AAJ Katsina 

@ Katsina 

It is a planned new cubic structure, to be built in a new low density area of Riyadh. It will be called the "Mukaab," a 400-meter high, 400-meter wide and 40z0-meter-long cube. In addition to the striking resemblance, the new name comes from the same root word that Kaaba, the structure rebuilt by Ibrahim (alayhis Salam) as Allah’s House. 

Mukaab will be built by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Muhammad bin Salman, at a cost yet to be made public. It will  be"an immersive experience" with stunning landscapes, to be funded by the Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund as part of a new Murabba in Riyadh. It is inspired by the architectural design of Najd, the birth city of Muhammad bin Abdulwahab and co-founder of Saudi Arabia. It is planned to be completed in 2030.

Mukaab will host “a museum, a technology and design university, a multipurpose theatre and other entertainment and cultural venues”. It will be the new downtown where “hospitality, retail and leisure (will) reach new levels, all in breathtaking, ever-changing environments that can be seen from space”. It will be the new go-to place for musicians and artists from all over the world. 

The Crown Prince is convinced that Saudi Arabia needs to raise money from tourism and the Mukaab in Riyadh is it. The designers believe it will attract more visitors than its namesake, the Kaaba. They are unmindful that the last time someone attempted to divert the world’s pilgrims from Makkah something else happened. The world will not forget the story of as-habul fiil. 

2030 is the completion period of the Mukaab.