Gaby
The cubic skyscraper Mukaab, while not the tallest, is set to be the most massive building in the world, theoretically capable of housing 20 Empire State Buildings. Designed by Atkins Réalis, its completion is slated for 2030.
According to the developer, New Murabba Development Company, Mukaab will be the centerpiece of the new business district “New Murabba,” covering an area of 19 square kilometers in the northwest of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
Recently, the developer, whose project is funded by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), announced that the earthworks at the site are nearly complete. Thus, it’s time to declare that construction of the Mukaab skyscraper has officially begun. The project is estimated to cost $50 billion.
What Makes Mukaab Special?
The building will reach a height, width, and length of 400 meters. Bloomberg News has dubbed it the “largest built structure in the world,” a title previously held by the Boeing Everett factory in the United States.
Inside the cube, a massive atrium will rise almost to the ceiling, featuring a spiral tower at its center that will house a luxury hotel. Surrounding the tower, on two million square meters of space, there will be residential apartments, shops, cultural, entertainment, and tourist facilities. A stunning park will spread across the roof of the giant cube, as reported by Dezeen.
The skyscraper’s facade will be designed in a national style, featuring overlapping triangular shapes adorned with traditional patterns.
According to the developer, the new district of New Murabba will include over 100,000 homes, 980,000 square meters of retail space, and 1.4 million square meters of office space. There will also be room for hotels, a university, a museum, and an immersive theater.
This is one of 14 giga-projects currently underway in Saudi Arabia, the most famous and controversial of which is Neom.
