As an architect and a photographer, I wrestle constantly with how to expand on the notion of seeing things from all angles. Often an angle least considered is the bird’s-eye view—straight down. This came to mind when I thought about photographing the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, designed by Arup and inaugurated May 1, 2014. Located on the north side of Jiddah, along Saudi Arabia’s west coast, it is now the second-largest stadium in the country.
From about 500 meters, in the moments after sunset when the sky was fading into dusk, the interplay of light and dark brought out lines, spaces and patterns. Isosceles triangles and V-frames fused the stadium’s references to Islamic geometry with futurism, creating a faceted symmetry, ringed with parking lot lights like beads, that shows how the stadium has earned its nickname, "al-jawhara al-mosha’ya”—“the shining jewel.”
—Saleh Alhathloul
From about 500 meters, in the moments after sunset when the sky was fading into dusk, the interplay of light and dark brought out lines, spaces and patterns. Isosceles triangles and V-frames fused the stadium’s references to Islamic geometry with futurism, creating a faceted symmetry, ringed with parking lot lights like beads, that shows how the stadium has earned its nickname, "al-jawhara al-mosha’ya”—“the shining jewel.”
—Saleh Alhathloul
You may also be interested in...
A Fasting Journey Through Ramadan
Arts
What’s it like as a non-Muslim to fast during Ramadan? Writer Scott Baldauf shares his journey through the holy month where he uncovers resilience, empathy and the powerful unity found in shared traditions.
Nakshi Kantha: Tradition and Identity in Every Stitch
Arts
History
A traditional form of quilting in Bangladesh in which women embroider family history, love and memory into the fabric is blanketing markets locally and beyond.
Sara Domingos Investigates the Threads of Portugal’s Multilayered Heritage
Arts
In a cavernous studio beneath the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, just a 15-minute walk from Lisbon’s Moorish Quarter, a cross-cultural interplay between the Portuguese city’s old Islamic and modern-day traditions manifests under the steady hands of Sara Domingos.