Roshn Group, a Saudi Arabian developer tasked with boosting home-ownership, is forging ahead on its mandate, having already embarked on plans to build more than 150,000 homes to date across the kingdom, in a bid not only to meet national targets but also reshape urban landscapes.

Established in 2020 to spearhead the kingdom’s ambition of raising homeownership among Saudis to 70 per cent by 2030, Roshn has launched seven residential and mixed-use projects in four key regions.  These include its first project, Sedra, which encompasses 30,000 housing units and Warefa (2,300 homes) in Riyadh; Marafy and Alarous, which together will offer a whopping 65,000 homes in Jeddah; Alfulwa (18,000) and the newly-launched Aldanah (2,500) in the Eastern Province; and Almanar (33,000) in Makkah. The company is now eyeing expansion into further regions.

Deliveries commenced in 2022 with Phase One of Sedra having been handed over two years ahead of schedule, showcasing Roshn’s commitment to its goals.

“Roshn aims to deliver hundreds of thousands of residential units across our projects. In Sedra, we plan to bring more than 30,000 homes to the Riyadh market upon completion. To date, we have launched the sale of four of Sedra’s eight phases, and we have already welcomed the first residents to their new homes,” a spokesman of Roshn tells Gulf Construction in an exclusive interview with Bina Goveas.

Marafy is being built around an 11-km manmade canal.

“In Warefa, approximately over 2,000 units are in development while Marafy and Alarous are expected to deliver over 65,000 units combined. We plan to offer a substantial number of residential units in Alfulwa, Aldanah and Almanar, providing a range of housing options to meet the needs of all residents,” he adds.

Alfulwa will cover an area of more than 10.8 million sq m some 7 km from the centre of Al Ahsa Governorate. Being built near Dakhna and Al Qarah mountains, the project will reflect the unique cultural and geographical heritage of the region, providing an ideal mix of urban facilities amidst the stunning mountainous nature. In its design and construction, Alfulwa will adhere to sustainability principles, contributing to a significant reduction in energy costs.

Key new developments

Late last month (April), Roshn launched Aldanah, its second integrated community in the Eastern Province and first in Dhahran. Covering over 1.7 million sq m, Aldanah will eventually be home to nearly 10,000 inhabitants.

Strategically located in the heart of Greater Dammam, at the confluence of Dammam, Dhahran, and Al Khobar, Aldanah will feature thoughtfully placed amenities that provide residents with the convenience that has become Roshn’s signature, with a city experience centre, a district mall, three neighbourhood retail centres, a primary healthcare centre, mosques, and six schools dotted throughout walkable neighbourhoods. 

Roshn has already welcomed the first residents of Sedra to their new homes.

Aldanah’s homes will be built with a focus on energy savings, featuring ultra-low U-value concrete, 250-litre solar water heaters, and maximally efficient air-conditioning. Close to 10 per cent of the community’s total footprint will be dedicated to urban green space, including shaded “living streets” with native trees and shrubs, encouraging residents to connect with nature. Aldanah will also incorporate cycle lanes and mobility hubs for e-bikes and e-scooters, reducing the need for traditional vehicles.

The unveiling of Aldanah follows the launch in March of Almanar in Makkah. The massive development is in the planning stage, with construction due to commence shortly. It is expected to provide over 4,000 residential units in Makkah in its first phase. Residents of these villas, townhouses, and apartments will have access to a wide selection of signature Roshn amenities, including a regional mall supplemented by eight neighbourhood commercial centres, a business park and several mosques.

Strategically located at Makkah’s western gate, between the old and new expressways linking the city to Jeddah, Almanar is 20 minutes from the Al Masjed Al Haram (Great Mosque of Makkah).

Roshn’s most striking development, however, is Marafy in Jeddah, which is being built around an 11-km manmade canal – the first of its kind in the kingdom – fed by the Red Sea. The ambitious project broke ground this February. Its waterfront neighbourhoods will provide high-quality housing options and offer a modern, integrated lifestyle to over a 100,000 people.

The ground-breaking ceremony for Marafy.

Marafy’s multiple unique districts form a ‘city-within-a-city,’ giving residents access to a broad range of ‘day and night’ amenities, ranging from essential infrastructure such as health centres to retail outlets, restaurants, cinemas, and an array of stunning public spaces, including sea pools, floating entertainment locations, and waterside parks. The waterside districts will be connected to each other and the rest of Jeddah by an intermodal transport system with direct links to Jeddah’s international airport and the city centre.

Marafy is a multi-phase project, with the opening of sales for individual phases being announced at different stages, following the ground-breaking of the project in February.

Roshn’s Alarous community, which will form the main residential district of Marafy, is already under development, with Phase One sales launched in 2023, while other residential zones in Marafy, such as apartments, will launch closer to 2025.

