plans have been unveiled for a major new entertainment, sports, and arts district in saudi arabia. masterplanned in conjunction with bjarke ingels group (BIG), the ambitious project is called ?qiddiya? and is currently under construction just 45 kilometers (28 miles) outside of riyadh, the country?s capital city. the masterplan offers visitors a range attractions, including a theme park and a potential formula 1 motor racing circuit. the 334 square kilometer (129 square miles) site envisions development covering only 30% of the land leaving the majority of the site for natural conservation.

all images courtesy of qiddiya investment company
 
 
the plans were unveiled by qiddiya investment company who hope that the project will become the kingdom of saudi arabia?s ?capital of entertainment, sports and the arts?. it is also expected that the scheme will generate thousands of new jobs across a wide range of sectors. BIG?s masterplan responds to the region?s natural landscape, while creating a series of pedestrian- and bike-oriented routes that traverse the development.
 
 
the site is organized around a series of primary development nodes, which each serve a different purpose. the ?resort core? represents the heart of qiddiya where four gated-attractions surround a retail, dining, and entertainment precinct along with a selection of hotels. next door, an outdoor entertainment venue is capable of hosting events from 5,000 to 40,000 visitors siting as a park like setting...