To find one of the most iconic attractions in Saudi Arabia, don’t look for the building itself – look for the people with selfie sticks and ring lights.
Maraya is the largest mirror-covered building in the world, and at certain times of day the structure seems to evaporate into the surrounding desert.
The building – whose name means “mirror” or “reflecting” in Arabic – is a 500-seat concert hall, community center, and event space that has hosted performances from artists like Alicia Keys, Andrea Bocelli, Enrique Iglesias and John Legend.
But it’s also a work of art in its own right. Set against the dramatic desert landscape in AlUla, just 14 miles from the epic architectural site at Hegra, Maraya was a joint collaboration between Italian design firm Giò Forma Studio and Black Engineering.
“We truly believe that if a building cannot compete with the landscape, it should enhance it,”-Florian Boje, Maraya’s architect.
He continues: “We had the fortune of visiting the site and were profoundly touched by the natural and cultural landscape, so when we submitted our design, the first thing we wrote was ‘Nothing visible should be built here, so if we really have to, it should be a silent mirror cube.’”
The result, which took six months from concept to delivery and a mere 76 days of construction, was unveiled in 2019.