AL THUNAYAN TOWER
Residential
KSA
Facade and Landscape Lighting
Located in Riyadh’s Al-Yasmine District, Al Thunayan Tower occupies a prominent urban position with visibility from multiple sides and direct exposure to King Salman Street. The lighting design was developed to strengthen the tower’s presence within this high-profile setting while responding to the unique rhythm of its architecture.
The façade is defined by an irregular composition of openings, structural lines, and shifting volumes. Rather than uniformly illuminating these elements, the design adopts a selective approach that reinforces architectural rhythm while introducing contrast and visual interest after dark. By intentionally lighting only selected openings, the façade transforms from a repetitive daytime composition into a curated nighttime expression.
A dynamic illuminated void between the tower’s two main masses further enhances this contrast, creating a distinctive visual focal point that reinforces the building’s identity. The result is a lighting scheme that balances order and expression, revealing the architecture through carefully controlled layers of light rather than uniform illumination.
Design Insight
This project was featured in Aluzo’s “What You See vs What We See” series, where we explore how lighting designers interpret architecture and uncover opportunities that often go unnoticed.
