Roshn Group, a leading real estate developer and PIF-owned giga-project, has broken ground on its premium development, Marafy, in Jeddah.

Roshn’s most ambitious mixed-use development yet, Marafy is an 11.8-million-sq-m, human-centric, and transformative mixed-use project that marries the developer’s signature ‘new way of living’ with an iconic urban canal – the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia. The 11-km-long Red Sea-fed canal will add an exciting new dimension to Roshn’s signature prioritisation of walkability, cyclability, and multi-modal transport systems, providing a waterfront spine which will serve as the centrepiece of the immersive urban quarter, said a statement from the developer.

This unique new global destination brings waterfront living and a rich diversity of world-class retail, entertainment, hospitality and experiential infrastructure to Jeddah, positioning the city to become one of the top 100 liveable cities worldwide, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 goals, it added.

On completion, it will accommodate over 130,000 residents.

Connected to Roshn’s Alarous residential community, Marafy will offer a vibrant mix of commercial, cultural, land and water activities, retail, food andf beverages (F&B), hospitality, and leisure spaces, including a dedicated innovation zone, which will seamlessly integrate live, work and play experiences.

 Roshn had last year awarded a contract worth SR690 million ($188 million) to Saudi group PC Marine Services for the canal and bridge construction within the Marafy community, which will connect to Alarous in Jeddah.