About this project
King Khalid International Airport is located 35km north of Saudi Arabia’s capital city Riyadh. In terms of surface area, it is one of the largest airports in the world, which having experienced significant growth in air traffic demand, was in desperate need of terminal expansion to accommodate the corresponding growth in passenger demand.
Together with architect HOK, NACO was selected to deliver the reference design for a 300,000m² expansion of the existing terminal facility and aprons; the starting point for a multi-billion dollar project which will ultimately enable the airport to handle more than 25 million annual passengers.
The new terminal facility which was designed to facilitate the hub operations of home carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines, includes a full swing concourse to increase operational flexibility and efficiency. Our design also had to meet high standards of sustainability. Subsequently a number of approaches including the re-usage of grey water for irrigation, high-level efficiency lighting and the recycling of excavated materials were incorporated where possible.
NACO has been involved with the airport’s development since 2007 through various master planning and design projects. This project in particular has kept us involved in a critical component of the airport’s development programme while simultaneously elevating the passenger experience at the gateway to the Kingdom.