The Solitaire Mall is a new architectural highlight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Inspired by the concept of the Geode, a secondary formation in volcanic rock, the new building combines shopping, leisure, gastronomy and business in a versatile, dynamic space. The angular facade of the mall for luxury brands has a special, challenging design with its slopes in different directions. The 16,000 m² building envelope was clad with porcelain and ceramic facade panels, which securely and firmly anchored a Fischer complete solution for the VHF (curtain-mounted rear-ventilated facade).
“The precious 'Solitaire', the 'Jewel of Riyadh', is an outstanding project for us,” emphasises Imad Eloueini, Head of Construction Department of the V3 Middle East Engineering Consultants Company.
"The shape of the building represents a 'crystal geode with hidden magic' - with a robust protective shell that allows for a contrasting combination of aesthetics, fractal geometry and spatial design that enhances the perception of being gently surrounded by a complexly structured environment. There are both covered and semi-covered areas for visitors to the shops, the family entertainment centre and the food & beverage and other offerings." The V3 Middle East Engineering Consultants Company from Riyadh was heavily involved in the planning and implementation of the Solitaire Mall as the commissioned Architect of Record (AOR) and consultant for construction supervision. The Solitaire Mall is built by the Saudi Arabian-based Al Marqab Investment Company.
The complex covers a plot of 58,956 m² and has a rentable area of 104,155 m². The Solitaire Mall houses three basements with infrastructure and parking facilities, three above-ground levels with a variety of shopping, gastronomy, entertainment, wellness and sports facilities, as well as an attic as an architectural and functional highlight.
From a constructive point of view, the project already presented some challenges during planning, which could be successfully overcome thanks to the good coordination of all project participants. “The division of the property into 15 zones due to expansion joints, the high level of fine work due to the luxury brands located and the execution of the fractal geometry required special skills,” says Imad Eloueini.
An architectural and technical masterpiece is the facade of the Solitaire Mall, which has a special, challenging design with its slopes in different directions. A complete fischer solution for the VHF was used to securely and firmly anchor porcelain and ceramic facade panels to 16,000 m². Horizontal profiles from the ATK 103S system were applied to the existing steel base structure for invisible fastening of the facade panels. The porcelain and ceramic viewing elements were securely and concealedly attached to the substructure with a total of 82,000 fischer Zykon plate anchors FZP II 11 x 9 M6/T/9 D40 PA. Imad Eloueini states: "Fixing with fischer undercut technology offered significant advantages in achieving the desired architectural effect of the building view as well as the required design freedom and performance in facade fastening.
Solitaire Mall’s customer has chosen us as their trusted supplier due to our long-standing reputation for providing high-quality, reliable and innovative fastening solutions.
Compared to alternative solutions, the fischer overall system used for the VHF was characterised by faster installation and higher precision in the design of the facade with its irregular shape and inclinations in different directions."
The loads acting on the substructure from the facade (wind loads and dead loads) are transferred to the steel structure and dissipated from there via the structure. The facade panels could be easily and quickly attached to the open C-profile of the horizontal elements with pre-mounted clips on the back.
In addition, fischer FireStop solutions were installed to seal penetration openings in MEP applications (mechanical, electrical and sanitary work) and construction joints. The system solutions for the facade and passive fire protection from a single source ensured that the technical requirements of the project could be met efficiently. In addition, fischer injection anchors were used for various fastening tasks in concrete as well as hollow blocks.
Osama Farhat, National Sales Manager at the fischer national company in Saudi Arabia, highlights the company’s success and explains: "The Solitaire Mall customer has chosen us as their trusted supplier due to our long-standing reputation for providing high-quality, reliable and innovative fastening solutions. We are proud to have been able to offer a solution that is ideally tailored to the customer and the project, ensuring maximum performance and safety, and complemented by on-time product delivery that always meets and exceeds customer expectations."
This commitment to quality, customer satisfaction and technological excellence has made fischer the first choice for companies in Saudi Arabia looking for reliable fastening systems for a wide range of applications. In addition, fischer stands for commitment to exceptional service and value engineering and gives customers peace of mind and confidence in every phase of their projects. Imad Eloueini is very satisfied with the result: “During the entire implementation phase, there were no supply bottlenecks and the planning and implementation of the facade went well.” These very good results were also achieved by the fastening expert fischer working closely with his local trading partner Brooq Al-Amaan Trading Est on the project. (BAT) worked together.
fischer successfully accompanied the facade planning and execution throughout all project phases, as Osama Farhat emphasises: "In addition to the right product solutions, we supported our customers with our professional service package during the implementation, which lasted over a year. Our team was on site to perform tensile tests and monitor the assembly process. Detailed BIM modelling was also provided to ensure quality and precision. The practical approach ultimately increased the quality and efficiency of the project." Thanks to technological expertise, the Solitaire Mall in Riyadh received its permanently safe, angular and versatile facade, which unfolds inward in contrasting layers and takes on softer forms.
