HHR KAEC Station, Saudi Arabia

Project: Structural primary roofing system
Location: HHR KAEC Station, King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia
Client: Saudi Railways Organisation
Architect: Foster+Partners
Engineering Consultants: Dar Al Handasah
Main Contractor: El Seif Engineering Contracting Co Ltd
Handover: May 2015

​The Haramain High Speed Railway (HHR) is a visionary infrastructure project in the heart of the Saudi Arabia, linking the ancient cities of Makkah, Medina and Jeddah and the ambitious new King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). Imagined as gateways to each city, the network’s four landmark stations are destinations in themselves: rich in places to connect, meet and shop.

In 2011, BFG was awarded the contract to build and install 34,000m2 of complete structural roofing for the HHR terminal in KAEC, having worked on design and engineering with the contractors, project architects and engineers for two years prior to the award.

Making it happen
To transform the architect’s vision into reality, BFG designed, built and installed a composite roof system including a suspended aluminium soft ceiling and an anti-glare natural light system – all at a height of 30 metres above ground level. Given its location, and bearing in mind the effects of the harsh Saudi summer, the maximum unsupported span of 14.8 metres was designed to withstand intense temperature variations, high winds and heavy sand-laden loads.

The project involved the creation of 42 large-scale FRP composite roof modules in grids 27 metres square. The manufacturing process featured state-of-the-art vacuum-based moulding with continuous impregnation technology; a unique and proprietary high productivity process developed by BFG.