Mukaab

The Mukaab (Arabic: المكعّب, romanized: mukaʻʻab, lit. 'cube', [mukaʕʕab]) is a proposed architectural project to build a 400-meter (1,300 ft) tall cube-shaped skyscraper in the al-Qirawan district of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, one of the five neighborhoods of the planned real estate development of New Murabba. Launched in February 2023, its cuboidal layout and design are inspired by the Murabba Palace.^[1][2][3]

Mukaab
المكعّب
A conceptual render of the proposed Mukaab
General information
Status	Under construction
Architectural style	Modern Najdi
Location	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Construction started	2024
Estimated completion	2030
Owner	New Murabba Development Company
Height	400 m (1,300 ft)
Website
www.newmurabba.com

Background

The massive undertaking was announced by the Kingdom's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on February 16, 2023.^[4][5] The design has been the subject of some criticism for its similarity to the Kaaba at the Masjid al-Haram mosque in Mecca, Islam's holiest shrine.^[6]

The interior as currently planned will feature enormous holographic projections aimed at making viewers feel as if they are in different realities, times, and places. The interior will also feature a swirling tower for observation decks and restaurants, from which the projections will emanate.^[7]

The Mukaab is planned to be the centerpiece of a giant new downtown built within the Saudi capital city of Riyadh called New Murabba. It will be the world's largest single-built structure with around 2 million square metres (22 million square feet) of interior floor space.^{[8][9][5][10]}

The project will be undertaken by the New Murabba Development Company of which Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the President.^[11]

The cube is intended to be 400 meters (1,300 ft) tall and 400 meters (1,300 ft) wide on each of its four sides.^[12]

Plans for the cube are part of the Saudi Vision 2030 project.^[13]

The building's design is inspired by the modern Najdi architectural style.^[14]

The Mukaab will also feature a rooftop garden.^[15]

See also

• List of Saudi Vision 2030 projects

References

1. من المربع القديم للجديد.. الـ"داون تاون" الأحدث عالمياً. www.alriyadh.com (in Arabic). February 18, 2023. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
2. «المربع» بين زمنين في تاريخ العاصمة السعودية. الشرق الأوسط (in Arabic). Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
3. العبوش, قحطان (February 18, 2023). السعودية.. قصر المربع الطيني القديم يكتسب شهرة عالمية عبر مشروع جديد. إرم نيوز (in Arabic). Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
4. Mangioni, Sam (March 1, 2023). "Saudi Arabia to Construct a Colossal Cube-Shaped Skyscraper the Size of 20 Empire State Buildings". Man of Many. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
5. Paul, Trinetra (March 2, 2023). "The Mukaab: Saudi Arabia's New Project Is A Huge Cube-shaped Structure". Travel + Leisure Asia. Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
6. Fatima, Sakina (February 24, 2023). "Saudi's cube-shaped project lands in controversy over 'replicating Kaaba'". The Siasat Daily. Archived from the original on March 5, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
7. "Saudi Arabia Reveals "Mukaab," a Massive New Cube-Shaped Skyscraper to Enclose Riyadh's Downtown". Arch2O. February 20, 2023. Archived from the original on May 11, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
8. Dobson, Amy Rose (February 24, 2023). "Large Enough To Fit 20 Empire State Buildings, An Immersive City Of The Future Unveils Its Plans". Forbes. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
9. Abraham, Roshan (February 21, 2023). "Saudi Arabia's Latest Sci-Fi Project Is a Cube the Size of 20 Empire State Buildings". Vice Media. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
10. Florian, Maria-Cristina (February 24, 2023). "Saudi Arabia Unveils Design for the Mukaab, a Large-Scale Cube-Shaped Skyscraper in Riyadh". ArchDaily. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
11. Benjamin, Sharon (February 23, 2023). "New Saudi megaproject: What we know about New Murabba, the world's largest downtown". ArabianBusiness. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
12. "Saudi Arabia: New Murabba Development Co. To Transform Downtown Riyadh". Eurasia Review. Arab News. February 16, 2023. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
13. "Saudi Arabia Announces Massive Cube Megabuilding in Riyadh". Surf the Sand. March 6, 2023. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
14. Gerrard, Neil (February 20, 2023). "The Mukaab: Huge cube city planned in Saudi Arabia". International Construction. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
15. Williams, Adam (February 20, 2023). "Huge cuboid skyscraper 'big enough to hold 20 Empire State Buildings'". New Atlas. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.

External links

• Official website