Saudi Arabia Sets Global Smart City Benchmark with “Manarah” Urban Data Platform

• 2 January 2026
• Construction Focus
• 1007 Views

The Al Madinah Region Development Authority (MDA) has successfully launched the Manarah Urban Data Platform (MUDP), a state-of-the-art digital twin initiative that balances the rapid expansion goals of Saudi Vision 2030 with the preservation of ancient Islamic heritage.

By utilizing a specialized suite of Bentley Systems software, the MDA has mapped 55 square kilometers of urban space and established a resilient foundation for the city’s future.

Modernizing a city that has been a spiritual hub since 622 CE presented immense logistical and technical hurdles. Traditional surveying was deemed too slow to meet the goal of welcoming 30 million pilgrims annually. To overcome this, the MDA integrated Bentley’s reality modeling and geospatial tools into their workflow:

• Rapid Data Capture: Using iTwin Capture, the team mapped 6.6 square kilometers in just 16 days—a 43% increase in efficiency over traditional survey methods.
• Massive Scale Processing: The platform processed over 1.04 million panoramic images and 7,000 kilometers of road scans, documenting 300,000 buildings and 18,500 businesses.
• Seamless Visualization: By leveraging Orbit 3DM and Cesium, the MDA published these massive datasets into a high-performance 3D web engine, allowing real-time access for over 20 government departments.

The Bentley-powered platform does more than just archive data; it serves as a predictive tool for city officials. The digital models allow for flood simulations (modeling 112mm of daily rainfall) and were instrumental in planning district-level quarantines during the pandemic.

Furthermore, the platform has enabled “modernization without demolition.” By studying 14 historic districts in high-resolution 3D, planners can upgrade infrastructure while safeguarding the cultural identity of Aliyyah Farms and other sacred sites.

“Bentley’s iTwin Capture, Orbit 3DM, and Cesium empowered us to transform Madinah’s urban development with unprecedented speed and precision,” said Fayez Al Sayil, Director of the Geographical Information Center. “This enabled smarter planning and prepared our city for a resilient, data-driven future.”

Through this digital transformation, Al Madinah now serves as a global model for how technology can honor the past while building a sustainable, smart-city future.

• iTwin
• Cesium
• Bentley Systems