Diriyah Company – the driving force behind Saudi Arabia’s $63.2-billion plan to revitalise the kingdom’s historic birthplace in Riyadh and transform it into historical, cultural, and lifestyle destination – last month awarded a SAR5.1 billion ($1.4 billion) construction contract for its landmark Royal Diriyah Opera House and surrounding developments.

Another SAR4.225 billion construction contract was awarded to relocate the existing utilities and administration offices of King Saud University (KSU) within the Diriyah masterplan. The deal went to a joint venture comprising China Railway Construction Corporation Limited Saudi Branch  (CRCCSA) and China Railway Construction Group Central Plain Construction Co (CRCGCPC).

The developer has also appointed Turner & Townsend, a global professional services company, as the project management and construction management consultant for Diriyah’s Northern District.

These contracts follow a string of significant announcements this year, underscoring the rapid progress of the Diriyah development. These include the launch of the Media and Innovation District; the award of a SAR426-million architecture and design contract to Omrania, a subsidiary of Egis Group, for the Boulevard District project – a dynamic cultural hotspot envisioned as the kingdom’s own Champs-Élysées; and the opening of two major electricity substations in collaboration with the Saudi Electricity Company.

Diriyah is an extensive urban development covering a 14-sq-km area on the outskirts of Riyadh.

Diriyah Company has also appointed Giza Systems as the smart city delivery partner and IBM Maximo Application Suite for asset management.  Other developments include the launch of Saudi Arabia’s first Armani-branded residences.

Backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the Diriyah project – also known as City of Earth – is an extensive urban development covering a 14-sq-km area on the outskirts of Riyadh. Upon completion, it is projected to house nearly 100,000 residents, provide office space for tens of thousands of professionals, create an estimated 178,000 jobs, attract approximately 50 million annual visitors, and contribute an estimated $18.6 billion (SAR70 billion) directly to Saudi Arabia’s GDP.

The contract for the Royal Diriyah Opera House went to a joint venture comprising prominent construction firms El Seif Engineering Contracting Company (ESEC), China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), and Midmac Construction Company.

The scope of works under the contract also encompasses the construction of supplementary assets within the opera house district, including a five-star hotel and a mixed-use residential complex.

The Royal Diriyah Opera House will become Diriyah’s flagship performing arts venue and a major architectural landmark, setting new benchmarks for cultural performances in Saudi Arabia. With a capacity of 2,000 people, the main opera auditorium will become the focal point of the venue that will be managed by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.

In addition to the main hall, the opera house will feature a 450-seat studio theatre, a 450-seat shaded rooftop amphitheatre, and multipurpose halls, bringing the total seating capacity to 3,100.

Raffles Residences Diriyah, one of several collections of branded residences at Diriyah.

Designed by the renowned Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta, the Royal Diriyah Opera House will showcase a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Najdi architectural style, utilising materials such as palm, stone, and earth. Sustainability will be a key focus, with the design incorporating water conservation, natural lighting, strategic building orientation, and thermal comfort measures.

“The Royal Diriyah Opera House will be a landmark asset in Diriyah, reinforcing Diriyah’s growing global role in shaping Saudi Arabia’s artistic and cultural future, aligned with Vision 2030,” says Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO. “This contract demonstrates our progress, building a diverse range of assets across the Diriyah development area. This beautiful, iconic asset will play a vital role in bringing people together in one of the world’s greatest gathering places to experience unforgettable performances.”

Media & Innovation District

Located near the planned multi-purpose 20,000-seater Diriyah Arena, the Media and Innovation District is a pioneering development in the second phase of Diriyah’s urban masterplan. Spanning 250,000 sq m of office GFA, it will also feature 450 residential units as well as 15,000 sq m retail space with a mix of dining options.

The pioneering, future-focused hub will redefine the kingdom’s technology, media and communications industries by creating a dynamic new ecosystem within Diriyah.

According to Diriyah, the district will serve as a new home for global media networks, creative agencies, and professionals seeking a collaborative ecosystem with hi-tech infrastructure, designed to promote sustainability and provide an exceptional quality of life.

It also includes the 325-room luxury 1 Hotel Diriyah – the global 1 Hotels brand’s first property in the Middle East and designed using sustainable and local resources.

Meanwhile, leading Italian design house Armani has entered into an agreement with Diriyah Company to launch its debut project in the kingdom at the City of Earth. The Armani Residences will be the latest addition to Diriyah’s prestigious collection of branded residences. These include Baccarat Residences Diriyah, Corinthia Residences Diriyah, Raffles Residences Diriyah, The Ritz-Carlton Residences Diriyah, and The Ritz-Carlton Signature Collection Diriyah – in total comprising 300 branded residences.

Armani’s 15 limited-edition residences will feature bespoke interiors individually curated by iconic Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, ensuring an evocative interpretation of Najdi architecture.

Located in Diriyah Square, the residences will be near the new Armani Hotel Diriyah that broke ground last November.

Qurain Cultural District & Northern District

Diriyah Company has also unveiled plans for Qurain Cultural District and Northern District, two multi-billion-dollar educational and arts districts in Diriyah.

The Qurain Cultural District will offer a diverse range of arts, retail, office, and residential spaces for people to live, work, shop and enjoy local dining experiences. The multi-disciplinary cultural offerings will include cinema, museums, and a number of academies including writing, Arab music, culinary, performing arts and theatre.

In addition, it will have two world-class hotels and branded residences including the 195-room Ritz-Carlton Diriyah with 165 residences and the Address Diriyah that will have 204 rooms and 60 serviced apartments. e district will also feature 19 mixed-use buildings, 10 of which have various boutique office options, and a wide range of retail space and dining venues.

The development of the Qurain Cultural District was awarded to a joint venture between Nesma & Partners Contracting Company and MAN Enterprise Al Saudia under a SAR5.8-billion contract.

The Northern District, spanning 172,000 sq m of gross floor area (GFA) will make Diriyah a global centre of learning that will include the King Salman Foundation, museums, a university, a library, and a vibrant public square offering magnificent views of At-Turaif, the Unesco World Heritage Site and Wadi Hanifah. It will also host the recently-announced 100-room Capella Diriyah, a luxury hotel.

Construction on elements of the Northern District is already under way under a SR7.8-billion contract awarded to China State Construction Engineering Co-operation (CSCEC) and El Seif Engineering Contracting Company. 

Other recent contracts awarded include a SR8-billion deal for the construction of four luxury hotels and a clubhouse complex being developed as part of its Wadi Safar masterplan. These comprise four world-class hotels – Aman, Six Senses, The Chedi, and Faena – and the Royal Diriyah Equestrian & Polo Club, the construction of which has been awarded to a joint venture of contractors Urbacon Saudi and Al Bawani.

Wadi Safar is also the location for the ongoing development of the Greg Norman designed championship signature golf course and Royal Diriyah Golf Club.

Construction work is advancing across various components of the masterplan with a focus of health, safety and environment, according to Diriyah Company which announced that it has set a new Guinness World Record for the largest construction safety lesson, with the participation of 2,864 workers in Wadi Safar development.

The record was achieved in collaboration with Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting Company (RTCC).

Diriyah Company upholds the highest safety standards across its construction and development sites, reinforced by regular training sessions for both internal teams and external contractors. To date, Diriyah Company has achieved a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) of 0.015 for ongoing infrastructure projects.