Jeddah Architectural Guide | CP/13

Following the recently completed headquarters buildings of both the National Commercial Bank (NCB) by SOM (1983) and the Saudi British Bank (SABB) by RMJM (1983), the Saudi American Bank (SAMBA) completed its headquarters building in 1988. Located on the prime Andalus Road, the latest addition to regional headquarters buildings in the city of Jeddah, which by then has established itself as one of the main banking centres in the region. Ushering in a new era of commercial activity in the city, banking institutions become not mere buildings, but monuments in and of the city.

The Saudi American Bank seems to be a built manifestation of this era. It is a project that realizes a quantum leap in Jeddah’s urban landscape in terms of design, engineering, choice of architects, and venturing into modernity.

The bank was a design collaboration between the Saudi Al-Rasheed Consulting office and the American Architecture firm Caudill Rowlett Scott (CRS), which has been active in the Middle East, with many significant contributions to the region. Established in Texas in the 1950s, the firm gained recognition, especially in the education sector, building schools and university campuses across the United States through the 1960s and 1970s. According to the ed­i­tor of ArchitectureWeek “they be­came known as mas­ters of mod­ern prac­tice and con­struc­tion man­age­ment.”

This reputation brought international opportunities for the firm. Dur­ing the 1970s CRS be­came known for pres­ti­gious pro­jects in the Middle East, in­clud­ing the campus of the Uni­ver­sity of Pe­tro­leum and Min­er­als (now known as King Fahd Uni­ver­sity of Pe­tro­leum and Min­er­als) in Dhahran, which is no­table for its con­tem­po­rary Is­lamic de­sign. The firm was also ac­tive in Kuwait and else­where in the Gulf States.

CRS accumulated an inventory of experiences and knowledge that is demonstrated in the design of the Saudi American Bank.

The bank is more horizontal than vertical, a characteristic of dense and complex settlements, making the bank almost “city-like”, with three separate buildings instead of one, which creates a small courtyard in between. The bank has clear entrances from the street and the access to them seems to be visually clear, expressing both an understanding of openness and containment interchangeably. Such a form provides continuity of the visual field, where the separate buildings overlook each other. Its covered walkways and transparent facades prove that although the buildings are separate, they are not in isolation and seem to work as an integrated whole.

The building consists of three separate buildings around a small courtyard with an elevated slab. The building is distinguished by an attractive layout of distributing spaces and separation among them, such as the cluster dedicated to the retail branch with its clear entrances or the part dedicated to management, which overlooks the super roof of the branch cluster.

The first suite or cluster consists of a branch for the public, composed of two floors connected by central stairs. The second suit contains the regional management constructed in the shape of a traditional rectangular office building with several services and rises up to six floors. The third component is multistory parking.

 The bank’s main glass facade is perhaps an expression to the public of the Bank’s transparency, while the surrounding solid pre-cast concrete shell of the main clusters seems to portray the classic banking foundation and legacy. This imposing yet elegant appearance reflects the bank’s economic resources and capacity, inviting and convincing future customers of its potential and capabilities.

The building still commands an impressive presence in the city landscape, which can be seen as one passes through Jeddah’s busy Andalus Street.

Drawings & photography by urbanphenomena ©

References:

1. 1. Caudill Rowlett Scott. (n.d.). In ArchINFORM. Retrieved November 16, 2025, from https://www.archinform.net/arch/58444.htm
   2. FundingUniverse. (n.d.). CRSS Inc. history. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/crss-inc-history/
   3. The Saudi American Bank. (1988). Albenaa, 7(42), 36-41.