Saudi Arabia is pivoting its construction strategy, opting for a “phased reality” over initial futuristic timelines. Last month, the kingdom announced two major shifts: the suspension of Riyadh’s massive Mukaab skyscraper and the postponement of the 2029 Asian Winter Games at Trojena. The focus is shifting from “megalithic” structures to infrastructure that supports immediate deadlines, such as World Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia has suspended planned construction of Mukaab, a colossal cube-shaped skyscraper in Riyadh’s New Murabba development downtown, while it reassesses the project’s financing and feasibility.
The Mukaab, is the latest fantastical giga-project linked to Saudi’s Vision 2030 to be curtailed or delayed as the kingdom’s $925 billion sovereign wealth fund scales back ambitions to manage costs and prioritise spending, the report said.
However, a MEED report said the New Murabba Development Company (NMDC), a wholly-owned subsidiary PIF, has issued a request for information notice to test the market for modular and offsite fit-out solutions for the four corner towers around the Mukaab structure.
There will be North and South towers, marked for residential use, and mixed-use East and West towers. The towers will be about 375 m tall and more than 80 storeys high (see Page 32).
Projects in focus now include infrastructure for World Expo 2030 and the 2034 World Cup, the sprawling $60-billion Diriyah mixed-use cultural zone and the Qiddiya tourism megaproject, Reuters said quoting people familiar with the matter.
The Mukaab was meant to span 2.6-plus million sq m of floor space and redefine luxury with its immersive shopping, dining, and cultural offerings. It is a hub of connectivity, accessible via major roads, embodying innovation. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has postponed its plans to stage the 2029 Asian Winter Games, in co-ordination with the Olympic Council of Asia, after months of uncertainty, following reports that the proposed venue, Trojena, the 1,400-sq-km mountain resort, would not be ready in time, said media reports.
The decision to delay the games, which were set to take place at a desert ski resort in the planned Saudi mega city of Neom, follows “extensive consultations” between the two sides, reported Bloomberg, citing a joint statement.
In the joint statement, the duo have agreed “an updated framework for future hosting of the Asian Winter Games”, with a new date yet to be announced.
The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia confirmed that the event will be pushed back under a ‘new hosting framework’.
“Under the revised framework, Saudi Arabia will host a series of standalone winter sports events in the coming years,” said the joint statement.
The postponement will allow “additional preparation time to support wider regional representation at future Asian winter events,” they added.