Construction of Mukaab Begins in Saudi Arabia as Part of Mega Urban Project

Written by Carla Teles

Published on 09/04/2025 at 13:21

A Arábia Saudita começou a construir um prédio gigante em forma de cubo chamado Mukaab. Ele vai ser o centro de um novo bairro moderno com lojas, casas e atrações turísticas.

Be the first to react!

Futuristic Project in Riyadh Will Have 400 Meters of Height and Immersive Technology, Inside the New Murabba Megadistrict

Saudi Arabia has started the construction of the Mukaab, a gigantic cubic skyscraper 400 meters in height, width, and depth that promises to redefine the boundaries of global architecture. Scheduled for completion by 2030, the building will be the centerpiece of Riyadh’s new urban district, called New Murabba, and is part of the ambitious Saudi plan known as Vision 2030. The information was reported by outlets such as The Sun, ArchDaily, and Designboom.

Construction of a Colossal Cube with State-of-the-Art Technology

With 400 meters in every dimension, the construction of the Mukaab will be large enough to house up to 20 skyscrapers the size of the Empire State Building inside it. According to Designboom, the structure will be clad with elements inspired by traditional Najdi architecture, featuring stylized triangular patterns that reflect Saudi cultural heritage.

The interior of the building will be equally bold: a spiraled tower surrounded by digital and holographic spaces designed to create immersive experiences, as detailed on the website NewMurabba.com.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

New Murabba: A City Within a City

The Mukaab will be the heart of the New Murabba megaproject, a 19 km² district in Riyadh that will include:

104 thousand residential units
9 thousand hotel rooms
980 thousand m² of commercial areas
1.4 million m² of office space
Museums, technology universities, theaters, and 80 cultural attractions

According to Architectural Digest, the initiative aligns with plans to transform Riyadh into a global center for tourism, innovation, and culture by 2030.

Sustainability and Economic Impact

The project prioritizes sustainability, featuring green areas, bike paths, smart urban transport, and pedestrian spaces. According to Wikipedia, the construction of the Mukaab and New Murabba is expected to generate 334 thousand jobs and inject 48 billion dollars (180 billion riyals) into the Saudi economy by 2030.

Criticism and Controversies of the Construction

Despite its magnitude and innovation, the Mukaab has also faced criticism. As published by Middle East Eye, there are controversies regarding its similarity to the Kaaba, a sacred site in Islam, which has raised concerns among more conservative Muslims. Questions also arise regarding the working conditions and rights of workers involved in the construction, a recurring theme in large projects in the region.

The project has been in excavation since 2024, with delivery expected to coincide with Expo 2030, an event to be hosted in Riyadh. The proposal is to make the Mukaab not only a new architectural symbol but also a landmark of futuristic construction that represents the economic power and social transformation of Saudi Arabia on the global stage.

Construction of Mukaab Begins in Saudi Arabia as Part of Mega Urban Project

Futuristic Project in Riyadh Will Have 400 Meters of Height and Immersive Technology, Inside the New Murabba Megadistrict

Construction of a Colossal Cube with State-of-the-Art Technology

New Murabba: A City Within a City

Sustainability and Economic Impact

Criticism and Controversies of the Construction

Seven world powers including the US, China, and Russia are spending €22 billion on a reactor in the south of France that aims to confine plasma at 150 million degrees Celsius, ten times the temperature of the Sun’s core, using a magnetic field capable of lifting an entire aircraft carrier.

Elon Musk’s internet comes to mobile: Starlink technology connects smartphones without an antenna via satellite, works even without carrier signal, already costs just US$10 extra in the US, and could arrive in Brazil as an included benefit.

A Chinese factory in Guangdong is assembling a humanoid robot every 30 minutes while Tesla, Figure, and Boston Dynamics still struggle to deliver 10 thousand per year.

While Brazil has been discussing bullet trains for 16 years, China delivers 5 new high-speed lines in 2026, surpasses 50,000 km of HSR, and moves 1 billion passengers in a single year.

With a wingspan of 152 meters, 76 tires, and a capacity to carry 1,270 tons, the Boeing Pelican was the giant “flying ship” that promised to cross oceans close to the water on an invisible air cushion beneath its wings.

