The King Abdulazziz University Endowment Project will provide the funding to propel the university into its next generation of research and innovation. 76 hectares on the perimeter of the campus have been allocated to market-driven development, and the first phase of development will be a Health Sciences District anchored by the existing teaching hospital, and an iconic 79-story vertical mixed-use Gateway Tower with a five-star hotel at its top. Together they provide 720,000 square meters of development on the first 32 hectares of the site.
The development plan is seamlessly integrated into the campus, and for the new district it envisions a 24/7 environment designed to be far more than merely a place for labs, clinics and offices – it will also be a place to relax, have a meal, exercise, live, and shop at ground level where retail, services and restaurants animate the base of every building along the two beautiful tree-lined main avenues. The convenience and comfort of the live-work environment will be unequalled in Jeddah.
The architecture is diverse and vibrant to reflect the complexity and scale of the District, and is modern and efficient in keeping with the Health Sciences mission. The buildings themselves, as well as the entire supporting infrastructure, will meet the very highest international standards in all four of the key requirements of ‘green’ construction – water management, waste management, energy efficiency, and mixed-use development.