Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Solitaire
Solitaire
In Riyadh, Solitaire redefines luxury, surpassing the very idea of a shopping mall. The project, designed by the international architecture and design studio Benoy, was conceived as a truly dynamic urban neighbourhood.
Spread over 65,000 square metres and split over six levels – three floors above ground and three serving as underground parking – the complex offers partially open-air streets and squares integrated with boutiques of the most famous fashion brands, restaurants, spas and areas dedicated to entertainment, rendering this a lively place for social exchange and a new lifestyle destination in the capital. In line with the objectives of Vision 2030, Solitaire is not limited to being a place for making purchases, but proposed as a new icon of urban culture and sustainable innovation for Riyadh, helping to redefine the standards of luxury retail and enrich the offer of immersive and high-quality experiences for an ever-evolving community.
The design philosophy of the complex blends elegance and ecological awareness. The natural inspiration of the geodes, with its contrast between a sharp exterior and a welcoming interior, defines the architectural appearance. This is combined with cutting-edge solutions such as the majestic wind towers for passive cooling and the application of biophilic principles to create a comfortable microclimate that makes spending time outdoors possible.
In a context designed to welcome an intense flow of visitors with class, the coatings played a decisive role in the design.
In a context designed to welcome an intense flow of visitors with class, the coatings played a decisive role in the design.
The choice was based on full-body porcelain stoneware, opting for Fragmenta Full Body3 by Ariostea. Its surfaces are characterised by a refined aesthetic naturalness and high technical performance that homogeneously pervade the complete body of the slab, from the surface to the entire thickness.
The compositional uniformity and compactness result in extraordinary resistance to scratches, impact and wear, rendering this the ideal solution for a very high-traffic place such as Solitaire. Even in the case of deep abrasion, the same material is revealed on the surface, guaranteeing unalterable beauty over time.
The polychrome graphic texture, which re-reads the natural stone, presents a surprising variety of flecks and granules for a harmonious yet random mixture that makes each piece unique, helping to create surfaces that are never the same. The versatility of Fragmenta Full Body3 has made it possible to adorn spaces with consistency, where Botticino Dorato, Bianco Greco, Nero Ambrato and Arlecchino shades in Natural Plus finish define the indoor common areas. The same colour variations, in the Structured finish, extend to the external areas, guaranteeing visual continuity and safety.
For a complex and painstaking project such as Solitaire, the choice of materials had to meet precise requirements of design, wellbeing and sustainability, finding Fragmenta Full Body3 as the solution. In fact, its surfaces combine quality with performance: it is durable, easy to sanitize and composed exclusively of natural materials, without harmful emissions. This is accompanied by a deep respect for the environment. Indeed, the slabs are made with quality natural materials without chemical solvents to be non-toxic, durable, recyclable, having been created via a process that integrates more than 40% recycled material.
