Al Saoudah Masterplan

Project Name: Al Saoudah Masterplan
Client: Al Saoudah Development Company
Location: Asir Region, Saudi Arabia
Services Provided: Planning & Urban Design
Site Area: Confidential
Built-Up Area: Confidential
Construction Cost: Confidential
Starting Date: 2021
Completion Date: Ongoing

Challenge

Al Saoudah, part of the Sarawat Highlands, presented a unique design challenge: how to develop a comprehensive masterplan that captures the richness of Asiri heritage, the healing power of its pristine nature, and the deep-rooted relationship between the people, the land, and their traditions. The sensitivity of the site’s natural terrain, its cultural legacy, and the requirement to preserve its intangible values while introducing a forward-looking tourism and wellness destination necessitated an integrated, respectful, and experience-driven planning approach.

Approach

DAO’s vision centered around curating a multi-sensory journey through a series of experiences that celebrate the human-nature connection. At the heart of the masterplan lies a dynamic green spine that adapts to the cliff-edge topography, offering panoramic views and linking immersive event zones such as wellness retreats, ecological resorts, equestrian centers, and cultural interpretation hubs.Inspired by the architectural language of Rijal Alma and other vernacular Asiri expressions, the built environment draws from the past to deliver authentic yet contemporary wellness villages. Each intervention—be it a hotel, a trail, or a panoramic lookout—is carefully positioned to create a dialogue between visitor and landscape, with design choices reflecting sustainability, storytelling, and sensory well-being.The equestrian village is a key element of the masterplan, offering not only sport and leisure but also therapeutic programs rooted in the deep cultural relationship between the Asiri people and horses. This bond, historically embedded in everyday life, is reimagined here as a modern wellness tool.

Impact

The Al Saoudah Masterplan delivers a one-of-a-kind mountain destination that places culture, wellness, and nature in seamless harmony. It offers visitors not only a retreat but a reflective journey through time, heritage, and healing. The project supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals by promoting sustainable tourism, celebrating regional identity, and positioning Al Saoudah as an iconic destination of experiential living that honors both its people and its place.