While countries spend billions to draw water from the sea, a Nobel-winning scientist creates a container-sized machine that extracts up to 1,000 liters per day from dry air and uses ultrasound to release water in minutes, even in the middle of the desert.

Belgium will sink 23 giant concrete caissons, each weighing 22,000 tons, in the North Sea to build the world’s first artificial energy island 45 km off the coast, forming offshore electrical walls.

Few know, but India has a 36 km wall that surrounds a fort in the mountains and is considered the second largest in the world, behind the Great Wall of China.

Hyundai Creta 2029 appears in new spy shots with a completely revamped design, a more modern digital interior, a larger multimedia center, a more comfortable passenger seat, and electrification finally on the radar.

Former CIA analyst warns that China has already surpassed the US in missiles, electronic warfare, cyber, and military production, transforming the Pacific into a zone without safe spaces while Washington clings to its submarine advantage.

Home-built airplane by a Minas Gerais engineer uses car parts, such as a power window motor for the flaps and a tachometer on the dashboard. The project took six years, and the aircraft has autonomy to fly up to seven hours non-stop.

Construction of Mukaab Begins in Saudi Arabia as Part of Mega Urban Project

Futuristic Project in Riyadh Will Have 400 Meters of Height and Immersive Technology, Inside the New Murabba Megadistrict

Construction of a Colossal Cube with State-of-the-Art Technology

New Murabba: A City Within a City

Sustainability and Economic Impact

Criticism and Controversies of the Construction

Seven world powers including the US, China, and Russia are spending €22 billion on a reactor in the south of France that aims to confine plasma at 150 million degrees Celsius, ten times the temperature of the Sun’s core, using a magnetic field capable of lifting an entire aircraft carrier.

Elon Musk’s internet comes to mobile: Starlink technology connects smartphones without an antenna via satellite, works even without carrier signal, already costs just US$10 extra in the US, and could arrive in Brazil as an included benefit.

A Chinese factory in Guangdong is assembling a humanoid robot every 30 minutes while Tesla, Figure, and Boston Dynamics still struggle to deliver 10 thousand per year.

While Brazil has been discussing bullet trains for 16 years, China delivers 5 new high-speed lines in 2026, surpasses 50,000 km of HSR, and moves 1 billion passengers in a single year.

With a wingspan of 152 meters, 76 tires, and a capacity to carry 1,270 tons, the Boeing Pelican was the giant “flying ship” that promised to cross oceans close to the water on an invisible air cushion beneath its wings.

While countries spend billions to draw water from the sea, a Nobel-winning scientist creates a container-sized machine that extracts up to 1,000 liters per day from dry air and uses ultrasound to release water in minutes, even in the middle of the desert.

Belgium will sink 23 giant concrete caissons, each weighing 22,000 tons, in the North Sea to build the world’s first artificial energy island 45 km off the coast, forming offshore electrical walls.

Small on the outside and surprising on the inside, the Emerald prefabricated house draws attention by featuring a full kitchen, luxury bathroom, dishwasher, smart climate control, thermal and acoustic insulation, and mobility for less than 8,000 euros.

A 33-year-old Paranaense practically built a two-story, 200-square-meter house by himself, without ever having had experience in civil construction, engineering, or architecture.

How much is spent on a 100 m² foundation becomes a warning for those planning to build, using concrete, steel, and wood.

Mobile bridges in the Netherlands transform streets into passages for boats and reveal how sensors, counterweights, and operators make tons of steel move out of the way without disrupting the routine of cyclists, cars, pedestrians, and historic canals in cities where water also functions as a road.

Few know, but India has a 36 km wall that surrounds a fort in the mountains and is considered the second largest in the world, behind the Great Wall of China.

Hyundai Creta 2029 appears in new spy shots with a completely revamped design, a more modern digital interior, a larger multimedia center, a more comfortable passenger seat, and electrification finally on the radar.

Former CIA analyst warns that China has already surpassed the US in missiles, electronic warfare, cyber, and military production, transforming the Pacific into a zone without safe spaces while Washington clings to its submarine advantage.

Home-built airplane by a Minas Gerais engineer uses car parts, such as a power window motor for the flaps and a tachometer on the dashboard. The project took six years, and the aircraft has autonomy to fly up to seven hours non-stop.