In the Al Ula region, located in the northwestern part of Saudi Arabia, a modern building with mirrored facades has emerged among the ancient majestic monuments and endless sands. Concert hall "Maraya" with an area of 5000 m2 - the name from Arabic translates as "mirror" - was erected to the first festival "Winter in Tantor", which lasted from December to February: the "mirage" concert hall became its key venue. During the three winter months, the beginning of the sowing season was celebrated here, concerts and other cultural events were held.
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zooming 1/3 Maraya Concert Hall Photo © Dhafer Alshehri. Courtesy of Giò Forma
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zooming 2/3 Maraya Concert Hall Photo © Dhafer Alshehri. Courtesy of Giò Forma
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zooming 3/3 Maraya Concert Hall Photo © Dhafer Alshehri. Courtesy of Giò Forma
The concert hall, lined with reflective panels on all sides, for all its eccentricity, is a continuation of the environment. This project is a kind of multi-genre compilation, including land art, architecture and scenography; the idea belongs to the Milan studio Giò Forma. The Turin company Black Engineering Dwc-LLC helped with the implementation. Within the walls of the hall "Maraya" there is an immersive theater and an interactive exhibition with kinetic art objects.
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zooming 1/3 Maraya Concert Hall Photo © Dhafer Alshehri. Courtesy of Giò Forma
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zooming 2/3 Maraya Concert Hall Photo © Dhafer Alshehri. Courtesy of Giò Forma
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zooming 3/3 Maraya Concert Hall Photo © Dhafer Alshehri. Courtesy of Giò Forma
The building, tied to the place, merged with it, according to the authors, has become an interesting event that makes one think about the non-standard beauty of the region and the unusual "intrusions" of man into the landscape.
The Saudi Arabian authorities plan to make the Al-Ula region a tourist cluster for the exchange of cultural experience and the establishment of trade relations. At the same time, they want to preserve the natural landscape and ancient structures intact, so they rely not on mass tourism, but on event tourism. The main attraction of the region is the "city of the dead" Madain-Salih, in 2008 included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It consists of more than a hundred rock tombs and hydraulic structures dating back to the turn of the era.
