Future of cities will rise in Saudi Arabia 

The importance of this project comes from the fact that it will change Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil income, apart from the fact that it will take the lead by far in sustainability. 

The press release said that the new Murabba project, which stretches 19 km, will be built according to the concept of sustainability and will add 180 billion Saudi Riyal (about $47 billion) to Saudi Arabia's non-oil gross domestic product.

This project also shows the importance of giving direction to the Saudi 2030 vision, which is to diversify its economy, and develop public service sectors such as health, education, sustainability, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism.

The Mukaab project focuses on sustainable neighborhoods and provides residents in each neighborhood with access to housing, employment, and entertainment opportunities within a 15-minute walking radius.

This project, which is said to be larger than we can imagine, is building a geographical region rather than a brand-new city. Therefore, transportation opportunities in such an extensive network are also exceptionally high.

These accessible living spaces will be connected via public transportation to 100,000 residential units and 9,000 hotel rooms, and special community facilities.

So, does the fact that this project is about building an ample and smart living space is enough to make it iconic?

Of course not! it’s The Mukaab: an advanced technological structure planned to be 400 meters(1312 feet) long, wide, and high. 

This structure, which is the first to be seen, resembles Kaaba due to its cubic shape. However, this structure is almost 30 times the size of the latter. 

According to the Saudi government, The Mukaab has no link with the Kaaba,

the shape of the two buildings is very similar.

From the comments on social media, questions arise about whether the Saudi Government will create a new rival center to Mecca, apart from being a social life center.

The fact that Riyadh is a city called the modern face of Saudi Arabia can be said that this project is a new opportunity for the modernization of Saudi Arabia.

We also agree with the example of the Eiffel Tower when the greatness of buildings is a symbol of modernization.

To give you an example to show you how great The Mukaab is: You can fit precisely 20 Empire State buildings in The Mukaab. It is stated that a modernized version of the traditional Al Najd architecture will be used to construct the building. Najdi architectural style", about Najd, the central Arabian ancestral homeland of the ruling Al-Saud dynasty.

This means there are mimicking elements of historic Saudi riverside villages with compact clusters of dwellings separated by narrow roads, protecting people from the glaring sun's heat. 

The Mukaab is a candidate to become one of the most iconic structures in the future. This project, which will reveal a new architectural understanding in addition to being the future city, may also provide hints about the next generation of urbanization.

Saudi Arabia brings technological innovation and sustainability together in the middle of the desert not only with The Mukaab project but also with the Neom project.

Neom is a utopia with a mountain where you can do winter sports, a farm that allows animals to live in their natural habitat, and a developed trade center.

Built on the principle of preserving nature, Neom allows animals to continue their lives in their natural habitats while offering you a living space on a luxury island called Sindalah.

Aiming to bring people from every sector and lifestyle together, this mega-project includes a city center called Oxagon for advanced industries, apart from the most realistic imitations of natural habitats.

In 2022, with sustainable energy and the world's most extensive green hydrogen production plant system, the designers of Neom created applications that break new ground in technology and allow the creation of the most sustainable living space of the future.

It may seem like a big contrast that Saudi Arabia, one of the world's largest producers of fossil resources, is realizing one of these significant sustainability projects.

But, it is not surprising for Saudi Arabia, which is conscious of living in the middle of the desert with limited natural resources.

With these two projects, it seems possible to say that the iconic buildings of the future are cities that provide sustainable living spaces to the world population.