Allen Architecture Interior Design (AAID) transformed SURJ’s headquarters into a hub of energy and ambition, reflecting the company’s dynamic spirit.
In the heart of Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), a new office space is redefining what it means to work in the sports investment sector. Spanning 1,600 sqm, the headquarters of Sports Investment Company (SURJ) is not just a workplace, it is a manifesto of energy, ambition, and vision.
As Saudi Arabia’s leading sports investment firm, SURJ is on a mission to “kick off a new age for the Kingdom’s sports sector.” This is not a mission defined by caution, but by courage, a willingness to break away from tradition and supercharge the country’s expansion into the global sporting arena. The design of the new headquarters reflects that ethos. Bold, dynamic, and immersive, it is a space that embodies focus, determination, and spirit with qualities shared by athletes and corporate pioneers alike.
A Concept of Breakthrough
The central design narrative, Breakthrough, captures SURJ’s disruptive energy and forward momentum. It represents not only the company’s role in transforming the Saudi sports landscape but also the drive and resilience of athletes themselves.
In practice, this concept translates into spaces that feel kinetic and charged. Walls and surfaces carry angular forms and bold cuts, creating visual tension and the sense of something pushing forward. Sporting elements are integrated in unexpected ways, not as decoration, but as design features that encourage interaction, play, and collaboration. The result is an environment where energy flows freely, sparking creativity and reinforcing SURJ’s commitment to challenging conventions.
Materiality & Brand Identity
SURJ’s brand identity is unapologetically present throughout the office. Signature colors appear consistently, reinforcing recognition while creating a visual rhythm that unifies the space.
Materials and textures echo the world of sport: perforated metal panels suggest stadium structures, rubberized finishes reference track and field, while polished concrete grounds the space in strength and durability. Bright accents, reflective surfaces, and dynamic lighting add to the sense of momentum, giving employees and visitors alike the impression of stepping into an arena rather than an office.
The brand’s ethos of “Focus, Determination, Spirit” is carried across every detail from feature walls to collaborative zones ensuring the identity is not only seen but felt.
A Playground for Productivity
At 1,600 sqm, the SURJ headquarters balances serious business with a sense of play. Alongside workstations, meeting rooms, and executive offices, the layout incorporates entertainment and recreation facilities designed to energize employees and build team spirit.
Interactive features inspired by sports equipment encourage moments of movement and casual connection, while flexible collaboration hubs support brainstorming and strategy sessions. Quiet zones balance the high energy with spaces for focus and reflection, ensuring the office works as hard as it plays.
This duality of functionality and fun reflects the nature of sport itself: discipline tempered by passion, competition balanced by camaraderie.
A Vision for the Future
The SURJ office in KAFD is more than a home for a company. It is a living embodiment of Saudi Arabia’s sporting ambitions and a bold statement of intent to lead, disrupt, and transform. Through the Breakthrough concept, AAID has created a space that inspires employees, welcomes partners, and communicates a brand narrative without words.
It is a place where work and play, strategy and energy, focus and freedom collide and in that collision, SURJ finds its breakthrough.
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