Diriyah awards $490 million contract for Saudi contemporary art museum
- 5 days ago
- 1 min read
RIYADH, April 24 — Diriyah Company has awarded a $490 million construction contract for the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art (SAMoCA) in Diriyah, as the Kingdom pushes ahead with cultural infrastructure projects tied to tourism and economic diversification.
The contract was awarded to a joint venture between Hassan Allam Construction Saudi L.L.C. and Albawani Company Ltd.
SAMoCA, a flagship project of the Museums Commission, is intended to document, research and exhibit Saudi modern and contemporary art, while supporting artists across generations and promoting international cultural dialogue.
The museum was designed by Godwin Austen Johnson, with support from Rafaat Miller Consulting, and will have a gross floor area of 45,252 square meters and a total built-up area of 77,428 square meters.
Diriyah Company said the project has achieved Mostadam Gold sustainability certification at both the design and construction stages.
The museum in Diriyah will serve as the flagship home of SAMoCA, while the existing SAMoCA venue at JAX Center in Riyadh will continue to operate as an exhibition space.
Diriyah, a $63.2 billion urban development, has now awarded more than $29 billion in construction contracts and is expected to contribute $18.6 billion directly to Saudi GDP once complete.
