The Vessel is a landmark pavilion and living sculpture on the Dammam waterfront, conceived as a threshold between land and sea. Shaped like a vessel holding a single droplet of water, it celebrates the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to sustainability and resilience. Hovering above a shaded plaza, its smooth, aerodynamic body frames a civic space that invites gathering, reflection, and movement along the Gulf’s edge.

The design balances solidity and transparency. A sculpted white base anchors the pavilion, while a lightweight diagrid canopy embraces a luminous “droplet,” filtering light and casting shifting patterns on the ground. Visitors ascend a gentle slope to an elevated deck, where expansive views of sea, sky, and city unfold. By day the pavilion is an interplay of shadow and breeze; by night it becomes a glowing beacon for the waterfront.

Rooted in environmental stewardship, The Vessel integrates passive shading, natural ventilation, and water-harvesting systems, while its landscape uses drought-tolerant planting to enhance microclimate and biodiversity. More than an object, it is an urban platform that merges art, architecture, and public life, offering Dammam a new cultural icon and contemplative refuge at the meeting point of desert and sea.
 

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​​Architecture Design: atelier MIDE

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