Saudi Arabia suspends construction of the Mukaab megaproject

Saudi Arabia has put its Mukaab megaproject on hold. Originally slated for 2030, it is billed as the largest building in human history.

The plan sounds lifted from science fiction: the Mukaab is a colossal cube measuring 400 metres on each side, intended to become a new national icon for Saudi Arabia. Tied to Vision 2030 and championed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the scheme has now been paused, Reuters reported in January.

According to the news agency, four sources point to a delay driven largely by money. After committing 925 billion dollars across a range of ambitious developments, Saudi Arabia is currently scaling back its targets. The authorities are said to be prioritising projects with clearer returns-such as those connected to the 2030 World Expo and the 2034 World Cup-along with major tourism destinations, including Qiddiya. It is important to stress that this is described as a suspension, not a cancellation. Work on the Mukaab has begun in Riyadh and the excavation has already been completed. Reuters says the handover is now expected in 2040.

The Mukaab, a symbol of power willing to do anything to dominate

Under Vision 2030, the Saudi leadership has launched a string of headline-grabbing schemes. In Riyadh, the futuristic new downtown district, New Murabba, is meant to serve as a showcase for a modernised country.

New Murabba and the Mukaab at the heart of Riyadh

Priced at 50 billion dollars, the district is set to include a vast stadium, a museum, a university, cinemas, shops and more. At its centre, the Mukaab is meant to rise like a city within a city-an enormous building that could ultimately accommodate 400,000 residents. Its footprint is so vast it could hold twenty Empire State Buildings inside, making it, quite simply, the largest building in human history.

Other megaprojects slowed: The Line

The Mukaab is not the only eye-catching plan to be slowed. Saudi Arabia has also eased off on The Line, its linear “building-city” that was supposed to cut through the desert for 170 kilometres. The concept evokes a cyberpunk dystopia. While it has not been officially cancelled, it now looks set to be dramatically reduced.

The post-oil strategy-and a controversy over the Kaaba

These vast initiatives have a clear purpose: preparing for a future after oil. Taking inspiration from Dubai, Mohammed bin Salman wants to reshape the country, turning it into a tourism and business hub and one of the centres of global entertainment. However, some of the most extreme projects appear to have overreached-particularly while oil prices remain low. Today, crude oil accounts for 40% of Saudi Arabia’s GDP.

As Reuters notes, the Mukaab has been highly controversial domestically since it was unveiled, largely because of its resemblance to the Kaaba, a sacred structure for Muslims.