330-metre Skyscraper To Come Up In NEOM

The crystalline skyscraper will stand atop a mountain at the centre of Trojena and feature observation decks and restaurants

Zaha Hadid Architects has designed a 330-metre-tall skyscraper for the Trojena ski resort at NEOM, Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion ‘land of the future’. Named Discovery Tower, the crystalline skyscraper was first unveiled at the Cityscape conference in Riyadh last month.

Designed to stand atop a mountain at the centre of Trojena, the tower will feature observation decks and restaurants, as well as technology-driven art experiences. “Elegant and monumental, this iconic tower will combine high-end retail, dining and the dream-like experience of living in the clouds,” said the developer. “It will also provide a rich platform for groundbreaking and tech-infused artistic content and experiences.”

Announced last year, Trojena will include a ski village and a ski slope, as well as wellness resorts, an interactive nature reserve, retail outlets and restaurants. NEOM expects to attract 700,000 visitors and 7,000 residents to Trojena by 2030. The resort will create more than 10,000 jobs and add SAR 3 billion to Saudi Arabia’s GDP by 2030. “Trojena represents NEOM’s values and bold plans as a land where nature and innovative technologies come together to form a unique global experience,” said NEOM CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr.

NEOM’s first luxury island, Sindalah, is due to open in early 2024. Highlights at NEOM also include The Line, a zero-carbon city with “vertically layered” buildings for work, living and leisure, and an octagonal floating port city called Oxagon. Trojena is expected to be completed before it hosts the 2029 Asian Winter Games.