Architectural Cases

In the expansive and breathtaking landscapes of AlUla, Saudi Arabia, the fourth installment of the Desert X exhibition is poised to redefine the boundaries of contemporary art. This eagerly anticipated event, dubbed "Space Without Measure," promises an immersive journey where artistic expression harmonizes with the grandeur of nature, inviting contemplation and dialogue between human creativity and the desert's timeless beauty.

Desert X AlUla 2026: A Journey into Art and Nature

From January 16th to February 28th, 2026, the valleys, canyons, and oases of AlUla will host an extraordinary display of site-responsive sculptures. This exhibition, a collaborative effort between Arts AlUla and Desert X, forms a pivotal part of the AlUla Arts Festival. The curatorial vision, "Space Without Measure," emphasizes the profound relationship between scale, distance, and perception, encouraging visitors to slow down and connect with the artworks against the dramatic backdrop of the desert sky and shifting light.

The event is a testament to sustainable artistic practices, incorporating rammed earth, carved stone, and locally sourced wood in many projects. These materials are crafted in Saudi Arabia through partnerships with local artisans and cultural centers, including Madrasat Addeera and the AlUla Music Hub. Furthermore, the integration of indigenous plant life into the oasis environments is guided by the AlUla Native Plant Nursery, ensuring a deep respect for the region's ecological heritage.

Under the artistic direction of Neville Wakefield and Raneem Farsi, and co-curated by Wejdan Reda and Zoé Whitley, the exhibition features eleven celebrated artists. Among them, Budapest-born artist Agnes Denes reimagines "The Living Pyramid," a planted structure within the oasis that symbolizes cycles of growth and renewal. Bahraini-Danish introduces "Bloom," a kinetic sculpture that playfully interacts with sunlight and shadows, marking the passage of time. Basmah Felemban's "Murmur of Pebbles" transforms geological fragments into monumental carved limestone forms, echoing ancient riverbeds and the slow march of geological time.

Further enriching the experience, Héctor Zamora's "Tar HyPar" invites collective movement to activate percussion-inspired forms, generating resonant energy across the open ground. Ibrahim El-Salahi's "Haraza Tree" draws inspiration from resilient acacia species, creating unified sculptural forms. Mohammad Alfaraj's "What was the Question Again?" is a living installation crafted from grafted palm trunks, reflecting agricultural traditions and storytelling. Sara Abdu's "A Kingdom Where No One Dies: Contours of Resonance" uses layered rammed earth walls to blend poetry with geology. Vibha Galhotra's "Future Fables" encases demolished building fragments within a steel framework, transforming debris into a space for reflection. Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons' "Imole Red" draws on AlUla's sunsets and Yoruba traditions, creating a garden-like structure that honors water as a life-sustaining force. Lebanese artist Tarek Atoui's "The Water Song" explores subtle vibrations of soil and air through instruments partially emerging from the ground. Finally, rare sculptural works by the late Mohammed AlSaleem, including "The Thorn" and "AlShuruf Unit," are presented for the first time, their geometric forms ascending towards the desert horizons.

Reflecting on Art in the Wilderness

Desert X AlUla is more than just an art exhibition; it is an invitation to engage with art on a profound, visceral level. The curated works, deeply embedded in the natural environment, compel us to reconsider our relationship with space, time, and the landscapes that surround us. It reminds us that art can be a powerful medium for connecting with our heritage, understanding ecological systems, and fostering a sense of wonder. The exhibition's commitment to sustainability and collaboration with local communities also highlights a responsible approach to cultural development, ensuring that artistic endeavors contribute meaningfully to the preservation and appreciation of unique environments like AlUla.

In an inspired architectural undertaking, SZ-Architects has reimagined a disused prison guard tower in Hefei, China, converting it into an inviting 70-square-meter, 24-hour bookstore. This innovative project, dubbed 'A Very Small 24-Hour Bookstore,' represents a profound transformation, breathing new purpose into a structure once emblematic of confinement. Situated within the Hechai 1972 Creative Park, formerly the Anhui Provincial Hefei Prison, the tower now stands as a beacon of accessibility, offering a communal reading sanctuary to the surrounding community. This adaptive reuse not only preserves a piece of local history but fundamentally alters its narrative, fostering engagement and intellectual freedom where strict oversight once reigned.

