Mecca Mosque, Saudi Arabia

Pre-finished with a brilliant white gelcoat on the exterior-facing side, the dome’s cladding panels needed no further painting or external treatment once installed, and achieve a Class 1 fire rating in accordance with BS476 Parts 1 and 2.

To transport the dome safely on the long trans-Arabian road journey from Bahrain to Mecca, it was decided to fabricate the internal and external skins in 32 segments each. Assembling on site under BFG’s supervision, the FRP sandwich panels were fixed to the existing steel-framed structure using steel brackets and an ingenious hanger system.

The result is a landmark dome that is the very centrepiece of the university’s fast-growing campus. It will require little or no maintenance over the decades to come, and is a fraction of the weight of the concrete alternative, yet every bit as robust – able to withstand a sand-laden wind load of up to 120 km/h.