Canada-based global engineering services company AtkinsRéalis announced on Wednesday that it has been awarded the contract to masterplan the New Murabba project, dubbed the world’s largest modern downtown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The contract was awarded by The New Murabba Development Company (NMDC), a fully-owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Toronto stock exchange-listed company said in a statement.

The company was awarded the contract after successfully winning the international architectural and master planning competition for the iconic project with a Najdi Architecture-inspired scheme.

Sabah Barakat, Acting CEO, New Murabba Development Company, acknowledged the role that AtkinsRéalis has played so far in 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,” he said.

The scope of the contract covers advisory, architecture, masterplanning and engineering services.

According to the statement, The Mukaab, which means cube in Arabic, will be the world’s largest immersive destination providing innovative experiences driven by digital and virtual technology. The Mukaab’s exterior envelop shrouds an internal skyscraper, which will be one of the largest built structures in the world’s history, standing 400m high, 400m wide, and 400m long. The design of the Mukaab will also include first-of-its-kind hospitality, F&B and retail facilities.

The project is scheduled to be completed by 2030.

Read more: Chinese firm bags excavation contract for New Murabba mega project

Bechtel lands PMC contract for mega New Murabba project

(Writing by Dennis Daniel; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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