Riyadh Air Hawafa Lounge

Where the Journey Begins

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Launched in November 2025 as Saudi Arabia's new national carrier, Riyadh Air the Hafawa Lounge at King Khalid International Airport. The nearly 2,000 square meter space welcomes approximately 370 Business Elite and Business Class guests, marking the airline's first premium airport lounge.

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Designed for Generosity

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Riyadh Air set out to create a lounge that moves beyond the conventions of the typology. Grounded in Hafawa and deeply rooted in Saudi culture, the space is defined by warmth and generosity, while expressing the airline’s technology-forward approach to restorative travel.

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The Desert as a Muse

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Yabu Pushelberg crafted a holistic design that unites interior architecture, industrial design, lighting, and wayfinding into a technology-forward sequence of spaces layered with tactility and precision.

Inspired by wind-shaped desert dunes and the boundless skies above, each environment becomes a dialogue between earth and sky. Drawing from the Saudi landscape, the interiors explore a series of dualities: grounded yet ethereal, comforting yet technologically advanced. A restrained color palette, authentic materials, and textured finishes establish a calm, welcoming atmosphere.

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Light Leads The Way

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Light is integral to the experience. A carefully orchestrated circadian system evolves throughout the day - warm at dawn, cooler through midday, and warm again at dusk echoing the natural rhythms of desert light.

Within this framework, nuanced accents of color peach, lavender, and indigo appear at key moments, subtly referencing  Riyadh Air’s brand palette while enhancing orientation, comfort, and a sense of place.

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A Sequence of Spaces

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Rather than a single open layout, the spatial flow draws from residential planning, creating a sequence of interconnected rooms, each supporting different moods and allowing guests to tailor their experience.

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A sculptural arrival zone marks the transition from terminal to sanctuary, leading into a series of dining and living areas: the Pantry for informal dining, the Balcony Café for social gathering, and The Study and The Parlor, which offer the intimacy of a living room. Spa-like bathrooms and private sleeping pods provide moments of retreat and restoration.

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