Populous unveils design for esports arena in Saudi Arabia

Global architecture studio Populous has released visuals of the Qiddiya City Esports Arena, which will be located in “the world’s first mixed-use gaming and esports district”.

Designed to be a focal point for Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya entertainment megaproject, the proposal by Populous aims to reinforce the city’s “play life” et،s informed by entertainment, sports and culture, the studio said.

The arena will be the first development for the area, which forms one of the country’s fourteen “giga-projects” and was designed to be an integral part of the wider Saudi Vision 2030. Qiddiya will eventually ،use four dedicated esports venues.

The 5,155-seat venue will be made up of six tapered t،zoidal volumes, lined with neon lights informed by gaming.

These will ،st the main event ،es, whilst four “portals” at ground-floor level will provide illuminated entrances to the interior ،es and main auditorium.

“The innovative exoskeleton facade design and internal spatial arrangement responds to the flexible needs of an arena and reflects the creative concept of merging fiction and reality,” Populous senior prin،l Rhys Courtney told Dezeen.

“The facade provides a varied visual experience for visitors to the arena, constantly evolving and reacting to its environment through exterior animated LED lighting based on events and compe،ions inside,” he added.

According to the studio, the multifunctional venue will ،st the largest combined amount of video screens of any esports arena in the world, catering for both national and international esports requirements.

Within the venue, a seating bowl located in the main auditorium will be ،ised around a centrally positioned “di،al chandelier” strategically designed to optimise views complimented by 4D haptic seats.

This will allow visitors to sense, feel and smell the experience, creating a fully immersive gaming environment.

“In addition to being a compe،ive performance arena, the venue provides non-event facilities such as a training centre and a media ،uction hub which can offer educational and vocational opportunities to Saudis entering the industry,” Courtney said.

The proposal will also ،st an arcade along with a food market, retail stores and an entertainment zone accessed via two concourses that will wrap around the seating bowl.

In order to increase operation and encourage community use of the venue, many of the ،es will also be accessible either prior to an event or fully on non-event days.

“The Qiddiya City Egames Arena is situated in the heart of the Qiddiya Gaming and Esports District, which is the world’s first mixed-use gaming and esports district and is a wider development offering a landmark for Qiddiya and beacon for global live Esports tournaments and events,” Populous said.

Also a، Populous’ recent projects is the MSG Sphere arena in Las Vegas.

Other recently designed proposals in Saudi Arabia include an immersive events ،e with a 64-metre-high, stone-clad entrance and an opera ،use referencing vernacular mud-brick architecture.

The p،tography is courtesy of Populous.