What is Saudi Arabia's giant cube-shaped skyscraper 'The Mukaab', the size of 20 Empire State Buildings?

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has announced plans for a massive new proposed structure in the country’s capital Riyadh called New Murabba, according to Riyadh-based newspaper Arab News. According to the publication, the Mukaab, as it will be known, will serve as the focal point of the city’s brand-new New Murabba downtown . It will be about a third the size of Manhattan, covering an area of nearly seven square miles, according to Futurism. The enormous structure is expected to transform downtown Riyadh due to all the unique features it will have. The government has also released a promotional video of the forthcoming city. [caption id=“attachment_12180722” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The building will be 400 metres high and 400 metres long on each side, making it a supertall skyscraper. Image Courtesy: New Murabba website[/caption] Let’s take a closer look at the project. ‘Immersive’ Mukaab project The new proposed construction, which resembles a hollow cube, will be able to hold 20 times the capacity of the Empire State Building in New York, according to local news reports. Its design is said to be inspired by traditional Najdi architecture. The 19-square-kilometre complex is slated to be erected to the northwest of central Riyadh and is being planned as a new downtown region for Saudi Arabia's capital city. It will be constructed around the Mukaab building, which is expected to be “one of the largest built structures in the world” and is referred to as the “new face of Riyadh.” “The world’s first immersive, experiential destination. Where hospitality, retail and leisure reach new levels, all in breathtaking, ever-changing environments. A gateway to another world,” the New Murabba website says. The building will be 400 metres high and 400 metres long on each side, making it a supertall skyscraper. [caption id=“attachment_12180682” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The new proposed construction resembles a hollow cube. Image Courtesy: New Murabba website.[/caption] It will become the city’s tallest structure. The project is being managed by the New Murabba Development Corporation (NMDC), a freshly established business founded by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. About its infrastructure Everything from tourist attractions and hotels to residential units and commercial places will be included in the city. The so-called “Mukaab” is expected to add 104,000 residential units, 9,000 hotel rooms, 980,000 square metres of retail space, 1.4 million square metres of office space, an 80-venue entertainment and cultural program, another 1.8 million square metres of community facility space along with a technology and design-focused university, according to Arab News. [caption id=“attachment_12180692” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] From tourist attractions and hotels to residential units and commercial places will be included inside the city. Image Courtesy: New Murabba website[/caption] As shown in the video, the project will also include a museum, a multipurpose theatre and more than 80 entertainment and cultural venues, as shown in the video. The building will have its own transportation system and be 20 minutes from the airport by car. The designers define “immersive” as a completely digital and virtual world enhanced by a sea of holograms that promises to “let you live on Mars” and other places, according to Futurism. [caption id=“attachment_12180712” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The designers define “immersive” as a completely digital and virtual world enhanced by a sea of holograms. Image Courtesy: New Murabba website[/caption] According to a promotional video, visitors can also experience the deep sea and what appear to be the floating Hallelujah Mountains from “Avatar.” In other words, it sounds like they want to turn this into a huge, nearly virtual planetarium. As per Arab News, New Murabba is supposed to be built with “sustainability” in mind, yet none of the project’s absurdly enormous designs truly exudes eco-friendliness. Construction underway According to Futurism, the construction is expected to be complete by 2030, which is less than a year after the country announced a 100-mile skyscraper that will house nine million people in the future. Reportedly, work has already begun on the enormous tower. It will serve as the focal point of the cutting-edge NEOM site, which was initially unveiled near the Gulf of Aqaba in 2017. [caption id=“attachment_12180742” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] New Murabba is supposed to be built with “sustainability” in mind. Image Courtesy: New Murabba website[/caption] Futuristic NEOM project The kingdom is starting a journey to diversify its economy away from oil, generate jobs, and improve its international reputation as a major centre for trade and tourism with investments reaching billions of dollars. The Saudi government has announced over 15 mega projects, such as redeveloping cities like AlUla and AMAALA to establishing new ones like King Salman Energy Park and NEOM, to transform the country. The super giant project – NEOM, a $500 billion city-state under construction in northwest Saudi Arabia, promises to be humanity’s next chapter. The city will span 10,000 square kilometres in the Saudi Arabian province of Tabuk, close to its borders with Jordan and Egypt. According to the website, the futuristic megacity will be 33 times bigger than New York City. According to reports, clean energy sources and artificial intelligence are being used to build the futuristic city-state. Although the city’s planners have stated that they will provide hyperloop and bullet trains for transportation, inhabitants will also be urged to use bicycles. [caption id=“attachment_12180772” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] An illustration of Neom, which will be built in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk province. NEOM website[/caption] NEOM will be home to a two-mile man-made freshwater lake, the Vault, a “vertical village within the mountain with a fusion of technology, entertainment, and hospitality facilities,” and TROJENA, an all-year-round ski village. According to BBC, NEOM city is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan to wean the nation off oil – the industry that made it wealthy. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.