Riyadh is undergoing a dramatic shift in identity — from a desert-bound capital to a city rooted in sustainability and green living. Backed by over SAR 72.25 billion in green investments from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the transformation is well underway. From vast parks and tree-planting campaigns to futuristic entertainment hubs and eco-conscious infrastructure, these six mega-projects are helping to reshape the Saudi capital.
1. Green Riyadh Project
Launched in 2019, Green Riyadh is one of the city’s biggest initiatives aimed at tackling heat and boosting urban livability. The project is managed by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) and targets the planting of 7.5 million trees by 2030.
Key goals of the project:
- Reduce average temperatures in the city by 2°C, and up to 15°C in high tree coverage areas
- Increase green space per capita from 1.7 to 28 square metres
- Expand overall green coverage from 1.5% to 9%
The plan includes greening public areas such as schools, healthcare centres, and mosques, and will introduce four new parks including the upcoming Al Urubah Park.
2. Qiddiya
Qiddiya is being developed as Riyadh’s future entertainment city — a sprawling development three times the size of Walt Disney World. Designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group, it aims to blend culture, recreation, and sustainability.
Qiddiya will feature 400+ facilities including theme parks, sports arenas, cinemas, theatres, and nature experiences.
3. Wadi Hanifah Redevelopment
Once a dry valley, Wadi Hanifah now serves as one of Riyadh’s main green escapes. The 120km stretch of land is undergoing continued rehabilitation to enhance its role as an ecological and social space.
Planned upgrades include:
- Enhanced hiking, cycling, and horse-riding trails
- Strategic landscaping to strengthen biodiversity
- Continued water management to preserve natural flow and greenery
Led by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, this project aims to turn the wadi into an even more accessible and nature-focused retreat for city residents.
4. Sports Boulevard
Sports Boulevard is Riyadh’s massive linear park project, designed to connect the west and east ends of the city with 135km of green and active pathways. Phase one opened in February 2025, but there’s more to come before the final 2029 completion.
Highlights include:
- 4.4 million sq. m of green space
- 220km of cycling paths and 149km of horse trails
- Eight themed zones including Recreational Zone with shaded parks, an outdoor cinema, and a 40km cycling viaduct, Environmental Zone for professional jogging and cycling, and Sand Dunes Park Zone, featuring a flower-shaped track, equestrian centre, and zoo
5. King Abdullah International Gardens
These futuristic gardens are not just about pretty plants — they’re built to educate, simulate, and inspire. Spread over 10 hectares in the Tuwaiq desert, they explore 400 million years of Earth’s botanical history.
Features include:
- Climate-controlled environments themed by time periods (from Jurassic ferns to modern flora)
- Themed zones such as The Butterfly Garden
- The Garden of Choices – a space designed to explore the environmental impact of today’s decisions on tomorrow’s world
The site will serve as both a public attraction and a space for climate research and education.
6. King Salman Park
At a 16.7 square kilometres, King Salman Park is set to become Riyadh’s flagship urban green space. The park will feature 11 sq. km of landscaped greenery, valleys, rivers, and a million trees — all irrigated using 100% recycled city water.
Landmark architecture such as Royal Arts Complex, with a 110m-high pyramid by Ricardo Bofill, and Visitor Pavilion by Adjaye Associates. Though a final opening date hasn’t been confirmed, 2027 is a projected target.
Together, these six projects form a blueprint for Riyadh’s future — not just as a modern capital, but as a green, connected, and climate-conscious city.
