Legacy in Verse: Bringing Contemporary Calligraphy to Life at Al Faisaliah Riyadh
Project Stories • 14 November 2025
Image via Tihany Design
Image via Tihany Design
At ArtLink, we turn stories into engaging visual experiences, combining narrative insight, art direction, and production expertise. For the newly rebranded Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah in Riyadh, we were tasked with developing a centerpiece for the hotel’s grand atrium that would honour Saudi heritage while reflecting the brand’s refined contemporary aesthetic.
The result is a 16-meter-high suspended sculpture, inspired by the sweeping landscapes of Saudi Arabia and engraved with Arabic verses that celebrate the nation’s literary traditions and heritage. It highlights the elegance of Arabic script while capturing Saudi Arabia’s evolving identity and its vision for the future, in line with Project 2030’s goals of modernization and cultural renewal.
Discover how ArtLink navigated every stage, from concept and art direction to engineering, fabrication, and installation, turning a poetic vision into reality.
From Story to Structure
Every ArtLink project begins with a story. Driven and inspired by the rich tradition and history of Arabic scripts in Saudi Arabian culture, our curators developed a concept for the collection that reflects the evolution of contemporary calligraphy, much like Saudi Arabia itself, which preserves its legacy while embracing dynamic growth. Working closely with the client, we conceptualized and art-directed artworks to bring this vision to life.
One commission required particularly careful development for the atrium, a tall, glass-clad space that would be visible from every floor and from the outside. The sculpture needed to be visually compelling and engaging from all angles while commanding the full height of the atrium. The result was a 16-meter suspended piece, designed to complement the verticality and transparency of the space.
We chose a spiral form inspired by a naqfah, a Saudi Arabian desert whirlwind, creating a tall, dynamic shape that fits the atrium space. The surface design features an abstract pattern of Arabic script drawn from a poem by HRH Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, former Governor of Mecca and Medina. This text was selected for its cultural significance and personal resonance to the hotel’s owner, Prince Bandar bin Saud Al Saud, as the nephew of the poet.
By repeating the verses across the sculpture, ArtLink created a multilayered composition that celebrates both the beauty of Arabic script and the richness of Saudi Arabia’s literary and cultural heritage. Every element was carefully developed to ensure the artwork conveys narrative, cultural meaning, and visual impact throughout the atrium space.
Image via Mandarin Oriental
Image via Mandarin Oriental
Production with Precision
Designing a suspended sculpture for such a space required careful planning. From the start, ArtLink collaborated with the artist and fabricator, transforming an initial rendered design into a 3D scale model, ensuring that the vision could be realized safely and beautifully.
Our engineers provided detailed structural assessments, including calculations and mechanical specifications for every connection point, cable, and assembly step. All documentation was made Eurocode compliant, laying a solid foundation before fabrication even began.
Together with our partners, we determined that the suspended sculpture needed a material that was both lightweight and durable. To meet this requirement, it was fabricated from laser-cut aluminum panels, keeping the total weight under 500 kilograms. Divided into 34 sections, the spiral was carefully engineered to be safely suspended within the glass-clad atrium while remaining visually striking from every floor and from outside the building.
Through value engineering, our team explored materials, manufacturing methods, and assembly processes to reduce costs while maintaining the integrity and impact of the design. Every decision balanced practicality with the artistic vision, ensuring that the sculpture would be as technically sound as it was visually compelling.
Our production management team worked closely with fabricators to produce the piece under a tight six-month schedule, ahead of the original nine-month plan. At every stage this commission was executed to the highest standards of quality and the most sustainable methods available.
Delivery and Installation Across Borders
The spiral form of the sculpture presented a logistical challenge, so it was carefully designed to be flat-packed into a single crate. This approach reduced transport volume and made customs clearance into Saudi Arabia seamless. Our logistics team coordinated closely with the client’s agents to ensure that every detail, from shipment to site preparation, was handled efficiently.
On site, ArtLink’s rigging team, specialists in large-scale suspended artworks, worked hand-in-hand with the client’s contractors to install the sculpture safely and precisely. Every step of the process was carefully managed to protect the integrity of the artwork while achieving a flawless final presentation.
The outcome is a breathtaking centerpiece that not only captures the artistic vision but also carries deep cultural meaning, demonstrating how careful planning and expert coordination can bring ambitious concepts to life.
A Story Suspended
Legacy in Verse exemplifies what ArtLink does best—transforming cultural narratives into tangible, immersive experiences through art.
From concept development to final installation, our team guided every stage of the process, ensuring the artwork enhances the architecture while connecting deeply with its cultural and emotional context.
For guests entering the atrium, the sculpture appears to float effortlessly in the air, drawing the eye upward and inviting reflection. It tells a story of lineage, poetry, and Saudi Arabia’s evolving identity, seamlessly blending tradition and contemporary expression. Every detail, from the spiral form to the layered text, reflects our bespoke approach to narrative-driven art.
Image via Tihany Design
Image via Tihany Design
