The Luxury Collection Hotel, Bab Samhan, KSA

Client: DGCL
Industry: Hospitality, Heritage Luxury Hotel
Year: 2025
Location: Diriyah, Riyadh, KSA

Services: Art Consultancy and Art Supply

Featured Artists: Abdul Wahhab Otaif, Abdullah Bin Saqr, Ahmed AlFowzan, Ahmed AlJubair, Art of Heritage, Alion Studio, Aziza Iqbal, Big Art Co., Buthaynah AlHarthi, Debjani, Fatimah AlDubais, Gunjan Arora, Haneefa Usmani, Jovana Maksoudian, Mohammed El Zaeem, Obaid BuHameed, Raghad Tirsen, Reem Abdulghani, Saad Al Howede, Sarei Emad, Sorosh Michelle, Yulia Gorgaeva

Total no. of Artworks Delivered: 449
Total no. of Artists Engaged: 716

Located in the heart of Diriyah and set within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bab Samhan is built on the foundations of a 300-year-old Najdi village. More than a luxury hotel, it is a ‘Bab’ a gateway into the living heritage of Saudi Arabia, where history, tradition, and craftsmanship are celebrated at every turn.

Capsule Arts developed the art collection through a research-led approach, gathering insight from Riyadh’s museums, local souks, and conversations with custodians, traders, craftsmen, artists, and historians. This commitment to authenticity shaped a collection where every piece whether an artist commission or repurposed object reflects true Najdi design and cultural accuracy while embracing a contemporary Saudi aesthetic.

The narrative is built on four key elements: Nature, Culture, Communal Living, and Architecture. These threads weave through the hotel, from the arrival experience marked by hand-painted Najdi doors by the Al Fawzan family, to the lobby’s layered installations, including textiles by Dr. Saad Al Howede, collaborative royal portraits by Reem Abdulghani and Yulia Gorgaeva, and hand drawings by Obaid Bahumayed.

Across dining and leisure spaces, the artworks reflect the diversity of Saudi traditions. The Najdi Signature Restaurant showcases Sarei Emad’s hand-painted ceramic plates depicting At-Turaif, while Taleed by Michael Mina features Hejazi-inspired works by regional and Saudi artists, including narrative illustrations, geometric art, and intricate paper cuttings. The spa houses Raghad Tirsen’s sculptural plasterwork reinterpreting Najdi motifs, alongside photography framed with custom laser-cut mounts. Guestrooms and suites blend photography, embroidery, and digital artworks, each carefully framed or mounted with bespoke details such as raw silk mats embroidered with Najdi patterns.

Every accessory from decorative vessels painted with Najdi patterns to woven textiles and heritage jewellery was custom made or locally sourced, adding texture and depth to the interiors. Many materials were collected from artisan workshops in Riyadh, then integrated into unique compositions displayed in custom frames, vitrines, or mounted with bespoke hardware.

Working within a heritage-listed site brought distinct challenges, including irregular layouts, camel-width corridors, thick mudbrick walls, and architectural features such as Tarma, Alfuraj, and Shuraf. Capsule Arts engineered precise installation methods to ensure the artworks integrated seamlessly without compromising conservation requirements.

In total, over 1,000 bespoke pieces were delivered, and several works initially destined for private spaces were moved into public areas during installation to enhance guest engagement. Interpretive brass plaques accompany key artworks, crediting the artists and sharing the inspiration and techniques behind each piece, transforming the hotel into a living museum.

Bab Samhan stands as a benchmark for culturally anchored, contemporary luxury in Saudi Arabia expanding networks of Saudi artists, reviving endangered skills, and delivering site-specific works that honour both heritage and innovation in alignment with Vision 2030.