{"id":107160,"date":"2026-07-12T12:01:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T09:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/?p=107160"},"modified":"2026-07-12T12:01:56","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T09:01:56","slug":"%d8%a3%d8%a8%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%ac-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%81%d8%a6%d8%a9-a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%aa%d9%8a-%d8%aa%d8%b9%d9%85%d9%84-%d8%a8%d8%b9%d9%82%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%81%d8%a6%d8%a9-c-%d9%84","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/107160\/","title":{"rendered":"Class A towers operating with a Class C mindset... Why aren't our luxury offices competitive on the international stage?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you stand in front of someone <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/78708\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"78708\">The Shiny Office Towers<\/a><\/strong> In Riyadh, with its reflective glass facade and stunning architectural design, you might think at first glance that you\u2019re looking at a workspace on par with the best that New York, London, or Singapore have to offer. Global and local companies pay rents of up to 3,630 riyals per square meter annually, expecting a full \u00abGrade A\u00bb experience in every detail. But once you step past the luxurious marble lobby, the real story begins to unfold.<br>Slow elevators that make you wait a long time during rush hour, parking spaces that aren\u2019t enough for even half the employees, central air conditioning with unadjustable temperature settings, and a facilities management team that deals with breakdowns with a \u00abreactive\u00bb approach rather than preventive maintenance. These are not exceptions, but rather the daily reality experienced by many companies in towers that are theoretically classified among the highest categories.<br>In this investigation, we take an in-depth look at <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cityscapeglobal.com\/ar?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=organic_search&amp;utm_campaign=Unspecified\">The Saudi Office Market<\/a><\/strong>...let\u2019s shed light on the gap between \u00abon-paper ratings\u00bb and \u00abactual experience,\u00bb and why our luxury towers need a comprehensive redefinition of the concept of quality to keep pace with the aspirations of Vision 2030 and compete on the international stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Classification: How Do We Define Category A?<\/strong><br>Globally, no single entity has a monopoly on classifying office buildings, but there is a consensus among major real estate consulting firms on specific criteria. Grade A buildings are the best in their class, characterized by strategic locations, advanced technical infrastructure, high energy efficiency, and integrated services that include security, concierge, and professional facilities management.<br>In contrast, Category B consists of buildings that are in good condition but are older and lack luxury features, while Category C consists of older buildings with basic infrastructure and limited amenities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The problem with our local market lies in \u00abgrade inflation.\u00bb Many developers label their projects \u00abGrade A\u00bb simply by using modern glass facades and a good location, ignoring the fact that the true classification lies in the \u00absoftware\u00bb (facilities and services management) and not just in the \u201chardware\u201d (concrete structure).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Foreign Headquarters Boost Occupancy Rates<\/strong><br>The office market in Riyadh is experiencing unprecedented growth. With the success of the Regional Headquarters Program\u2014which has attracted more than 700 global companies as of early 2026, surpassing the Vision 2030 target of 500 companies ahead of schedule\u2014 finding premium office space has become a real challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The occupancy rate for Class A office space in Riyadh reached 99%, an exceptional figure by global standards. This tremendous demand pushed average Class A rents to 2,750 riyals per square meter annually, a 15.1% increase year-over-year. In prime locations, rents reached 3,630 riyals per square meter.<br>This shortage of prime supply has forced many companies to turn to Class B offices, causing rents to rise by a staggering 26% to reach 1,335 riyals per square meter. When the market is in such a \u00ablandlord\u2019s market,\u00bb some landlords have little incentive to invest in improving the quality of facility management, as the building is fully leased regardless of the level of service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An employee\u2019s day-to-day experience is the true measure of an office building\u2019s quality. When we compare some of our luxury towers to international standards, several fundamental challenges become apparent:<br><strong>First, the crisis of positions<\/strong>: In cities like London or Singapore, employees rely heavily on public transportation, which reduces the need for parking spaces. In Riyadh, however, where the car is the primary mode of transportation, allocating one parking space for every 50 or 100 square meters of leasable space creates a daily crisis for employees and visitors alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Second, elevator efficiency: <\/strong>In Class A buildings worldwide, the number and speed of elevators are calculated based on detailed traffic analysis to ensure that wait times do not exceed 30 seconds during peak hours. In contrast, some of our towers suffer from daily bottlenecks due to poor planning or reliance on outdated guidance systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Third, Facilities Management:<\/strong> This is the biggest difference: professional management isn\u2019t limited to cleanliness and security\u2014it also includes predictive maintenance of HVAC systems, indoor air quality management, and providing a seamless experience for tenants. Unfortunately, some towers are still managed with a \u00abClass C\u00bb mindset, where action is taken only after a breakdown occurs.<br>The challenge isn\u2019t limited to rent and facility management. When a company leases space in a luxury tower, it often takes delivery of the space on a \u201cshell and core\u201d basis. The cost of a fit-out in Riyadh ranges from 1,200 to 2,000 riyals per square meter for a premium-level space and may exceed 3,500 riyals for a luxury-level space. .<br>This means that a company renting 500 square meters might pay more than one million riyals to fit out the office before any employee even starts working. In markets such as Dubai or London, landlords often offer tenant improvement allowances to help cover these costs, a concept that remains rare in our local market due to strong demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>New Classification Criteria<\/strong><br>While we\u2019re discussing the challenges of elevators and parking, the world is moving toward entirely new standards. The British Council of Offices (BCO) recently announced that the current rating system (A, B, C) has become \u00abunfit for purpose,\u00bb with 97% of real estate professionals believing it needs to be changed. .