Projectors surrounding the structure and soft hues provided by underfloor lighting for trees as well as pollards along the walkways and lacing the lawns combine together at night to accentuate the blue-tinted glass and granite-clad Al Bank Al Saudi Al Fransi's building in Jeddah.

The Western region headquarters of the bank consists of two buildings - a 10 storey main building and a five-storey parking block with a total built-up area of 23,300 sq m at the intersection of Wadi Al Ahad Street and Hail Street about 400 m from the coast.

The building completed last year was constructed by a joint venture of Al Mabani General Contractors and Al Saad Contracting and Trading Company, and had E A Juffali and Brothers (Jamed) as the electromechanical and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) contractor. Zuhair Fayez Partnership was the consultant.

As the site is located on an intersection of two main roads, the project has been designed as an impressive glass and granite-finished structure visible as a cube from either of the adjacent roads.

'We have installed 2,500 W projectors around the building positioned at various angles to enhance the building and complement its architecture,' says Mojir Najami, construction manager at Jamed.