Saudi Arabia is known for its grandiose architecture, and the latest proposed structure to join the ranks is the Mukaab, a hollow cube-shaped building that will be at the heart of New Murabba, a new downtown core in Riyadh. The project is set to transform the city with its vast array of entertainment and cultural venues, a museum, a technology and design university, a multipurpose theatre, and much more. The government has released a promotional video of the upcoming city that has gone viral on social media.
According to Arab News, the Mukaab will be able to contain 20 times the volume of the Empire State Building in New York. The project will also have more than 25 million square kilometers of floor area, 104,000 residential units, 9,000 hotel rooms, 980,000 square meters of retail space, 1.4 million square meters of office space, 620,000 square meters of leisure assets, and 1.8 million square meters of community facilities.
In addition to its grand size, the New Murabba will have its own transport system and will be a 20-minute drive from the airport. The construction is expected to be complete by 2030, according to Futurism.
This is not the only grand project underway in Saudi Arabia. The country is also building a 100-mile skyscraper, which is already under construction and set to provide a future home for nine million people. The skyscraper will be the centerpiece of the futuristic Neom site near the Gulf of Aqaba, which was first announced in 2017.
These massive structures are a testament to the Saudi government's commitment to modernizing and transforming the country. As the world continues to advance technologically, it will be interesting to see what other grand designs the country has in store for the future.