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Saudi Arabia evaluates Mukaab raft bids

14 November 2024

 

Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba Development Company has started evaluating bids it received on 3 November for a contract to undertake the raft concrete works beneath the wadi podiums and Mukaab at the New Murabba downtown development in Riyadh.

MEED understands that the developer has received at least two bids for the contract.

A joint venture of Turkiye's Nurol and the local Saudi Constructioneers (Saudico) and AlSaad General Contracting, and another joint venture comprising Lebanon's Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) and Urbacon Trading & Contracting Company (UCC) are understood to have submitted bids for the contract.

Sources suggest joint ventures comprising Chinese and local contractors are also likely to have submitted proposals for the contract.

New Murabba Development Company issued the tender notice in August, with contractors initially given until 27 October to submit their commercial bids.

The raft construction package is expected to be worth SR3.8bn-SR4.4bn ($1bn-$1.1bn).

In October, MEED reported that New Murabba had achieved significant construction progress on its Mukaab development.

According to an official statement released on 15 October: "Excavation works at the Mukaab and surrounding podium sites have reached 86% completion, with over 10 million cubic metres of earth moved."

Beijing-headquartered China Harbour Engineering Company is carrying out the excavation works.

The foundation works for the Mukaab are being carried out by UAE-headquartered HSSG Foundation Contracting. 

The Mukaab is a Najdi-inspired landmark that will be one of the largest buildings in the world. It will be 400 metres high, 400 metres wide and 400 metres long. Internally, it will have a tower on top of a spiral base and a structure featuring 2 million square metres (sq m) of floor space designated for hospitality. It will feature commercial spaces, cultural and tourist attractions, residential and hotel units, as well as recreational facilities.

The New Murabba development is divided into three sections: infrastructure, buildings and the Mukaab.

Contractors are expected to form joint ventures or consortiums to deliver the packages.

The estimated contract award timelines for each package are: 

  • Package 1: Logistics area construction and maintenance – Q4 2024
  • Package 2: Piling – awarded in April 2024
  • Package 3: Raft foundation – Q4 2024
  • Package 4: Mukaab core – Q2 2025
  • Package 5: Dome technology – Q3 2028
  • Package 6: Wadi podiums – Q3 2025

MEED understands that New Murabba Development Company plans to develop the project infrastructure on a public-private partnership basis.

Downtown destination

The New Murabba destination will total more than 25 million sq m of floor area and feature more than 104,000 residential units, 9,000 hotel rooms and over 980,000 sq m of retail space.

The scheme will include 1.4 million sq m of office space, 620,000 sq m of leisure facilities and 1.8 million sq m of space dedicated to community facilities.

The project will be developed around the concept of sustainability and will include green spaces and walking and cycling paths to promote healthy, active lifestyles and community activities.

The living, working and entertainment facilities will be created around a 15-minute walking radius. The area will use an internal transport system and will be about a 20-minute drive from the airport.

The downtown area will feature a museum; a technology and design university; an immersive, multipurpose theatre; and more than 80 entertainment and cultural venues.

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Jennifer Aguinaldo

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