Saudi Arabia’s Mukaab: the World’s Largest Building​ Breaks Ground

• 17 November 2024
• Construction Focus
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Construction is now officially underway on the Mukaab, a monumental 400-metre-high supertall skyscraper in Riyadh set to become the world’s largest building. Located at the heart of the 19-square-kilometer New Murabba development, the Mukaab will rise with cube-shaped dimensions, featuring 400-meter-long edges, and stand as a centerpiece of Saudi Arabia’s capital. The New Murabba Development Company, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), announced that excavation works are 86 percent complete, signaling significant progress on the site, as reported by dezeen.com on 21 October 2024.

Designed by AtkinsRéalis, the Mukaab will not only become the tallest structure in Riyadh but will also surpass the Boeing Everett Factory in the USA to claim the title of the world’s largest built structure. The cube’s vast interior will house a near full-height atrium with a spiraling central tower, surrounded by two million square meters dedicated to retail spaces, cultural venues, and tourist attractions. Its facade will feature a distinctive design inspired by the modern Najdi architectural style, with overlapping triangular forms adding to its grandeur.

As the centerpiece of the New Murabba project, the Mukaab aims to transform northwest Riyadh into a new downtown area, complete with over 100,000 residential units, 980,000 square meters of retail, 1.4 million square meters of office space, along with hotels, cultural venues, a university, an immersive theatre, and an iconic museum. Scheduled for completion by 2030, the project is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to diversify the nation’s economy and is supported by the PIF.

The Mukaab is among 14 giga-projects currently reshaping Saudi Arabia, with Neom being the most prominent and controversial. This ambitious infrastructure boom reflects the kingdom’s commitment to positioning itself as a global economic and cultural hub, with projects like the Mukaab setting a new benchmark in the realm of architectural innovation and urban development.

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