Diriyah Company has awarded a major new $600 million contract for construction work on the high-profile Diriyah Square retail precinct to Salini Saudi Arabia, a subsidiary of the Webuild Group.
The square is located at the heart of Diriyah, the City of Earth, within the unique Najdi-inspired architectural Diriyah Masterplan.
It is designed to develop a vibrant retail district featuring a mix of 400 iconic retail, leisure, and dining brands.
The district will emphasize exceptional customer experiences, focusing on pedestrians and offering unparalleled shopping, dining, and living opportunities. Also, the square aims to pioneer the future retail and leisure landscape of the region.
This marks the third major involvement of the Webuild Group in helping to create the unique flagship retail environment in Diriyah.
Salini is already well advanced in constructing a 10,500-space car park beneath Diriyah Square, which will be among the largest in the world.
The car park will include bus stations, dedicated taxi and VIP drop-off areas, and an underground four-lane gyratory connecting the subterranean Masterplan, providing best-in-class vehicle access and customer parking experiences across Diriyah Square.
Salini is also nearing completion of the structural engineering for all above-ground Diriyah Square assets, including the retail spaces, hotels, branded residences, offices, and the Grand Mosque, according to Diriyah Company.
The contract for developing the retail district includes constructing 73 individual buildings and 400 shell-and-core retail units over a built-up area of 365,340 square meters, covering facades, finishes, and fit-outs of the units.
Every building will use traditional Najdi architectural design themes to create a unique pedestrianized retail environment in the heart of Diriyah reflecting 300-years of history and heritage.
Commenting on the latest contract award, Diriyah Company Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo said: “Diriyah Square is one of our most exciting, anticipated, and prestigious districts, and we are extremely pleased to have signed with Salini to deliver it, bringing their immense global experience to the table.”
“It is yet another significant milestone in our development journey and will help set the stage for Diriyah Square’s retail spaces to welcome a diverse array of shoppers from our residential communities, surrounding office spaces, and the millions who visit us every year,” he added.
Webuild CEO Pietro Salini said: “We are proud to contribute to a project of such symbolic and strategic importance to Saudi Arabia.”
“This will further strengthen our presence in the Kingdom and positively impact both the area and the local community,” he stated.
Salini also said: “We are excited about developing this new phase of Diriyah Square, an integral part of an iconic project. The Webuild Group has been present in Saudi Arabia since 1966, delivering more than 90 projects.”
He added that his company will remain committed to supporting the Kingdom in developing some of the world’s most complex infrastructure projects, particularly in areas such as civil buildings, sustainable mobility, and desalination.
