Located in As-Salam, the King Abdulaziz Grand Mosque is a modern day architectural style mosque. It is the largest mosque in the city of Aj Kharj with a capacity of around 2,500 worshippers.

The King Abdul Aziz Mosque was envisioned as a central component of a larger urban redevelopment plan, replacing an old mosque that was demolished to make way for a new civic centre in Al-Kharj. The challenge was to design a mosque that would blend seamlessly with the new urban fabric, integrating religious, social, and commercial functions while maintaining a strong connection to the agricultural surroundings of Al-Kharj. Additionally, the project required an architectural approach that balanced tradition and modernity, ensuring a contemporary interpretation of mosque architecture while adhering to cultural and climatic sensitivities.

Designed by Dar Al Omran – Rasem Badran (DAO-Badran), the design embraced the essence of traditional mosques while introducing contemporary elements that responded to the site’s environmental and urban context. The spatial composition was carefully orchestrated, positioning the mosque in relation to a public plaza, a justice square, and a vegetable market, ensuring that the mosque remained a spiritual nucleus within the community’s daily life.

The design utilized a series of shaded and semi-shaded areas, creating transitional zones that connected enclosed prayer spaces with open courtyards, ensuring thermal comfort while enhancing the spatial experience. The landscape and plazas surrounding the mosque were deeply influenced by the region’s agricultural character, incorporating gardens and shaded walkways that provided a serene extension of the mosque’s sacred space. The architecture was deeply rooted in Islamic principles, using geometric forms, locally sourced materials, and natural ventilation strategies to ensure both authenticity and environmental responsiveness.

The King Abdul Aziz Mosque stands as a model for integrating religious architecture within a larger urban framework, ensuring that spirituality, functionality, and public life coexist harmoniously. By preserving the essence of traditional Islamic architecture while introducing modern urban planning strategies, the project successfully redefines the role of the mosque as both a sacred and civic space. Through its sensitive approach to climate, materiality, and community engagement, the mosque remains a timeless landmark in Al-Kharj, embodying the continuity of tradition while embracing the aspirations of contemporary Saudi urban development.