Experiential Retail, In A Place Like No Other

Mohamed Saad is Vice President of Diriyah Development Company, the development arm of Diriyah Gate Development Authority. His career spans over 20 years of experience in real estate development, construction and consulting in the Middle East, leading mega projects in Dubai, Oman, Egypt & Saudi Arabia - ranging from super regional shopping malls, residential, hotels & commercial offices.

Mohamed Saad

Vice President Diriyah Development Company, the development arm of Diriyah Gate Development Authority Diriyah is set to become the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s foremost historical, cultural and lifestyle destination. Located 15 minutes from downtown Riyadh, and just 25 minutes from King Khalid International Airport, Diriyah is recognised as the capital of the first Saudi State established in 1727. At-Turaif lies at the cultural heart of Diriyah and is one of the nation’s must-see historic destinations as well as a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The 14 square kilometre Diriyah giga-project is part of the Saudi Vision 2030 and is one of the largest mixed-use developments underway anywhere in the world today. On completion Diriyah will transform and celebrate one of the world’s most important historical cities, delivering an inspired collection of cultural, educational, hospitality, retail and dining-led experiences for residents, tourists, and visitors alike.

Diriyah Square is the commercial, retail and lifestyle heart of Diriyah. Spanning over 180,000 square metres, Diriyah Square will assemble the finest retail offering combining over 400 iconic and contemporary global brands with more than 100 traditional artisan shops and Saudi concepts.

Alongside retail, Diriyah Square will include six luxury hotels, three branded residences, five premium office buildings and more than 20 open-air event spaces, set within a completely pedestrianized district. This walkable district

will change the retail and leisure landscape of Riyadh whilst respecting the rich history of the place as demonstrated by the Najdi architecture design seen at At-Turaif and unique to Diriyah.

To realize this vision, a ‘super basement’ will sit below and include a multi-level car park with more than 10,000 car parking spaces to service guests of Diriyah Square and provide multiple connection points to the retail and public realm above via a series of welcome halls. Furthermore, the ‘super basement’ will provide stops for public transport, tourist coaches and taxis, as well as servicing access to all areas, all fed through below grade highway connections to the adjacent Western Ring Road and to local roads to the West, East and South.

Long-term sustainability is inherent in our design, and we have just been awarded the internationally renowned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) precertification at the platinum level by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the globally recognised, prestigious symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership. We’ve also enrolled in Saudi Arabia’s own sustainability certification program: MOSTADAM, which is directly linked with achieving Vision 2030 objective of improving the quality of life for all Saudis.

We are excited to soon be welcoming visitors to Diriyah with the opening of our first asset in December this year. Overlooking At-Turaif, Bujairi Terrace will offer over 20 worldclass dining experiences featuring internationally renowned restaurants and the finest in regional and contemporary local cuisine. The restaurant mix includes several home-grown concepts as well as some restaurants opening their first locations in Saudi Arabia. Bujairi Terrace will be a testament to what’s to come at Diriyah and a great complement to Diriyah Square.

We are building a legacy for generations to come and are focused on providing residents and visitors with an environment and experience second to none in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.