In the 1980’s, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, renewed his father’s trust ...by commissioning the company to undertake the second Saudi extension to the two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah.
The project of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the extension of the Makkah Holy Haram and the surrounding piazzas has increased the prayer areas from just over one hundred and fifty thousand square metres accommodating three hundred thousand worshippers, to three hundred and fifty-six thousand square meters which can accommodate more than seven hundred thousand worshippers.
The project of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the extension of the Prophet's Holy Mosque in Madinah is the largest in Islamic History. Including the surrounding piazzas, the prayer areas have been increased from sixteen and a half thousand square metres accommodating forty-five thousand worshippers, to over four hundred thousand square metres accommodating more than seven hundred thousand worshippers. Around the mosque and beneath the piazza, a car park has been built with space for four thou sand two hundred cars and other services.
The temperature within the building is regulated by one of the largest air-conditioning systems in the world. Two million cubic feet of cool fresh air can be pumped throughout the Mosque every minute... whilst innovations such as twenty seven sliding domes have been used for the first time to support the climatic control system by enclosing the open courtyards of the new extension.
At the same time, the two large courtyards of the First Saudi Extension are entirely covered by twelve mechanical umbrellas. All of this has been accomplished from the initial design stage to completion. This project is the most complex and prestigious of its kind... utilising the ingenuity and skill of 35,000 employees.... And drawing on international experts.
