Al-Ghat City is the birthplace of His Excellency Prince Abdulrahman Al-Sudairy, with whom it is closely connected through his upbringing and his family’s history in the area. Despite the long period the founder spent away from Al-Ghat, his attachment to it never diminished. In accordance with his wishes, his sons and daughters established the Dar Al-Rahmaniyah Cultural Center in Al-Ghat Governorate in 1424 AH (2003 AD). It is a branch of the Abdulrahman Al-Sudairy Charitable Foundation, with an independent endowment, and its objectives stem from the core goals of the Abdulrahman Al-Sudairy Cultural Center.
Dar Al-Rahmaniyah is located in the heart of Al-Arniyah Orchard, a farm endowed by the founder on 3/6/1407 AH in honor of his parents—may Allah forgive them—whose proceeds are allocated to funding Dar Al-Rahmaniyah. Its design took into account the surrounding rural environment of Al-Ghat, resulting in a Najdi architectural style characterized by mud-brick buildings, Najdi arches, and a mosque with an open prayer area overlooking the courtyard.
One of the most distinctive features of the Dar Al-Rahmaniyah building is its use of natural construction materials, most of which are sourced from the local environment. These include straw blocks (local hay bales) as a primary unit in constructing walls and ventilation towers, coated with mud; palm fronds and wood used in ceilings; and Al-Ghat stone used for flooring and cladding of the building and its surrounding areas. Additionally, a tent structure serves as the roof of the lecture hall.
By adopting this traditional architectural approach, Dar Al-Rahmaniyah combines practical benefits, such as improved thermal insulation and reduced energy costs, with a meaningful homage to Al-Ghat’s heritage. The building’s design embodies the center’s mission of cultural preservation and community enrichment.
Dar Al-Rahmaniyah is situated within Al-Arniyah Orchard, the farm endowed by the founder on 3/6/1407 AH for his parents—may Allah forgive them—whose revenues are directed toward financing Dar Al-Rahmaniyah.
Its design reflects careful consideration of the surrounding rural environment of Al-Ghat, expressed through a Najdi architectural style featuring mud structures, Najdi arches, and a mosque with an open prayer space overlooking the courtyard.
Perhaps the most prominent feature of the Dar Al-Rahmaniyah building is the use of natural construction materials, primarily from the local environment, such as straw blocks (local hay bales) as a core element in building walls and ventilation towers, combined with mud plastering, palm fronds and wood in the ceilings, and Al-Ghat stone for flooring and cladding of the building and its surrounding areas, in addition to the use of a tent as the roof of the lecture hall.
This architectural style—along with its aesthetic appeal and distinctive Najdi character—enhanced thermal insulation, reduced energy costs for cooling, and reinforced its connection to the authenticity of traditional construction in Al-Ghat’s heritage buildings. It truly summarizes the fundamental message of the Centre.
