Jeddah Metro

Client Metro Jeddah Company
Location Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Year 2015 – 2016
Services Brand & Visual Identity, Cartography, Wayfinding

Only 12 percent of Jeddah’s population currently live within a 10 minute walk of Jeddah’s transport nodes – the project aimed to achieve 50 percent through a process of densification and strategic planning.

Jeddah Metro is an integrated urban masterplan for the 23rd century that outlines a completely unified design vision of the city’s transport system. The vision extends from high-speed rail, metro, bus and tram to water taxi and a network of shaded cycle routes, pedestrian walkways, public spaces and transit oriented development. Designed in response to the local climate, the masterplan is city-wide and draws on the high-density, compact urban model of the ancient quarter of Al Balad, with its mixture of uses and comfortable, walkable shaded streets.

Steer formed a core part of the Foster + Partners team providing expert support on transport facility design, transit operations, passenger flow analysis and wayfinding services.

Steer’s Design for Movement team led on the design of physical and virtual passenger wayfinding for all modes and environments. Passenger flow modelling and movement analysis informed the spatial configuration of metro stations and interchanges and informed the vertical circulation requirements. Wayfinding structures are minimised and integrate with the built form. Wayfinding messaging is aligned with circulation patterns and decision points to provide for an intuitive passengers experience.

The project vision extends from design of the stations through to the wayfinding and rolling stock, using the latest technology and materials to create distinctive streamlined forms. The circular transit network map was inspired by an iconic 13th century map of the city.

Consultants/collaborators
Foster + Partners / Arcadis JV