Relic Rammed Earth Board Case Study: Restoring Historic Buildings in Riyadh

Walk through the narrow alleyways of Riyadh's Al-Masmak District, and you'll feel time slow down. The sun glints off weathered mud-brick walls, their surfaces etched with the stories of generations—merchants haggling, families gathering, and the quiet rhythm of life in a city that has grown from a desert outpost to a global metropolis. But look closer, and you might notice something unexpected: a section of wall that, while bearing the same earthy texture as its neighbors, feels subtly different. It's firmer, more resilient, yet still warm to the touch, as if it holds the memory of the original structure it now protects. This is the work of Relic Rammed Earth Board, a material that's quietly revolutionizing how we preserve Saudi Arabia's architectural heritage.

The Challenge: Saving Riyadh's Living History

Riyadh's historic buildings—many dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries—are more than just structures; they're living testaments to the Najdi way of life. Built from mud, straw, and local stone, these buildings were designed to withstand the harsh desert climate, with thick walls that kept interiors cool by day and warm by night. But time, and Riyadh's rapid modernization, have taken a toll. Sandstorms erode mud bricks, humidity seeps into cracks, and the demand for modern amenities (plumbing, electricity) has strained traditional structures. By the early 2000s, many of these buildings stood on the brink of collapse, their future uncertain.

"Restoring them wasn't just about fixing walls," says Lina Al-Mansoori, lead architect at Heritage Preservation Studios, a Riyadh-based firm specializing in historic restoration. "It was about balancing two conflicting needs: preserving authenticity and ensuring the buildings could serve modern purposes—museums, community centers, boutique hotels. Traditional materials alone couldn't cut it anymore. Mud bricks crumble, and sourcing original stone from old quarries is both expensive and unsustainable."

The Solution: Relic Rammed Earth Board and a New Generation of Materials

Enter Relic Rammed Earth Board, a product developed by MCM Building Solutions, a company known for blending traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge material science. Designed specifically for heritage projects, Relic Rammed Earth Board mimics the look and feel of historic rammed earth—layered, textured, and warm—while adding modern durability. But it's not alone. The team at Heritage Preservation Studios paired it with other innovative materials: Historical Pathfinders Stone for authentic detailing, MCM Flexible Stone for curved or delicate structures, and Ando Cement (Light Grey) for a subtle, weathered finish that complements historic masonry.

"These materials aren't about replacing the past," Al-Mansoori explains. "They're about extending it. Relic Rammed Earth Board uses locally sourced clay and sand, just like the original rammed earth, but with a natural polymer binder that resists moisture and erosion. Historical Pathfinders Stone is quarried from the same beds as the stone used in 19th-century Najdi architecture—so the color, veining, even the 'imperfections' match. And MCM Flexible Stone? It's a game-changer for arches and domes, where rigid materials would crack. It bends, but it's tough as nails."

Case Study: The Al-Saud Family Compound (1892)

To see these materials in action, look no further than the Al-Saud Family Compound, a sprawling 19th-century residence in Riyadh's Diriyah district. Built in 1892, the compound was once home to a branch of the Al-Saud family and served as a meeting place for local leaders. By 2018, its mud-brick walls were pockmarked with holes, its wooden beams rotted, and its courtyard fountain dry. The goal? Restore it as a cultural center while keeping 80% of the original structure intact.

The Problem: A Delicate Balance

The compound's main challenge was its south-facing wall, which had borne the brunt of Riyadh's summer sun and sandstorms for over a century. "It was crumbling from the inside out," says project manager Kareem Al-Harbi. "We couldn't just patch it with mud—within a year, the patches would crack. But tearing it down and rebuilding with concrete? That would have erased its soul. The wall had hand-carved inscriptions from the 1920s; we had to preserve those."

The Approach: A Hybrid Restoration

The team decided to stabilize the existing wall with Relic Rammed Earth Board panels, mounted on a lightweight steel frame hidden behind the original masonry. "We carefully removed the loose mud brick, leaving the intact core," Al-Harbi explains. "Then we attached 2cm-thick Relic panels to the frame, matching the original wall's texture and color. For the inscriptions, we used Historical Pathfinders Stone—carving replicas by hand, then embedding them into the Relic panels. You can't tell where the old ends and the new begins."

The courtyard's arched entryway, another trouble spot, got MCM Flexible Stone. "Traditional stone arches rely on perfect weight distribution," Al-Mansoori notes. "Over time, the compound's foundation had settled, so the arch was sagging. MCM Flexible Stone is thin—only 3mm—and lightweight, so it didn't add stress. We bonded it to a fiberglass backing, shaped it to match the original curve, and now it supports itself. It looks like the original sandstone, but it won't crack if the foundation shifts again."

Finally, the team used Ando Cement (Light Grey) to repoint the compound's exterior masonry. "Ando Cement has this beautiful, muted finish—like stone that's been weathered by time," Al-Harbi says. "Traditional lime mortar would have been too soft, and modern cement is too bright. This stuff blends right in. We tested it for a year on a small section of wall—no efflorescence, no discoloration. It's perfect."

How Do These Materials Compare? A Side-by-Side Look

The Outcome: A Building Reclaimed by Its Community

The Al-Saud Family Compound reopened in 2023 as the Diriyah Cultural Hub, hosting art exhibitions, traditional craft workshops, and community meetings. Walk through its doors today, and you'll meet locals like Fatima Al-Zahrani, 78, who grew up visiting the compound as a child. "It feels like coming home," she says, running a hand along a Relic Rammed Earth wall. "The walls are cool, just like I remember. The inscriptions—my grandfather used to read them to me. I thought they were lost forever."

The numbers back up the sentiment. In its first year, the hub welcomed over 50,000 visitors, 60% of whom were local residents. "Heritage restoration isn't just about bricks," Al-Mansoori says. "It's about giving people a reason to care. When they see that these buildings can be useful—can tell their stories—they become advocates for preservation. That's the real win."

Durability? So far, so good. After two Riyadh summers—temperatures hitting 45°C (113°F)—and a particularly fierce sandstorm in 2024, the Relic Rammed Earth walls show no signs of erosion. The MCM Flexible Stone arch is still perfectly curved, and the Ando Cement pointing looks as weathered and authentic as ever.

The Future: Heritage Restoration for the Next Century

The Al-Saud Compound project isn't an anomaly. Across Riyadh, from the historic souks of Deira to the mud-brick forts of Wadi Hanifa, these materials are popping up. "We're now using Relic Rammed Earth Board in a 17th-century mosque restoration," Al-Harbi says. "And Historical Pathfinders Stone is being used to rebuild a section of the original Riyadh city wall that collapsed in the 1980s. The goal is to make heritage restoration scalable—so even smaller communities can afford to save their history."

For Al-Mansoori, the lesson is clear: "Heritage isn't static. It's a conversation between past and present. Relic Rammed Earth Board, Historical Pathfinders Stone—these materials let us keep that conversation going. They honor the craftsmen who built these buildings 200 years ago, while ensuring the next generation gets to experience them too."

As the sun sets over the Diriyah Cultural Hub, casting golden light on its Relic Rammed Earth walls, it's easy to see what she means. The past isn't just preserved here—it's alive.