Four Seasons Madinah

Four Seasons Madinah is envisioned not just as a 5-star hotel, but as a unique urban resort "centred on Arab hospitality and religious travel.” Based upon the principles of serenity, contemplation, respectfulness, purity and simple elegance, the architectural concept is to provide a welcoming base for one’s religious voyage and a perfect ‘ground’ for one’s spiritual transformation. Physically, the building skin is responsive to its cultural and climatic contexts; it transforms in respect to prayer times and the orientation of heavenly bodies through the activation of kinetic façade louvers. These kinetic louvers are especially useful for enhanced energy conservation, reduction of solar heat gains and privacy control. The geometry of the building’s form, although static, also appears to change over time: A reflective material applied to the rear face of the kinetic louvers allows the building to visually ‘disappear’ when louvers are in their open mode. This dramatic visual transformation changes the appearance of the building from a solid, stone-like retreat to an illuminated and transparent lantern-like sanctuary.