INTERCULTURAL COMPLEX WITH RUSSIAN CULTURAL CENTER AND ORTHODOX CHURCH COMPLEX IN SAUDI ARABIA

The Russian Cultural Center with an Orthodox church complex can become a link between Russia and Saudi Arabia, a meeting place for the Russian expatriate community, as well as a large platform for intercultural international interaction, including the neighboring regions. Saudi Arabia is an ancient region of the Antiochian Church and Antiochian theology, whose spread reached even India. Africa inherited the legacy of the Alexandrian theological school. The Russian Church has learned from both schools. In connection with the recently opened gates to Asia, the intercultural dialogue in the Russian Cultural Center in Saudi Arabia and the presence of the Russian Orthodox Church as a link, forming friendly contacts, seem very promising.

The architecture of the complex consists of the interconnected volumes divided into three main zones. On the south side, there is a Russian church. Its design is slightly different from traditional Russian church architecture, being adapted to the context of the Arabian Peninsula. In front of the church, there is a large accumulation area. From the north, it is flanked by an administrative block, a residential block with guestrooms, and public spaces. This zone includes a Russian cultural center, which combines the Russian cultural complex itself and the public area in the center of the entire site. The facades of this block are designed using a fractal system, following the principle of parametric architecture. Towards the western part, there is a refectory with a shared kitchen and a café overlooking the central square. The inviting western facade faces a public building. It includes a reception, a coworking space, meeting and conference rooms, a multifunctional center adapted for various events, a youth campus, a cinema, a library, and a conference hall. In the northern part, there is a similar zone with a Coptic church. In addition to the temple, it includes an administrative block, a residential block, and a Coptic (African) cultural center. The integrative part is a large building, which is also intended for public events. The central square is designed for all visitors to the complex and serves as an intercultural integration site.