Saudi Arabia has begun constructing the Mukaab, a giant gold cube in the heart of its capital Riyadh. The mega luxurious project has been dubbed the ‘Mukaab’ and will be an incredible 400 meters in height, width, and length, it is very likely it will become the world’s largest building once it is completed.
The now-under-construction Mukaab has already earned itself fans and ‘haters’ because it has already drawn comparisons with Mecca’s Kabba. This project will be like putting 20 Empire State buildings together in one structure.
The Mukaab will be the ‘crown jewel’ of one of Saudi Arabia’s most ambitious development projects, the New Murabba, which will spread over 19 square kilometers in the northwest of Riyadh.
The Mukaab will cost Saudi Arabia $50 billion to develop
The massive size of this project will also be accompanied by a massive price tag, as developing the giant cube will cost reportedly $50 billion. This project will also house close to 100,000 homes, alongside retail shops, hotels, offices, and spaces for entertainment all seamlessly living with each other inside the Mukaab.
Aesthetically, the Mukaab’s design is meant to reflect the architecture of the Najd region, blending innovation, and Saudi Arabian heritage.
The reason why it’s a cube has nothing to do with the Ka’aba.
Riyadh’s new downtown project, with the Mukaab at its heart, draws direct inspiration from Riyadh’s old downtown.
The Mukaab is a contemporary reimagining of the Murabaa palace – translated to ‘square palace’.
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— Saud Salman AlDossary | سعود بن سلمان الدوسري (@999saudsalman) October 27, 2024
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has also said that there should be no controversy with the Mukaab’s design, as, despite its similarities to the Kaaba Mecca, it does not aim to imitate. Instead, the giant cube’s design is meant to draw inspiration from local tradition and reflect cultural pride.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is leading this initiative, which is a key piece of Saudi’s Vision 2030, which is Saudi Arabia’s plan to diversify its economy and transform the country’s global image.
The First Phase of the New Murabba development to be completed in 2030
The Mukaab is without a doubt one of the single most ambitious infrastructure projects in the world right now. But Saudi Arabia’s giant cube is only one of several ambitious projects that the kingdom is aiming to build in the coming years.
Some other notable infrastructure projects currently under development by Saudi Arabia include a straight-line city, an eight-sided city that floats on water, and a slow resort with a folded vertical village.
The country is also due to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup and has already announced its plans to organize the most important competition in World Football. These seem to include a stadium on a cliff edge and a stadium 350 meters above ground level inside the straight-line city currently under development.
