Gold Souq Aikin Farko: Gunduwar Birni by Ahmed Habib

Gold Souq Aikin Farko: Gunduwar Birni by Ahmed Habib is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Kyautar A' Design Award ta Tagulla in Tsarin Birni Competition Category.

TagullaTsarin Birni· 2026

Gold Souq Aikin Farko: Gunduwar Birni

by Ahmed Habib

Client: Ahmed Habib

Kyautar A' Design Award ta Tagulla Winner in Tsarin Birni Category

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Colors

The Design

About Gold Souq Aikin Farko: Gunduwar Birni

Rubutun Littafi: Gold Souq gunduwar birni ce mai girman murabba'in mita 356,000 a Jeddah da ke da amfani iri-iri wadda ke sake fasalta kasuwar zinariya a matsayin tsarin birni hade. An kirkire ta a matsayin masaki mai ci gaba, tana hada sana'a, kasuwanci, al'adu, da karbar baki cikin tsari na sarari mai bayyana. Wani babban hanyar tafiya ta masu tafiya da kafa ce ke daidaita ci gaban, tana mikewa zuwa farfajiyoyin da aka samo daga ka'idojin birni na Hijazi domin samar da kwarewa mai sauki da tafiyar kafa wadda inuwa, yawan gini, da kusanci suka tsara. An saka aikin muhalli a cikin sigar birni, inda yawan gini da sararin budewa ke tallafawa kwanciyar hankali, ci gaba, da kuma tantance ainihin birni mai daidaito.

The Recognition

About the Kyautar A' Design Award ta Tagulla

Zanen Gold Souq Aikin Farko: Gunduwar Birni ya lashe Kyautar A' Design Award ta Tagulla, wata karramawa mai tsananin daraja da ake bai wa zane-zane na musamman waɗanda ke da ƙirƙira, basira da hikima. Waɗanda suka lashe kyautar Tagulla kayayyakin fasaha ne masu ƙwarewa da ƙirƙira mai ban mamaki waɗanda ke tabbatar da babban gogewa, tunani da dabarun masu zanensu. Ana sa ran zanen Gold Souq Aikin Farko: Gunduwar Birni ya zama abu da ake girmamawa sosai, ake sha'awa da ƙauna, mai ƙwarewa da ƙirƙire-ƙirƙire. Wannan zane da ya lashe Kyautar A' Design Award ta Tagulla yana haɗa mafi kyawun ayyuka a fasaha, kimiyya, zane da fasahar zamani, kuma yana da kyau saboda kulawarsa ga cikakkun bayanai. Zanen Gold Souq Aikin Farko: Gunduwar Birni yana biyan buƙatu da kyau, yana taɓa sha'awa, yana jan hankalin zukata kuma yana jawo sha'awar sani.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This design redefines the gold market as a complete urban ecosystem where production, trade, and public life coexist. Unlike conventional commercial developments, it integrates retail, workshops, education, and culture within a pedestrian network of shaded streets and courtyards inspired by Hijazi urbanism. A central flow structure organizes movement and visibility, while climate-responsive design ensures comfort. Its strength lies in merging heritage principles with a contemporary, high-performance urban model.
Dimensions & Packaging: Plot Area 356,000 sqm
Foot Print 72,500 sqm
built up area 418,000 sqm
Tags: Hijazi architecture, gold market, mixed-use development, urban ecosystem, pedestrian spine, climate responsive design, souq reinterpretation, cultural urbanism, parametric planning, public realm, Jeddah, Saudia
Production Technology: The design was developed through a parametric and iterative methodology linking circulation, program distribution, and climatic performance. A central flow spine informed massing and spatial hierarchy, supported by simulations for shading and ventilation. Traditional Hijazi elements were reinterpreted using stone cladding, precast concrete, steel structures, timber and wood screens, and high-performance glazing, ensuring durability, thermal efficiency, buildability, and a strong expression of local identity.
Design Challenge: The main challenge was translating the organic complexity of historic Hijazi souks into a contemporary, buildable urban system. Internally, it required balancing cultural authenticity with modern program demands and user expectations. Externally, constraints included climate conditions, large-scale coordination, and regulatory frameworks. The design resolved these through a structured flow-based approach, integrating environmental strategies and flexible planning to maintain identity while ensuring feasibility and performance.
Research: Type of Research: applied urban and climatic research. Research Objectives: to redefine the traditional gold market as a resilient mixed-use ecosystem. Methodology: comparative analysis of historic souks and contemporary retail districts combined with environmental simulations. Data Collection and Tools: solar studies, pedestrian flow mapping, and heat analysis models. Participants: planners, economists, and local stakeholders. Results: improved environmental comfort and commercial synergy. Insights and Impact: a scalable model linking heritage, economic performance, and climate-responsive urban design.
Inspiration: The project is inspired by the organic growth of historic Hijazi cities, where movement, climate, and commerce shape urban form over time. Traditional souqs were not planned as isolated buildings but emerged as interconnected networks of streets, courtyards, and shaded passages driven by trade and social interaction. This logic informed the design, where a continuous flow organizes space and activity. The aim was to reinterpret these principles within a contemporary framework, creating a resilient environment that reflects local identity while supporting modern patterns of production and exchange.
Project Duration: Design started in May 2025 and finished in December 2025, in Cairo, Egypt. The Project is to be executed n Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Operation Flow: The project operates through a continuous pedestrian flow that structures movement, visibility, and interaction. A central spine connects courtyards, retail, workshops, and cultural spaces, creating sequential experiences from arrival to immersion. Vehicular access is limited to the perimeter, ensuring a safe, walkable environment. Layered circulation enhances accessibility and engagement, while the integration of production and trade within public space creates a dynamic, efficient, and socially active urban system.
Image Credits: Ahmed Habib