Saudi plans for ‘world’s largest downtown’ in Riyadh

Saudi plans for ‘world’s largest downtown’ in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba Development Company (NMDC) plans to build what it’s dubbing as the world’s largest modern downtown area in northwest Riyadh, announced the country’s government news agency on Thursday. 

The New Murabba, or square in Arabic, project is expected to be a sustainable smart city. 

A gateway to another world: #TheMukaab will be the world’s first immersive, experiential destination. Large enough to hold 20 Empire State Buildings, the global icon will feature innovative technologies to transport you to new worlds.#NewMurabbahttps://t.co/5R4DqQdPyS pic.twitter.com/vr9M8cTI1I

— Public Investment Fund (@PIF_en) February 16, 2023

Homing in on sustainable neighborhoods, it anticipates offering residents in every part of the city access to living, work, and entertainment spaces within a 15-minute walking radius. 

These accessible living spaces will have public transportation connecting 100,000 residential units, 9,000 hotel rooms, and also dedicated community facilities. 

The plan aims to add about 334,000 jobs and $48 billion in non-oil income to Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product by 2030, valued at $833.54 billion in 2021 according to the World Bank. 

Looking to make the project iconic, it’s adding The Mukaab (the cube in Arabic), an advanced technological structure planned to be 400 meters long, wide, and high.

It would be able to hold 20 of New York’s trademark