Vision & community focus

However, Roshn is building more than just homes – the PIF-backed organisation focuses on six areas to create connected, sustainable neighbourhoods: social spaces, green spaces, easy movement within the community, access to everyday needs, high-quality homes, and an eco-friendly environment. By having everything needed within walking distance, Roshn’s communities are like “mini-cities” where convenience meets a fulfilling life, says the spokesman.

Almanar will provide over 4,000 residential units in Makkah in its first phase.

One example is Sedra, which features Roshn Front, a mixed-use lifestyle retail and F&B destination that welcomes over 10 million visitors annually. Roshn Front features multi-modal workspaces, 1 km of walking promenades and green spaces, and state-of-the-art facilities such as a fitness centre, a four-star hotel, and meeting rooms, as well as conference halls.  

While Sedra incorporates natural features such as wadis and acacia groves, Alfulwa centers around AlDakhna mountain.

“Energy-efficient technologies, water-saving fixtures, and a focus on walkability and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure support our commitment to advancing the kingdom’s Vision 2030 sustainability goals, reinforcing our role as a leader in sustainable development,” the spokesman points out.

In line with its goal, Roshn is also partnering with a range of organisations to provide community services including the Sports for All Federation for the construction of sports domes across its projects. 

The spokesman continues: “Roshn’s new way of living envisioned for cities is one centered on integrated, human-centric, sustainable, and interconnected spaces.  Our approach prioritises people first, ensuring that essential and lifestyle amenities are within a convenient 15-minute walk, supported by accessible pedestrian-friendly streets, cycle lanes, and efficient public transport networks.

“Our developments are forward-looking embracing innovative smart home and city technologies that enable cutting-edge solutions to enhance livability, sustainability, and overall quality of life for both residents and visitors. While embracing advanced technologies, Roshn ensures our communities remain connected to the rich Saudi heritage. Our communities preserve the surrounding natural environments and reflect Saudi identity through distinctive architectural designs, harmoniously achieving a blend of modernity with tradition.”

Roshn Front features multi-modal workspaces, promenades and green spaces and state-of-the-art facilities.

Technology plays a pivotal role in Roshn’s projects for enhancing sustainability, efficiency, collaboration with partners, and functionality.

“We employ digital twins and building information modelling (BIM) technologies, which streamline the design and construction processes. These tools not only optimise building layouts for energy efficiency, space utilisation and resident comfort but also enable detailed pre-construction visualisation and simulations. This helps in improving construction safety, efficiency, and facilitates preemptive troubleshooting.

“By employing cutting-edge technology Roshn aims to lead in ESG practices and industrialised manufacturing, embracing market expectations and setting new standards in the real estate sector as an innovative, AI-enhanced, future-facing developer for the region,” the official says.

Roshn continues to deliver its projects over seven real estate verticals: residential, retail, commercial, hospitality, leisure and entertainment, knowledge hubs, warehousing, and logistics. Its rapid development across various sectors creates opportunities for public-private partnerships (PPP), with more than 100 partnership opportunities currently identified for consultants, contractors, and manufacturers. Notable partnerships secured to date include a SR690-million ($172 million) agreement with PC Marine Services, a SR840-million commercial partnership with Saudi Pan Kingdom Company, and a SR7.7-billion partnership with China Harbour Engineering Company.

Strong local partnerships are crucial for Roshn. This helps with a stable supply chain, reduces carbon footprint, and supports the local economy, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals.

To attract investors, Roshn emphasises trust, high ethical standards, a strong safety record, and its ability to deliver projects on time. The company says it believes in building long-term, successful partnerships that go beyond just finances and contribute to creating sustainable communities.

“We offer our partners trust that Roshn adheres to rigorous standards and is committed to international benchmarks, evidenced by our recognition with the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) Ethical Kitemark. As a trusted partner, we have a robust safety record, achieving 35 million safe man-hours in 2023. Roshn’s ability to deliver projects ahead of schedule, as demonstrated with Phase One of Sedra, also underscores our operational excellence and reliability. These factors make Roshn an attractive partner, offering business excellence and competitive advantage in the real estate sector and fostering long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships,” he says.

Roshn is aiming to be the most well-rounded real estate developer in the region. It is expanding further in its seven real estate verticals to better serve Saudi Arabia’s needs. This will allow the group to create communities with all the amenities residents need, while also contributing to Vision 2030’s goals of economic diversification and job creation.

“We have a pipeline of exciting new projects and sales tranches that we are looking forward to announcing, including our first projects in certain key regions of the kingdom. All this marks our continuing commitment to enabling Saudi Vision 2030’s goals,” the spokesman concludes.