Permasteelisa Gartner Middle East – part of leading international façade specialist Permasteelisa Group – has secured a contract to design, engineer, supply and install the façade and internal glass partitions for Saudi Arabia’s stunning new Kapsarc School of Public Policy (KSPP).

Launched as part of the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (Kapsarc) in 2024, the postgraduate institution focuses on the Saudi energy sector and bridging the gap between education, industry and the government.

The contract will see Permasteelisa Gartner’s Saudi Arabia team work alongside main contractor Nesma and Partners in delivering the Riyadh-based project which will consist of three interlinked wings and an iconic wave-shaped roof.

The project’s complex and unique façade design will incorporate the use of various materials, ranging from insulated glass over double-curved aluminium panels to ultra-high-performance concrete. It will have a total glazed area of just over 6,000 sq m, while the whole project will be underpinned by almost 27,000 sq m of horizontal and vertical aluminium cladding.

Plans drawn up by architects at HOK allow for a variety of classroom spaces which can be partially transformed through the use of Skyfold partitions, while internal acoustic glass partitions will help to regulate the learning environment. The institute will also provide a gym, cafeteria and day-care for children. 

Alessio De Mitri, Executive General Manager for Permasteelisa Gartner Middle East, comments: “This iconic structure will provide Kapsarc with a sustainable college building which is not only state-of-the-art in terms of its design and construction, but which has a positive impact on the surrounding environment and will maximise faculty and student productivity and wellbeing.

“It is a complex but stunning design with the panels forming a constant visual flow of the exterior building envelope, achieved through the utilisation of single and double curved elements creating the particularly iconic wave shape.”

Permasteelisa Group’s CEO Liam Cummins adds: “We are delighted to be working with King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center and our construction partners on this project which promises to be a stunning home for staff and students at the School of Public Policy.

“The complex nature of this project will enable our experienced and talented team to demonstrate their vast skills in delivering the façades of the future.” 

Permasteelisa Gartner Middle East, the regional arm of the globally renowned Permasteelisa Group, specialises in the design, engineering, manufacture and installation of complex and high-performance façade systems across the Middle East.

Backed by the legacy of the Permasteelisa Group and the technical leadership of Gartner, the company is trusted for delivering quality, safety and innovation in every project across the GCC for over two decades. Some of its landmark projects include the Coca Cola Arena, Dubai International Airport in Dubai, Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi and Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar.