Foster + Partners Reimagines Island Living in Saudi Red Sea With Laheq

Expanding its imprint on the Red Sea’s evolving hospitality landscape, Foster + Partners has unveiled Laheq, a residential-led island development commissioned by Red Sea Global. Set to become the first permanent community within this pristine archipelago, Laheq transforms the untouched, 400-hectare island into a low-impact sanctuary.

Rooted in the conceptual vision of a Forever Garden, the project envisions a lush, elevated retreat where greenery unfurls across every surface and serenity becomes a spatial language. Raised lightly above the water’s edge, Laheq is sculpted with green roofs, shaded pergolas, and airy canopies that stitch together indoor ease and outdoor delight. These gestures are more than aesthetic—they serve as climate-conscious strategies to enhance thermal comfort, protect from direct sun.

In Laheq, Foster + Partners reimagine the island resort as a living, breathing ecosystem. A place where architecture does not impose but invites nature to reclaim its rhythms. At the heart of Laheq lies a powerful gesture, an 800-metre-wide circular structure named The Ring.

Encircling a crystalline lagoon and stretches of white sand, The Ring draws a bold, geometric breath across the island’s center, and allows for minimal environmental disturbance while offering uninterrupted sea views and intimate lagoon access—a delicate balance of design and restraint. This commanding design choice forms both a spatial anchor and a symbolic core reflecting the project’s environmental ethos: a closed-loop system where recycled water nourishes greenery, and landscape is seamlessly woven into architecture.

Within The Ring, a vibrant community takes shape—residences are joined by a 115-berth marina, two hotels, a beach club, sailing and watersports schools, a racket club, an 18-hole golf course, and a souk. Together, they form a living tapestry of leisure, learning, and quiet luxury.

A unifying architectural vocabulary—defined by layered timber structures and Mondrian-like geometry—threads through the development, weaving a warm, textured aesthetic that blends seamlessly with its context. The development features a diverse collection of residences, from refined apartments nestled within The Ring to expansive villas lining the island’s pristine shoreline. Additional residential clusters are thoughtfully positioned across the southern, central, and northern zones, each designed to feel both distinct and connected.

Photography Credit: Foster + Partners