KVL Works with SHAMS to Develop AR App for Environment Week in Riyadh

Highlights

As part of the 6th edition of Saudi Environment Week, KVL and SHAMS partnered to deliver an immersive augmented reality (AR) experience, transporting a life-sized coral giant from the Red Sea to the heart of Riyadh.

Overview

Inaugurated by the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, the event brought together government bodies, businesses, nonprofits, and communities under the theme “Our Environment is a Treasure.” Taking place from April 20–27, 2025, this weeklong initiative showcased the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts in ecosystem preservation and sustainable development. It also marked the launch of the National Environmental Performance Index, a strategic tool designed to monitor environmental progress and guide future policies.

More than 2,500 students from over 60 schools participated daily, engaging in exhibitions, workshops, and forums focused on biodiversity, climate change, renewable energy, and conservation.

A highlight of the event was the contribution from SHAMS – the General Organization for the Conservation of Coral Reefs and Turtles in the Red Sea. As the host of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) secretariat, SHAMS presented an educational exhibition on sea turtle biology, coral ecology, and recent marine discoveries, revealing the hidden treasures of the Red Sea. Corals, often mistaken for rocks, are living animals that can grow for centuries into massive reef structures. Among SHAMS' initiatives, its technical team is dedicated to discovering, mapping, and monitoring coral giants in the Saudi Red Sea. To spotlight one of these “coral giants,” SHAMS developed high-resolution 3D models and partnered with KVL to transform one of these models into a full-scale augmented reality experience, allowing Riyadh visitors to explore these astonishing Red Sea giants using mobile phones and tablets – right on land.

Text and photos ℅ Vanessa Robitzch of SHAMS.

(Demo video is best viewed in full screen. Recorded by Ronell Sicat.)