Work on the $63.2-billion programme to restore, preserve and celebrate Diriyah as the beating cultural heart of Saudi Arabia continues to make headway on multiple fronts, with two key milestones achieved over the past month alone: the ground-breaking for the Northern Cultural District Car Park project and the largest concrete pour on the giga-project to date.

In addition, the developer Diriyah Company also announced a partnership with pioneering luxury lifestyle brand Aman Group to set two destinations – Aman Wadi Safar and Janu Diriyah from Aman’s sister brand Janu – within Diriyah. Aman Wadi Safar will feature 78 rooms and 34 branded residences; while Janu Diriyah will comprise 120 rooms and a comprehensive wellness centre.

The 2,000-space Northern Cultural District (NCD) P3 Car Park project will service assets at Diriyah including King Salman University, the House of Al Saud Museum, and King Salman Library, among other cultural facilities.

The Diriyah Company – previously known as Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) – which is spearheading this ambitious programme and leading Saudi contractor, Saudi Real Estate Infrastructure Company (Binyah) celebrated the ground-breaking of the car-park project.

Work in progress on the 2,000-space Northern Cultural District (NCD) P3 Car Park project.

Binyah’s SR544-million ($145 million) design-and-build package encompasses the car-park structure, architectural finishes, mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works, plant and utility rooms/connections and all external works. The 100,000-sq-m car-park facility, which comprises four basement levels, will be equipped with the most modern parking management and guidance systems.  The entire work is expected to be completed by Q3 of 2025.

Sustainability is fundamental across all aspects of Diriyah, and this project is key in helping limit the number of vehicles throughout the development, encouraging pedestrianisation, and preserving the natural environment, says the developer.

Meanwhile, Diriyah’s largest concrete pour of 6,100 cu m was for the underground main spine tunnel roundabout base slab located in the southern portion of the development, which further connects to four adjacent tunnels. The pour was executed by the contractor, a joint venture of El Seif Engineering Construction and China State Construction, which utilised a fleet of more than 75 concrete trucks, from five separate batching plants on site and seven pumps to complete the pour ahead of schedule in 21 hours.

Jerry Inzerillo, Group Chief Executive Officer, of Diriyah Company, comments: “To witness a concrete pour of this size in one location is a marvel. The scale of the infrastructure works under way across Diriyah is a reflection of the ambition and transformative power of Vision 2030’s programme for the kingdom. We are truly forging a world-class destination, setting the standard in cultural urban development and crafting a peerless quality of life, grounded in nature, heritage and community. This latest success moves us one step closer to that goal.”

In line with the kingdom’s 2030 Vision, the Diriyah masterplan is forging a unique historical, cultural and lifestyle destination that combines 300 years of history, culture, and heritage with what will be the highest quality lifestyle, residential and hospitality offerings in the region, says the developer.

Workers on site.

Located just 15 minutes from the heart of Riyadh, Diriyah was the site of the founding of the First Saudi State in 1727 and is the ancestral home of the House of Al Saud. At its centre stands the Unesco World Heritage Site of At-Turaif comprising a magnificent centuries-old mud-brick palace, whose traditional Najdi architecture has been the design inspiration for the entire development, connecting it to its past and incorporating local materials into the building process.

The plan involves transforming 14 sq km of Diriyah into one of the world’s foremost historic tourism destinations featuring a mixed-use traditional urban community created in an authentic Najdi architectural style. On completion, it will be home to a population of 100,000 residents, workers, students and visitors and will celebrate the rich cultural history of Saudi Arabia. The development will feature an array of world-class cultural, entertainment, retail, hospitality, educational, office and residential areas, including 38 hotels, a diverse collection of museums, a bustling retail heart and over 100 places to dine.

The ambitious redevelopment programme comprises Diriyah Gate, Wadi Safar, Wadi Hanifah and At-Turaif.  It has been divided into three phases – Diriyah Gate One (DG1), Diriyah Gate Two (DG2), and Diriyah Gate Three. DG1 is targeted for completion in 2025. Phase One is expected to include 38 hotels, a diverse collection of museums and cultural institutes, 223,000 sq m of lifestyle, retail and F&B units and 1,280-plus residential units.

Late last month, Diriyah Company announced its partnership with pioneering luxury lifestyle brand Aman Group, to open two forthcoming destinations – Aman Wadi Safar and Janu Diriyah from Aman’s sister brand Janu.

Aman Wadi Safar will feature 78 keys, a collection of up to 34 fully-serviced Aman branded residences and expansive amenities including a vast Aman Spa and an array of dining experiences. Janu Diriyah, located within close proximity to the UNESCO Heritage Site of At-Turaif, will comprise 120 hotel rooms, a Janu Wellness offering, and a multitude of dining and guest experiences.

The largest concrete pour of 6,100 cu m was for the underground main spine tunnel roundabout base slab.

With 38 confirmed hotel partnerships and an enormous $63.2 billion project pipeline, Diriyah is fast becoming a global leader in tourism and hospitality.

