CallisonRTKL said ground has been broken in Riyadh for the new headquarters of Saudi British Bank (SABB), a 135-m-tall tower designed by the global architecture, planning and design firm.

A major player in the region, CallisonRTKL clinched the contract after it won the project design competition organised by SABB, an associated company of global banking giant HSBC Group. As the design consultant, CallisonRTKL was challenged to create a sophisticated, inviting and secure space for the bank’s 2,800 employees and its numerous visitors.

The SABB head office will be a 46,544-sq-m commercial office development. A supporting podium is integrated and connected to the tower housing the key facilities for banking services, food and beverage areas and employee training facilities over a 7,013-sq-m area.

The head office is expected to be operational by early 2020.