IN THE NEWS
30 APRIL 2020 • WWW.LSIONLINE.COM[Saudi Arabia] In 2019, Saudi
Arabia announced its intention
to open up to international
tourists eager to discover
unexplored sites of historic and
artistic interest. To bring this
plan to life, the Kingdom is
investing billions of dollars in to
improving its infrastructure and
developing artistic, cultural and
entertainment sites.
Of particular importance is
Mada’in Saleh in Al-Ula,
a UNESCO world heritage site
and the largest conserved site of
the Nabataean civilization.
Located south of Petra in
Jordan, the town hosts the new
Winter at Tantora festival, which
first took place in 2018.
A centrepiece of the event is
Maraya, a unique concert hall
completely clad in enormous
mirrors that’s as much ‘land art’
as it is venue. Reflecting the
desert landscape and ever-
changing sky, as it does, the
venue blends beautifully into its
surroundings and has drawn
international praise.
Maraya was commissioned
by the Royal Commission for
Al-Ula (RCU) and designed by
Italy’s Giò Forma, a leading set
and production design studio.
Founded by Cristiana Picco,
Florian Boje and Claudio
Santucci in 1998, the company
employs a team of over 20
designers, artists and architects
operating worldwide.
Maraya - which means
‘mirror’ in Arabic - is a giant
mirror-cube, a site-specific
landmark envisioned as
a cultural hub, hosting musical
events, international operas and
exhibitions. The theatre can host
550 spectators and the stage’s
backdrop is formed by a large
800sq.m window that can be
opened with an impressive
track-mount system to reveal
the surrounding landscape that
then forms part of the shows
performed at the venue.MAJESTY OF NATURE
In 2018, Giò Forma was
commissioned to design
a theatre that would enhance
the beauty of Al-Ula and reveal
the country’s archaeologicalsites to the world. It was decided
to propose a design that exalted
the majesty of nature without
dominating it. For the cladding,
a reflective material seemed the
most suitable in order to create
a mimetic and resilient
structure.
Installing the mirror panels,
however, posed a significant
challenge due to the size of the
panels and the need to ensure
they were precisely level.
UltraMirror panels from
Guardian Glass were chosen for
the cladding due to their
superior weather protection and
ability to withstand corrosion,
chemicals, moisture and
abrasion.Inside the venue are four
floors of food service, hospitality
and exhibition amenities, whilst
a view of the surrounding
landscape is revealed from
a panoramic terrace. Giò
Forma’s design for the Maraya
concert hall was originally
intended to be a temporary
structure, however in 2019/20 it
evolved into a permanent piece
of architecture. Once completed,
the structure achieved the
Guinness World Record for the
Largest Mirrored Building.TEAMWORK
Involved in the build was Black
DWC-LLC, a branch of
Turin-based Black Engineering,Desert refl ections
Mike Clark discovers how a group of Italian companies helped create a unique
Saudi Arabian concert hall for Winter at Tantora festival...B From top: Not a mirage - the
glass-clad Maraya concert hallCaracalla Dance Theatre in
performance
C Facing page: Sergio and Mattia
Metalli