The developer behind Saudi Arabia's most ambitious tourism enterprise, also known as The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), is working on building an airport in the project's destination, Saudi Gazette reported.
Earlier this week, during an address at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, the firm awarded UK-Based Fosters + Partners the design contract for the Red Sea's International Airport.
"Awarding the contract for the design of our airport is an important milestone and the first of the underlying infrastructure projects of the destination," chief executive officer at TRSDC John Pagano, said.
The airport - which is due for completion in 2022 - is set to serve the expected one million tourists that will visit the Red Sea destination annually.
The airport's design is going to be 100 percent eco-friendly to fit with the Red Sea Company's strict sustainability goals.
The building's architecture is set to be inspired "by the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape and represent the vision" of the tourism project in its entirety. It also aims to use smart technology to create a seamless, immersive experience for visitors the moment they arrive at the destination.
In a statement to press, Gerard Evenden, head of studio at Fosters + Partners, confirmed the company was thrilled to be working on building the airport.
"The Red Sea Airport has been envisaged as a gateway to one of the most unique resorts in the world and an integral part of the visitor experience," he said.
"Inspired by the colors and textures of the desert landscape, the design seeks to create a calm and luxurious journey through the terminal and will become a transit hub for visitors coming in by both land and air," he added.
The building of the Red Sea project is underway
In 2017, Saudi Arabia unveiled its plans to transform the Red Sea coast into a luxury beach destination governed by "independent laws."
According to a document initially reported by Bloomberg, the development will be a "semi-autonomous" area within the kingdom, leading to speculation that the country's traditional rules on dress and prohibition on alcohol will not be applied.
Construction work on the project began earlier this year, and the first phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. The project is set to be fully completed by 2030 and has already been getting rave reviews from people who've seen how it's slowly materializing into reality.
In September, the company behind the project announced it will be offering 120 fully funded scholarships for students set to train in fields that will enable them to run the enterprise in the future.
