Architect behind new Saudi mega resort tips area to become top global tourist destination

The renowned French architect designing a new mountain resort in Saudi Arabia has tipped the historic area to become a top global tourist destination.

In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Jean Nouvel said the chance to work on the ambitious Al-Ula heritage project was “a rare and wonderful opportunity.”

At a special ceremony on Sunday, the Kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the governor of the Royal Commission for Al-Ula, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, launched the mega resort and nature reserve tourism programs, both called Sharaan.

Nouvel, lauded around the world for his design of the Louvre Abu

Dhabi, in the UAE, said: “Building

Sharaan Resort represents an amazing opportunity because of its location on one of the world’s most important historic sites.

“The area is characterized by the diversity and precision of its unique embossments that were defined by the movement of the wind and water.”

The region is famed for its stunning natural landscapes and ancient heritage. Sandstone rock formations dominate, and there are numerous archeological gems including Madain Saleh, the largest Nabataean settlement south of Petra, that contains the ancient civilization’s rock tombs with their carved facades. In 2008, it was designated as Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nouvel said the resort will be located among the rocks deep in a valley inside a 925-squarekilometer nature reserve, both projects taking their name from the surrounding canyon area of Sharaan.

Full designs for the resort will be ready by the end of this year. Nouvel said: “I actually established the relation between history and modernity by using the region’s geographical nature, especially the rocks. We will rely on the knowledge to create some internal fresh spaces like the patios found in the Arab culture.”

“I thought that we could use the rocks because their temperature is always at 20 degrees. It will allow us to welcome guests inside the rocks without consuming a lot of energy. It also offers them the