The Shamiyah expansion project is intended to increase the capacity of the holy site and enable even more pilgrims to enjoy the unique experience of visiting this place of worship. Every pilgrim comes to the mosque in Mecca to engage in a deep personal experience. Therefore, all the elements installed in this extraordinary project should utilize the most durable materials, while focusing on Islamic design and architecture, in order to enhance the pilgrims’ experience. The Balustrades are crucial safety elements in this project. They provide safety and assistance to the pilgrims, and at the same time, enhance the Islamic characteristic required to reinforce the pilgrims’ experience.

 

The Balustrades are custom-made and manufactured to dimensions and only for this project. Still, Balustrades are architectural elements, which are deployed at numerous locations and thus have to be provided in large quantities. Therefore, the Balustrades that are installed at the project come in three different types. Either the Balustrades contain glass panes, accurately manufactured and highly ornamented aluminum screens or a mixture of both between two Balustrades.

 

Most of Balustrade's configuration of the project are the same with different of the filler element, however only the Balustrades located at the first terrace level of the service building, overlooking the piazzas, are slightly different than other types in the project. Those types include a lighting elements “Post Luminaires”.

 

Since the specifications of the balustrades require durability, high resistance to panic load from crowd accumulation of humans, as well as ease of maintenance, and the capability of resisting high wind speed, sandstorms, temperature change up to 67°C with high resistance to corrosion and fire, which affected the study and the selection of appropriate materials in the product development process. After specific material research, the high-grade stainless steel was detected as the suitable material for the substructure elements like columns, handrails, base plates and lower beams.

 

The latest, most advanced machinery were used in the production of the balustrades. Furthermore, special handling, packaging and shipping procedures was conducted to ensure the safe delivery of the balustrades to site in a proper, cautious and particularly careful manner.