Diriyah, May 2024
We are thrilled to announce that JAX District has been designated as an official Industrial Heritage site by the Heritage Commission of the Saudi Ministry of Culture. This prestigious recognition is part of the Industrial Heritage Preservation Program, which aims to protect and celebrate locations of historical industrial significance in terms of technology, society, architecture, and science across Saudi Arabia.
The designation of JAX District highlights its unique blend of industrial architecture and historical transformation, ensuring the preservation of the area’s rich cultural landscape and industrial history. Industrial heritage sites preserve the remnants of industrial culture that are of historical, technological, and architectural significance. They showcase the evolution of industry and its role in shaping societies. Recognizing JAX District not only honors its past as a hub for large-scale industrial projects but also underscores the district’s significant role as a cultural landmark, blending historical preservation with innovative modern uses.
Built in the ’70s as an industrial site for large-scale projects, JAX—named after the inaugural company that built the site—always consisted of breathtaking lines made of hundreds of large warehouses. Today, amidst its bustling streets, one can still witness the indelible marks of its industrial lineage juxtaposed with the unique Najdi architectural designs and 18th-century mud-brick buildings of the neighboring architecture of Diriyah.
By the mid-2000s, the enclave became increasingly abandoned until a group of graffiti artists took over its barren walls using them as a makeshift canvas, and up-and-coming artists settled into workshops, transforming the once-neglected spot into a space where cultural innovation thrives on historical foundations.
Now a buzzing hub thanks to the Ministry of Culture’s regenerative plan, the neighborhood has undergone a remarkable transformation. Central to this transformation has been the proliferation of creative spaces, particularly art galleries, studios, and cafés as well as major cultural institutions and media making JAX their permanent home.
Celebrating both its industrial heritage and contemporary creative culture, JAX is drawing local and international attention through events like the internationally-acclaimed Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, XP MDLBEAST Music Futures, Hia Hub, and the Guinness World Record-breaking Noor Riyadh, that attract visitors from all over the world. SAMoCA, the first contemporary arts museum in the Kingdom, serves as a focal point of the district, while its rich cultural program and hip cafes have attracted a diverse community of explorers and cultural enthusiasts to JAX. This once-forgotten historic neighborhood now thrives as a dynamic and inclusive community where skills and talents are nurtured and showcased.
ABOUT JAX:
JAX District has led the transformation of an industrial heritage site in Diriyah into a creative hub that acclaimed artists, prestigious galleries, and leading media and creative agencies now call home. JAX District provides shared spaces and a platform for the cultural community of Saudi Arabia to contribute to the development of the creative ecosystem, cementing the JAX District’s position as a global destination for art and creativity. Today, the community in Diriyah hosts some of Riyadh’s groundbreaking events, most notably the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, the first Contemporary Art Museum in Saudi Arabia (SAMOCA), MDLBEAST XP Music Futures, Noor Riyadh and Hia Hub, Saudi Arabia’s largest fashion and lifestyle conference.