The transformation journey was meticulous, involving extensive structural analysis and reinforcement to adapt the 1997-era tower for its new role. Architects fortified the existing frame with steel hoops, strengthened the second-floor slab, and enlarged concrete roof beams, all while ensuring minimal additional stress on the original construction. A key innovation was the introduction of a suspended steel structural system, utilizing cantilevered channels and hanger rods to support the new upper floor, circulation paths, seating, and shelving. This ingenious approach allowed for the expansion of usable space without compromising the integrity of the historic edifice. The interior design emphasizes lightness and reversibility, with bookshelves lining the upper level and integrated reading desks, promoting an atmosphere of quiet reflection and community interaction. The project masterfully juxtaposes the building's restrictive past with its liberated present, creating a welcoming civic landmark from a symbol of surveillance.

From Watchtower to Welcoming Haven: A Bookstore's Metamorphosis

SZ-Architects' conversion of a former prison watchtower in Hefei, China, into a 24-hour bookstore symbolizes a dramatic shift from observation and control to community engagement and intellectual freedom. Named 'A Very Small 24-Hour Bookstore,' this 70-square-meter space reclaims a derelict structure within the Hechai 1972 Creative Park, once the Anhui Provincial Hefei Prison. The architects skillfully navigated the constraints of the original building, whose seven-square-meter ground floor footprint and second-level patrol platform with panoramic views now host a vibrant cultural hub. Original features like window grilles, once fitted for weaponry, are preserved as reminders of the tower's past, contrasting sharply with its new function as an open, unguarded space for reading and community interaction. This conceptual inversion is central to the project's philosophy, mirroring the inclusive ethos of its namesake bookstore in Nanjing, which thrives on donated books, handwritten postcards, and a welcoming atmosphere, transforming a site of confinement into a space of shared knowledge and public access.

The genesis of this remarkable project was serendipitous. During an unrelated visit to the Hechai 1972 Creative Park, the Shanghai- and Tokyo-based architects discovered the neglected guard tower. Recognizing its potential, they proposed transforming it into a micro-bookstore, envisioning it as a continuously open and accessible space for local residents, a stark deviation from its former purpose. This initiative aligns seamlessly with the 'A Very Small Bookstore' concept, which champions an open, community-driven model. Books are sourced from personal collections and donations, walls are adorned with messages, and the establishment is even tended by adopted stray cats, fostering an environment where visitors actively contribute to its evolving character. The transformation underscores a profound philosophical shift: from a structure designed for rigorous oversight and security to one that embraces trust, openness, and informal public occupation, serving as a social archive shaped by its patrons rather than a commercially curated destination.

Architectural Ingenuity: Reinforcing History, Suspending Innovation

The architectural rehabilitation of the former prison guard tower into 'A Very Small 24-Hour Bookstore' was a complex undertaking, necessitating a meticulous blend of structural reinforcement and innovative design. Lacking original blueprints from 1997, SZ-Architects began with a comprehensive geotechnical and structural assessment to ensure the building's stability. They meticulously strengthened the original frame by encasing corner columns with steel hoops, reinforcing the second-floor slab, and enlarging the concrete beam sections of the roof. High-ductility concrete joint-filling techniques were applied to parts of the exterior walls to enhance their structural capacity, ensuring the historic integrity of the building was maintained while preparing it for new demands. This foundational work was crucial to supporting the subsequent innovative additions, allowing the new elements to integrate seamlessly while respecting the existing structure's limitations and history.

To minimize additional load and maximize functional space, SZ-Architects devised a clever suspended steel structural system. Eight C-shaped steel channels were extended outwards from the reinforced roof beams, creating a cantilevered upper floor that expands beyond the original footprint. These channels anchor vertical steel hanger rods, which in turn connect to matching steel members beneath the original slab, forming a self-contained, suspended framework. This system ingeniously supports the new circulation areas, seating, and shelving without over-stressing the older structure. An external cantilevered balcony, thoughtfully inserted through an original window opening, further extends the bookstore's reach into the park, providing new vantage points. Inside, bookshelves line the upper level, and reading desks are integrated into the primary steel structure, utilizing a scaffolding-like logic with suspended stainless-steel rods for a light, reversible aesthetic. The walls are deliberately left mostly blank, intended to be filled over time with postcards and messages from visitors, transforming the space from one of rigid surveillance into a living archive of shared human experience and communal presence.