Buro Happold signs landmark agreement with Expo 2030 Riyadh Company to deliver detailed master plan and infrastructure and public realm design for Expo 2030 Riyadh

Bath, England & Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Buro Happold, a leading global engineering, design and advisory consultancy, has signed a major contract with Expo 2030 Riyadh Company to serve as the lead design consultant for the detailed master plan and detailed design of public realm, landscape, infrastructure and utilities for Expo 2030 Riyadh and its legacy. This partnership represents a significant step toward delivering an event billed as “An Unprecedented World Expo”. 

Expo 2030 Riyadh is expected to feature nearly 197 participating countries and attract over 42 million visits to Pavilions covering approximately 6 million sqm. The event will offer a unique opportunity for participants to address shared challenges and showcase pioneering solutions for a sustainable future. 

Under the agreement, Buro Happold will provide comprehensive design and technical services, including, development of the detailed master plan, including a focus on event requirements and legacy phase elements, detailed design of the infrastructure works, utilities, public realm, landscape and engineering technical support during the construction works. 

This scope ensures that Expo 2030 Riyadh will be delivered to the highest standards of innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence. 

Oliver Plunkett, CEO of Buro Happold, commented: "We are proud to partner with Expo 2030 Riyadh Company and bring our 50 years of experience working in Saudi Arabia to the project. Our role as lead design consultant for the detailed master plan and infrastructure design underscores our commitment to creating world-class, sustainable environments. A vision on this scale requires us to approach the design with sensitivity to both the event itself and the legacy it will leave for the Kingdom and generations to come." 

Talal Al-Marri, CEO of Expo 2030 Riyadh Company, said: "Expo 2030 Riyadh is a defining moment for Saudi Arabia. By engaging Buro Happold as our lead design consultant, we ensure that the event’s master plan and infrastructure are delivered to the highest international standards. Together, we will create an unforgettable experience that reflects our aspirations for progress, sustainability, and cultural exchange." 

Expo 2030 Riyadh promises a theme of “Foresight for Tomorrow” and is seen as a key component of the Kingdom’s “Vision 2030” - a blueprint for diversifying the economy, empowering citizens, creating a vibrant environment for both local and international investors, and establishing Saudi Arabia as a global leader.