The Mercy Mountain (Jabal Al-Rahma)

Jabal Al-Rahma (JA) occupies a high religious position at the site of Arafat, Makkah. It is about 300 m, and in the middle of its summit, there is a distinguished 7-meter-high white pole. The design concept for the development of this religious site with an area of more than 200,000 m2 was based on preserving the ring road surrounding JA and dividing the site into more flexible public spaces to deal with the massive crowds coming to the site during the pilgrimage period. The design concept was mainly based on integrating it with the surrounding area to maximize pedestrian movement paths heading towards the site to reduce and facilitate the crowd coming towards it. As for the entrances to the mountain, the design of the stairs ascending to JA has been improved. It is linked to the main entrance connecting the beginning of the stairs to the ring road surrounding the mountain. It is enhancing its relationship with the surrounding area. The area around the site has also been improved by fencing some places and making GRC cladding to reduce the surrounding visual distortion and trying to impose a single identity specific to the site. The surrounding services, such as toilets, are also improved and redesigned. In addition, the outdoor furniture, lighting, and signage elements on the site are designed in line with the visual identity of the surrounding environment where the Islamic decorative pattern is used. The surrounding vicinity of JA included several areas that were placed in semi-public spaces around the circular area and within the project area. In addition, there is an area designated for government departments. There are planted areas for sitting around the site placed on the northern and western sides where the soil is treated, and many trees were planted to provide shade and reduce temperatures. There are allocated areas for kiosks and vendors along the entire perimeter of the site's circular strip, and they are fully equipped. Several environmental treatments have been relied upon on this site. The most important of which is using basalt stone instead of asphalt. Also, mist columns produce a mist of water to cool the air and soften the provided temperature. Finally, they are circular around the mountain and designed creatively and decoratively.