Insights Why should you build your architecture career in Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia’s built environment is growing and is rapidly becoming known for its great career opportunities in the construction industry, including jobs in architecture. The country has a rich cultural heritage, and it is undergoing ‘a historic transformation with Saudi Vision 2030 that aims to foster a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation’.

Atkins, a member of the AtkinsRéalis Group, is strengthening its presence and design and engineering services on projects in Saudi Arabia (KSA), which are on a scale previously unseen in any other region. We are following our global Net Zero Carbon route map and focusing on urban improvement, infrastructure, and related projects to meet the needs of the country’s growing mixed-use developments. Continue reading to find why you should consider enhancing your architecture career at AtkinsRéalis in Saudi Arabia.

Complex and exciting developments

Saudi Arabia is developing many unique, complex and large-scale construction schemes, including ‘giga-projects’, with the aim of boosting the economy. Increasingly, graduate architects, as well as established professionals, are being drawn in by these multi-purpose schemes, as they offer the prospect of applying new and exciting innovations and technologies to enable sustainable development of the future.

At Atkins, with our architecture expertise, we’re proud to shape architects of the future who deliver flagship projects, including the Riyadh Metro that will reduce congestion and pollution, whilst also offering a sustainable and fast public transport option for local people for years to come.

Giga Projects

We are seeing the rise of giga projects across Saudi Arabia, including NEOM, the Red Sea Project and Qiddiya, which offer exciting prospects for motivated and qualified architects to develop innovative and sustainable designs. The Red Sea Project, located between Umluj and Al Wajh, is set to be a luxury tourism development comprising nine islands, 50 new hotels, a new international airport, and a town for 35,000 people to live and work. The project is expected to set new standards in sustainable development by fully relying on renewable energy, being 100% carbon-neutral in operations and working under a zero waste-to-landfill policy.

Demonstrating our track record for delivering major projects around the world, AtkinsRéalis were excited to be awarded the lead design consultant services contract for the Six Flags Qiddiya theme park project in October 2020. Within a three-year contract, we will provide integrated lead design consultancy construction supervision and cost management services. Under Vision 2030, Qiddiya has both an economic and social purpose; to advance economic divergence and release new professional pathways while enriching the lives of young people.

Collaborating to develop cutting edge ideas

Collaboration is key in construction and development schemes and successful architects know to form relationships with stakeholders in order to maximise a project’s potential. By sharing ideas with and learning from colleagues, architects can shape and develop effective and innovative designs. Amar, a Project Architect, spent ten weeks on secondment on the King Abdullah Financial District project in Saudi Arabia. What he enjoyed most was collaborating and building a network of contacts, both internally and with the client team and contractors, learning from the way they work and interact, which is invaluable for developing his career in architecture.

Build your architecture career within the AtkinsRéalis Group in Saudi Arabia

We’re looking for architects who think differently. As architects like Kirsty have shown, within Atkins you can work on anything from master planning to design concept, where no two days are the same. Our architects use high-tech digital systems, innovative methodologies, and foster truly collaborative environments to enable the delivery of transformational schemes.

We are taking a leading role in the rising sustainability discourse in Saudi Arabia, with the aim of reaching our Net Zero Carbon emissions targets by employing astute architects and engineers to build for the future. Apply for an architecture job in Saudi Arabia and build a career to be proud of.

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