openings, canopies, shading
18List of exterior and interior materials
19Colours and the visual identity
20Material samples and boards
21Air-conditioning system and unit locations
22Screening of AC units
23Electrical transformer locations
24Waste / cleaning container locations
25Fire-fighting hydrant locations
26Building code and RCJY compliance
27Proposed design and construction timeline

Wafaiya YanbuHotel & Annex

Key figures

The hotel

The annex

Architectural identity – the bronze CNC screen

Massing and functional strategy: a clear stack

Project information

Circulation and functions – guests and service kept apart

General site plan – entrances, parking and services

Open spaces and their areas

Sun and wind study – Autodesk Forma

Sun hours and sun path

Daylight on the facades

Pedestrian wind comfort

The podium shelters itself

Roof terraces and the design response

Solar resource and PV

Shadow matrix

Planting palette – native, salt and drought tolerant

Arrival

The building

Waterfront and terraces

From the guest balconies

Hotel and annex

From the air

After sunset: a lantern on the waterfront

Evenings on the waterfront

Sport on the site: tennis and padel

Pools and dining in the open air

Two arrivals: the hotel and the annex

The annex courtyard and arrival

Terraces facing the sea

Arrival and lobby

Dining

Banquet, business and meetings

Spa and wellness

Rooms and suites

Arrival and welcome

Lobby lounge and café

Dining from day to sunset

Pool and outdoor living

Wellness and spa

Rooms for every stay

Suites and balconies

Business and celebrations

Exterior materials – the facade

Exterior materials – arrival and porte-cochère

Landscape materials – hardscape and planting

Interior mood board – lobby and public areas

Interior mood board – banquet and dining

Interior mood board – the guest room

Interior materials – the guest bathroom

Interior mood board – spa and Moroccan bath

Interior mood board – the annex sports halls

Material schedule – exterior

Material schedule – interior

Colour palette – the warm tones of the Red Sea coast

Exterior

Interior

Details

Detail – the external wall build-up

Detail – the khatam screen

Detail – planting over the podium

Area schedule – spaces and functions

228 keys in 305 room modules

Floor plans – functional zoning and key spaces

Building section and elevations – how the levels connect

Parking – every bay coded by location

Column-free halls for sport and events

Annex plans – functional zoning

Inside and around the annex

Air conditioning – system and plant screening

Electrical, waste and fire services – locations

Sustainability and energy efficiency

Compliance with the Saudi Building Code and RCJY requirements

Proposed programme after approval

RCJY presentation requirements – compliance index

Royal Commission Yanbu

Wafaiya Yanbu
Hotel & Annex