Saudi Arabia plans for 'world's largest downtown' in Riyadh

The Saudi Arabian government has announced plans to build a 400-metre-high cube-shaped skyscraper named Mukaab as part of its Murabba downtown plan in Riyadh.

Set to be built to the northwest of central Riyadh, the 19-square-kilometre development is being planned as a new downtown area for the Saudi capital city, reports Al Arabia.

Described as the "new face of Riyadh", it will be built around the Mukaab structure, which will be "one of the largest built structures in the world".

The New Murabba will offer more than 25 million sq. km of floor area, 104,000 residential units, 9,000 hotel rooms, 980,000 sq. m of retail space, 1.4 million sq. m of office space, 620,000 sq. m of leisure assets, and 1.8 million sq. m of community facilities. 

The project will feature a 15-minute walking radius and have its own internal transport system with a 20-minute drive from the airport. 

The area will host the Mukaab, an iconic landmark that features the latest innovative technologies and will be one of the largest built structures in the world at 400 meters high, 400 meters wide, and 400 meters long to take a cubic shape to ensure ultimate utilization of space. 

Inspired by the modern Najdi architectural style, the Mukaab will be the world's first immersive destination offering an experience created by digital and virtual technology with the latest holographics. 

The building will encompass a tower atop a spiral base, and a structure featuring 2 million sq. m of floor space that will be a premium hospitality destination with a multitude of retail, cultural and tourist attractions, along with residential and hotel units, commercial spaces, and recreational facilities. 

The project is part of the Public Investment Fund's strategy to unlock the capabilities of promising sectors, enable the private sector and increase local content, contribute to the development of real estate projects and the local infrastructure, and diversify sources of income for the Saudi economy. 

It is expected to add around $50 billion to the non-oil economy and create 334,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2030. The project is due to be completed in 2030.