ROSHN Group, Saudi Arabia’s most trusted multi-asset class real estate developer, and PIF giga-project, has announced MARAFY, a transformative, mixed-use development in the north of Jeddah that will accommodate over 130,000 residents with an 11-kilometer-long manmade canal at its center.
MARAFY will provide a new waterfront around its canal which will add a new destination to the north of Jeddah. The 11-kilometer-long and 100-meter-wide navigable canal will connect to and extend Obhur Creek and will be surrounded by multiple unique districts. It is the first canal ever to be built in Saudi Arabia and ROSHN’s first fully mixed-use development.
David Grover, Group CEO of ROSHN Group, commented: “It is core to us as a giga-project to introduce such huge development to the Kingdom. MARAFY will be a game-changer in the real estate development sector, raising the bar of development in the region, boosting the quality of life, and creating a huge impact in Jeddah. It is a proud moment to announce the launch of MARAFY, a huge development in the north of Jeddah. It is one of the iconic projects that will put Jeddah on the map of world-class destinations.”
MARAFY will carve out an 11km-long, 100m-wide urban water corridor connected to Obhur Creek
MARAFY’s canal will provide a waterfront comparable in size to those of Chicago, Stockholm, Hamburg, and central London, bringing the marine environment into the heart of a historic city that has been welcoming traders, travelers, and pilgrims for centuries. MARAFY will breathe new life into Jeddah, creating an urban water corridor to link homes and communities with nature, commerce, and life-enhancing amenities. The development will strengthen Jeddah’s position as a regional hub, with world-class residential, retail, lifestyle, leisure, and entertainment spaces built to attract residents and visitors alike, creating an instantly iconic new landmark in Jeddah.
MARAFY will be comprised of multiple distinct districts, each with a unique character, including ROSHN’s existing integrated residential development, ALAROUS. It will accelerate Jeddah’s emergence as a global city while honoring the city’s cultural and architectural heritage with facades inspired by the historical designs of the Jeddah region and styles reinvented for today. It will reinterpret the contemporary urban context, incorporating liveable community spaces while retaining a connection to Jeddah’s historical heritage.
The waterway will be flanked by canalside promenades, multiple residential and commercial districts, and integrated urban living for over a hundred thousand residents
MARAFY’s diverse waterside districts will be connected to each other and the rest of Jeddah by an intermodal transport system, boasting water taxis, bus lines, a dedicated Metro Red Line station, and a direct canal link to the King Abdulaziz International Airport.
The announcement of MARAFY marks a major milestone for ROSHN Group as a giga-project. Under His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s guidance, the Group has embraced its mandate to emerge as a multi-asset class developer, intensifying its activities and becoming a national champion across a range of sectors in pursuit of Vision 2030’s ambitious goals.
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