Register for MEED's guest programme 

Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk Foundation) has awarded an estimated SR1.8bn ($478m) contract to Dubai-based Alec Engineering & Contracting to build the Ilmi Science & Technology Centre at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City in Riyadh.

The contract covers the construction of the 27,000-square-metre educational centre.

Candian firms WSP and AtkinsRealis are the project consultants.

The foundation work has commenced and is being carried out by Qatar-based Ammico Contracting Company.

The development of the centre is led by Princess Sara bint Mashhour bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, wife of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. 

In an official statement released in May last year, Princess Sara said that the centre will allow young people to connect with subjects including science, technology, literature, engineering, art and mathematics.

City masterplan

In March 2022, the Misk Foundation released the masterplan for Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City.

The Saudi crown prince said in November 2021 that the Misk Foundation development in Riyadh will be the world’s first non-profit city.

“Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City, which implements the digital twin model, will host academies; colleges; Misk Schools; a conference centre; a science museum; and a creative centre offering a space to support the ambitions of innovators in sciences and new-generation technology such as AI [artificial intelligence], IoT [Internet of Things] and robotics,” said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 

“It will also feature an arts academy and art gallery, a performing arts theatre, a play area, a cooking academy and an integrated residential complex.

“In addition, the city will host venture capital firms and investors to support and incubate innovative enterprises to drive community contributions from around the world.”

The consultants working on the project include Germany’s Albert Speer + Partner as master planners and architects, and UK-based Buro Happold as engineers. The project manager for the first phase of construction is UK-based Mace.

MEED's October 2023 special report on Saudi Arabia includes: 

> COMMENT: Riyadh reshapes its global role
> POLITICS: Saudi Arabia looks both east and west
> SPORT: Saudi Arabia’s football vision goes global
> ECONOMY: Riyadh prioritises stability over headline growth
> BANKS: Saudi banks track more modest growth path
> UPSTREAM: Aramco focuses on upstream capacity building
> DOWNSTREAM: Saudi chemical and downstream projects in motion
> POWER: Riyadh rides power projects surge
> WATER: Saudi water projects momentum holds steady
> GIGAPROJECTS: Gigaproject activity enters full swing
> TRANSPORT: Infrastructure projects support Riyadh’s logistics ambitions
> JEDDAH TOWER: Jeddah developer restarts world’s tallest tower