J/Brice Design International, a leading hospitality design firm in the Middle East, has won a deal to design the interior of a new planetarium from Saudi Arabia's Fakieh Group.

The planetarium will be built at the group’s Al Shallal Theme Park on the Jeddah Corniche, said a statement.

Jeffery Ornstein, CEO and founder of J/Brice Design, said: "Unlike the US, where planetariums are typically located within science museums and universities or as stand-alone educational institutions, the Fakieh Group is popularising learning about the cosmos by bringing the planetarium to where people gather for fun."

"We will create the planetarium interior in an international style associated with Jeddah's role as a modern gateway city. It will be contemporary and sleek, but without the expected futuristic visual cliches. The surroundings will be in concert with today's planetarium visitor who has a sophisticated interest in the universe - piqued by Hubble Space Telescope images, International Space Station research, the emergence of space tourism, and the achievement of Saudi Astronauts," he said.

This appointment follows an earlier commission by the group to design the Miami-inspired art-deco Ocean Drive Restaurant and Japanese Zen Bistro at its Sea Wonders Aquarium, also on the Jeddah Corniche.

J/Brice Design has its offices at Boston, MA and Dammam. - TradeArabia News Service