AlUla Manara is a visitor and research centre designed by Heatherwick Studio for the desert landscape of AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Planned near the region's UNESCO World Heritage Site, the project is intended to welcome visitors interested in astronomy while supporting scientists conducting space research. The building is constructed from textured stone and organized as a series of stacked tubular forms that terminate in glazed openings. These openings frame views of the night sky and the surrounding desert environment, taking advantage of the area's clear conditions for observing stars.
The design references both the sandstone mountains of AlUla and the spiralling geometries associated with the wider universe. Three interlocking telescope-like structures rise from the landscape and contain a planetarium, restaurant, rooftop observation deck, visitor facilities and scientific workspaces. The project forms part of a larger astronomy destination that will include several advanced telescopes, on-site accommodation, a stargazing lodge and remote observation pods positioned across the desert for observing the night sky.
Image Credit: Heatherwick Studio
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Astro-tourism Destinations
- Desert observatories that combine research infrastructure with visitor experiences create new premium travel models around dark-sky access, science education and immersive hospitality.
- Landscape-integrated Architecture
- Stone-clad, site-responsive buildings offer differentiation for cultural destinations by merging local geology, climate performance and iconic design into a single visitor attraction.
- Remote Stargazing Pods
- Distributed observation pods across low-light environments introduce scalable formats for private skywatching, remote telescope access and experiential overnight stays.
Sectors Adopting This
- Travel and Hospitality
- Luxury lodges, rooftop decks and astronomy-led programming expand hospitality offerings beyond accommodation into curated science-based experiences.
- Space Research
- Hybrid facilities with advanced telescopes, scientific workspaces and public interfaces reshape how research institutions fund, share and commercialize astronomical discovery.
- Cultural Architecture
- Architectural landmarks near heritage sites support destination branding through buildings that function as research hubs, public attractions and symbols of regional identity.
