AtkinsRéalis to masterplan Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba and Mukaab ‘cube city’

Engineering and project management firm AtkinsRéalis has won a role to support the design for the masterplan of New Murabba and the Mukaab in Saudi Arabia.

New Murabba has been billed as the ‘world’s largest modern downtown’ in the Kingdom’s capital, Riyadh.

Meanwhile the Mukaab is a proposed ‘cube city’, details of which were released by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, backer of the New Murabba Development Company (NMDC) earlier this year.

The Mukaab (meaning ‘cube’ in Arabic) is a proposed 400m tall and 400m wide centrepiece of New Murabba and will be one of the largest built structures in the world, large enough to hold 20 Empire State Buildings. Its exterior envelope will shroud an internal skyscraper.

AtkinsRéalis said the scheme is inspired by Najdi Architecture, with a focus on creating a futuristic landmark that blends Riyadh’s cultural heritage with its future ambitions.

Sabah Barakat, acting CEO, New Murabba Development Company, said, “We are proud to recognise the important role that AtkinsRéalis has played so far in the translation of the incredible vision of this project into the design of the masterplan and the iconic Mukaab building. We’re also pleased to recognize the ongoing involvement of AtkinsRéalis in this project through a series of recent contract awards relating to the further detailing and definition of the overall New Murabba masterplan and infrastructure design, as well as the concept design of the iconic Mukaab building.”

Ian L. Edwards, president and chief executive officer, AtkinsRéalis added, “The New Murabba is set to redefine how we live, work and play in a sustainable manner that will boost the country’s socio-economic development drive. We are proud to support NMDC with this innovative destination, realizing a brilliant vision and building a long-lasting legacy for Saudi Arabia and its future generations.”