For the new King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture iart is conceiving, planning and designing the audiovisual and interactive media for ‘Arabian Journeys’ – an exhibition focusing on the natural and cultural history of Saudi Arabia – in collaboration with ATELIER BRÜCKNER in Stuttgart.

Under the creative leadership of the scenographers ATELIER BRÜCKNER in Stuttgart iart acts as creative partner for all media aspects of the exhibition. For large-scale film productions iart commissioned the company TAMSCHICK MEDIA+SPACE in Berlin. Previously, iart worked in the same constellation for the exhibition Universe of Particles at the CERN research center.

The center will require a total area of 70,000 square meters and provide a wide range of cultural activities: a library with 930 seats, a theatre with 315 seats, a flexible multifunctional space, a learning centre, a Children’s Discovery Zone and several galleries – one of which is the Gallery 4 with ‘Arabian Journeys’ on an area of 1,300 square meters. The exhibition consists of a multi-media journey through the Arabian country’s past, present and future. An extended panoramic strip demarcates individual exhibition areas, each with its own thematically arranged focus. Medially staged narrative spaces engulf the visitor in different landscapes while offering access to the local people and their multi-facetted histories.

With this offer, the oil company Saudi Aramco aims Historist support the development of culture and knowledge in Saudi Arabia as well as communicate the rich history of the Kingdom to a young audience in an entertaining way. The centre is being built near the Saudi Aramco head office in Dhahran, scheduled to open in July 2013.

Arabian Journeys in King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture
Opening 2013

Customer
Saudi Aramco

Client
ATELIER BRÜCKNER

Services iart
Concept and panning of media
Content production
Interaction and GUI design
Software Development

Media
Interactive multimedia installations
Large projection
Soundscapes
Video production
Site specific multiuser game
Virtual guides
Content management system

Project partners
ATELIER BRÜCKNER, Scenography
Tamschick Media+Space GmbH, Video productions
Idee und Klang, Sound productions

Project duration
2 years

The building of the planned center, © MIR/Snøhetta

The entrance hall of the planned center, © MIR/Snøhetta

The entrance of Arabian Journeys, © Atelier Brückner

A glimpse of Coastal Voyage in Arabian Journeys, © Atelier Brückner