After opening both the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site At-Turaif and the Middle East’s premier fine dining destination Bujairi Terrace in December 2022, Diriyah has begun welcoming tourists from around the world.

According to Inzerillo, Diriyah Company has a rolling masterplan, and “will be announcing and launching ground-breaking assets every year from now until 2030”.

Design work on Diriyah 1 is almost complete, while design work on Diriyah Gate 2 is well advanced and Diriyah company is starting design of Diriyah Gate 3 and 60-km Wadi Safar development soon, according to Inzerillo.

Wadi Hanifah, one of Saudi Arabia’s most iconic oases, is also being transformed into a nature-based escape from Riyadh’s bustling city centre.

Plans for Wadi Hanifah involve the restoration of 2 sq km of unique palm groves containing hundreds of thousands of trees from species native to the wadi, as well as creating new parks with walking trails, biking tracks, outdoor games areas and picnic spots.

Wellness spaces, activity and eco-tourism attractions will be at the heart of the wadi’s enhancements, which aim to improve the quality of life for local residents and visitors.

Diriyah Company continues to develop the Diriyah masterplan at pace and delivered two major physical assets, the UNESCO World Heritage Site At-Turaif and the kingdom’s premier dining hub Bujairi Terrace at the end of last year. The 15,000-sq-m dining destination, which enjoys uninterrupted views of the world heritage site, features 21 F&B brands ranging from international fine dining to authentic Saudi cuisine and a range of seasonal pop-ups, including four Michelin-starred restaurants.

As part of plans, Diriyah Company indicated that it intends to build its own version of France’s world-famous Champs-Elysees. The project will draw inspiration from Champs-Elysees, but will highlight Saudi Arabia’s history and heritage.  It is envisaged the avenue will include a contemporary art museum, convention centre, opera house, and mosques along its route.

The boulevard project will fall under the Diriyah Gate 2 project but full details on the scale of the project have yet to be released. According to the authority the project is still in its early stages and has yet to be given an official name, said the report.

Design work on Diriyah 1 is almost complete, while design work on Diriyah Gate 2 is well advanced and Diriyah company is starting design of Diriyah Gate 3 and 60-km Wadi Safar development soon, according to Inzerillo.

Work is currently advancing on a mega super-basement car-park project being built at a cost of $878 million to accommodate up to 10,500 vehicles. The contract is being executed by Italian construction major Webuild through its subsidiary Salini Saudi Arabia.

The project scope includes civil and structural works, tunnels and other connections for the district’s huge car park in a new district along the Western Ring Road.

Spread over nearly 1 million-sq-m area, the three-storey underground garage lies along the Western Ring Road at the heart of an ambitious urban development project in Ad Diriyah, the historic district and Unesco heritage site at the northwest of Riyadh.

“The super-basement car-park will sit underneath the ‘Jewel of the Kingdom’ Diriyah Square which will host six hotels, apartments and 450 retail units. This is fourth largest super-basement car-park in the world and it will accommodate 10,500 cars,” Ian Robinson, Chief Delivery Officer of DGDA, told journalists during a tour of the massive site last year (see Gulf Construction, September 2022)

Diriyah Square, the commercial heart of the Diriyah giga-project, will offer the very finest in culture, hospitality, retail, leisure and entertainment, bringing together over 400 of the world’s finest luxury and lifestyle brands complemented by an additional 100 Saudi concepts spread over 180,000 sq m. In addition to the retail offer, there will be six luxury hotels, three branded residences, five premium office buildings and over 20 open-air event spaces. This completely walkable district will change the retail and leisure landscape of Riyadh. 

Plans for Diriyah Square have achieved a number of major milestones, including the signing of Time Out Market Riyadh, a new 9,000-sq-m food and cultural market which is scheduled to open in 2027. This follows the signing of a management agreement in December with Time Out Group – the global media and hospitality business – to open the key anchor at Diriyah Square.

Located across 9,000 sq m and two levels, the award-winning food and cultural market will bring Riyadh’s best chefs, restaurateurs and cultural experiences together under one roof, based on editorial curation. There will be 23 kitchens, five beverage serveries, multiple stages, event and exhibition spaces, a demonstration kitchen, kitchen academy and kitchen lab. With approximately 1,650 seats, guests will have a variety of indoor and al fresco dining options.

In addition to the unparalleled retail offer, there will be six luxury hotels, three branded residences, five premium office buildings and over 20 open-air event spaces. This completely walkable district will change the retail and leisure landscape of Riyadh.

Diriyah Company has also announced the signing of 16 new hotel brands within its hospitality portfolio, which are slated to open across two of the masterplan areas – Diriyah and Wadi Safar.

The latest brand that announced two premier tourism destinations last month was  luxury lifestyle brand Aman Group.

 Located in the exotic desert landscape near Riyadh, Aman Wadi Safar will feature 78 hotel rooms as well as a collection of up to 34 fully-serviced Aman branded residences and expansive amenities including a vast Aman Spa and an array of dining experiences, while Janu Diriyah property  being developed by Aman’s sister-brand Janu, will boast 120 rooms and a wellness centre.