<br>The new global standard is moving toward evaluating offices based on sustainability (such as LEED and BREEAM certifications), technology (WiredScore), and the quality of the work environment and employee health (WELL Certification). In Singapore, for example, 90% of Class A office space holds green building certifications. .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Exemplary Models by International Standards<\/strong><br>Despite the challenges, there are undeniably promising examples shaping the future of the office market in Saudi Arabia. The King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) represents a quantum leap that comes very close to meeting strict international standards. With rents ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 riyals per square meter, the center offers integrated infrastructure, professional facilities management, and global sustainability certifications.<br>This project demonstrates that the Saudi market is capable of delivering a real estate product that can compete on a global scale when an ambitious vision is combined with meticulous execution and professional management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>700,000 square meters to get back on track<\/strong><br>With more than 700,000 square meters of Class A office space expected to enter the Riyadh market by late 2026, through mega-projects such as Diriyah Gate and the non-profit Prince Mohammed bin Salman City (Misk), we have a golden opportunity to get back on track.<br>These new spaces must not be limited to beautiful glass facades; rather, they must adopt global standards in facilities management, sustainability, and user experience. Developers who understand that \u00abCategory \u00a0\u00abA\" category is a commitment to delivering exceptional service every day\u2014not just a marketing slogan\u2014are the ones who will lead the market in the coming phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Saudi real estate market is maturing rapidly, and international and local companies have become more discerning and demanding. It is no longer acceptable to pay Class A prices for Class C services. The time has come to elevate the interiors of our luxury towers so that they truly serve as a showcase befitting the ambitions of our growing economy.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">Minutes<\/span><\/span>When you stand in front of one of Riyadh\u2019s gleaming office towers, with its reflective glass facade and stunning architectural design, you might think at first glance that you\u2019re looking at a workspace on par with the best that New York, London, or Singapore have to offer. International and local companies pay rents of up to 3,630 riyals per square meter annually, expecting a full \u00abGrade A\u00bb experience in every detail. But\u2026 <a title=\"Class A towers operating with a Class C mindset... Why aren&#039;t our luxury offices competitive on the international stage?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/107160\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about A-class towers that operate with the mentality of C-class buildings.. Why our luxury offices are not internationally competitive?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":72,"featured_media":105126,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"amlak_video_sent":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[114],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-107160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinions-and-analyses"],"acf":{"amlak_post_excerpt":"\u062a\u062d\u0642\u064a\u0642 \u064a\u0631\u0635\u062f \u0641\u062c\u0648\u0629 \u0645\u0624\u0644\u0645\u0629 \u0628\u064a\u0646 \u062a\u0635\u0646\u064a\u0641 \u0623\u0628\u0631\u0627\u062c \u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636 \u0627\u0644\u0641\u0627\u062e\u0631\u0629 \u0648\u062e\u062f\u0645\u0627\u062a\u0647\u0627 \u0627\u0644\u0641\u0639\u0644\u064a\u0629\u060c \u0648\u0633\u0637 \u0637\u0644\u0628 \u0642\u064a\u0627\u0633\u064a \u064a\u0636\u0639\u0641 \u0627\u0644\u062d\u0627\u0641\u0632 \u0644\u062a\u062d\u0633\u064a\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u062c\u0648\u062f\u0629.","amlak_post_excerpt_source":{"label":"Amlak post excerpt","type":"text","formatted_value":"\u062a\u062d\u0642\u064a\u0642 \u064a\u0631\u0635\u062f \u0641\u062c\u0648\u0629 \u0645\u0624\u0644\u0645\u0629 \u0628\u064a\u0646 \u062a\u0635\u0646\u064a\u0641 \u0623\u0628\u0631\u0627\u062c \u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636 \u0627\u0644\u0641\u0627\u062e\u0631\u0629 \u0648\u062e\u062f\u0645\u0627\u062a\u0647\u0627 \u0627\u0644\u0641\u0639\u0644\u064a\u0629\u060c \u0648\u0633\u0637 \u0637\u0644\u0628 \u0642\u064a\u0627\u0633\u064a \u064a\u0636\u0639\u0641 \u0627\u0644\u062d\u0627\u0641\u0632 \u0644\u062a\u062d\u0633\u064a\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u062c\u0648\u062f\u0629."}},"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0639\u0642\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0635\u0645\u0629.png",658,368,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0639\u0642\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0635\u0645\u0629-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0639\u0642\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0635\u0645\u0629-300x168.png",300,168,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0639\u0642\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0635\u0645\u0629.png",658,368,false],"large":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0639\u0642\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0635\u0645\u0629.png",658,368,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0639\u0642\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0635\u0645\u0629.png",658,368,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0639\u0642\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0635\u0645\u0629.png",658,368,false],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0639\u0642\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0635\u0645\u0629-18x10.png",18,10,true],"event-thumbnail":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0639\u0642\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0635\u0645\u0629-300x200.png",300,200,true],"event-medium":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0639\u0642\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0635\u0645\u0629-600x368.png",600,368,true],"event-large":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0639\u0642\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0635\u0645\u0629.png",658,368,false],"event-hero":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0639\u0642\u0627\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0635\u0645\u0629.png",658,368,false]},"author_info":{"info":["\u0639\u0645\u0627\u062f \u0627\u0644\u0637\u064a\u0627\u0631"]},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/category\/opinions-and-analyses\/\" rel=\"category tag\">\u0622\u0631\u0627\u0621 \u0648\u062a\u062d\u0644\u064a\u0644\u0627\u062a<\/a>","tag_info":"\u0622\u0631\u0627\u0621 \u0648\u062a\u062d\u0644\u064a\u0644\u0627\u062a","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/72"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107160"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107160\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":107276,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107160\/revisions\/107276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}