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ilmi: a 55-metre sphere rises in Wadi Hanifa

ilmi, the Science Discovery and Innovation Center in Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City, is a nonprofit centre affiliated with the Misk Foundation for ages 6 to 16 and their families. Inspired by the Echinops (globe thistle) flower, the building rises 73 metres over 11 floors, with a 55-metre sphere clad in 3,000 pieces of glass.

Aerial render of the ilmi centre from the west, showing its glass-clad sphere above Wadi Hanifa
Render: wHY Architecture / ilmi
WHY IT MATTERS

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The structure is a single-layer inclined steel diagrid, with a hierarchical aluminium facade and glass fins that change colour with the light. The design is by WHY Architecture (New York), the contractor is ALEC and the facades are by Metal Yapı. The main structure was completed in February 2026, and opening is expected in 2027.

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Projects · October 2026

SAR 917 million for the Grand Mosque in Diriyah

The Grand Mosque is one of Diriyah's largest mosques, in the project's second phase where the main boulevard meets Wadi Hanifah. It holds 11,400 worshippers (5,240 in the prayer hall and 6,160 in the outdoor courtyards) and has a gross floor area of 12,320 m².

Projects · October 2026

Jeddah Tower passes 466 metres at about 116 floors

Jeddah Tower reached about 116 floors, roughly 466 metres, in September 2026, after adding about 42 floors in 10 months. Construction resumed in January 2025 after a halt in 2018, under a SAR 7.2 billion contract with Saudi Binladin Group, and completion is now expected in late 2028.

Events · 25–26 October 2026

Global PropTech Summit returns to Riyadh in October

The Global PropTech Summit runs on 25 and 26 October 2026 in Riyadh, under the theme Scaling Intelligence. It is sponsored by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, with the Real Estate General Authority as regulatory partner, and registration is open on the organiser's site.