Summary
This case study is based on the urbanisation project covering 60 ha in the
immediate neighbourhood of Makkah.
The site is on the western side of Khandama mountain, which overlooks the Holy
Mosque of Al-Haram and the royal palaces. The proposed development includes a
range of hotels, seasonal services and permanent residential apartments and
retail shopping complexes. It creates efficient and safe pedestrian links to the
Holy Mosque and compliments the surroundings of the Al Haram.
Background
Buro Happold were commissioned to produce Earthworks, Road Design and to create
a 3D landform model for master planning. Other services included utility
coordination and geo-technical studies. Due to the extremely high number of
Muslims that visit the Al Haram, be it for the annual pilgrimage to the Holy
Mosque (during Ramadan) or simply daily prayer, there has become a need for
long-term accommodation in the adjacent mountains.
Khandama, with a prime location looking down onto the Mosque, is ideal for both
visitors and investors.
Methodology
As the project is at the master planning stage, some of the design was of high-
level and therefore did not require too much detail. The topography, required a
detailed 3D model to understand the site's constraints, as well as the
complexity of the project. 12d Model was used to create both an earthworks tin,
as well as a finished surface tin.
With height differences across the site of up to 120m, both the Architects and
Engineers used this model to help with the design.
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