They will build a 2.8 kilometer lake in the mountains using 3 giant dams.

NEOM, the most radical part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic transformation plan, hosts an engineering show reminiscent of a science fiction movie. Rising in the Jebel al-Lawz mountains, 50 kilometers away from the Gulf of Aqaba, the Trojena project transforms the dry and barren peaks into a luxury mountain destination that will serve all year round. At the heart of the project is a huge freshwater lake built entirely by artificial means, which will be the center of water sports and futuristic life.

3 giant dams that will hold water on top of the mountains

Technical sketches prepared by Studio Pietrangeli reveal the daunting scale of this water infrastructure that is reshaping the mountain ecosystem. Three different huge dams are being built to hold together the huge lake of 1.55 square kilometers in these arid peaks that do not have a natural basin:

Main Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) Dam: It is an engineering shield that is 145 meters high, 475 meters long and has a concrete volume of 2.7 million cubic meters.

Rock Fill Dam: This structure, which is 84 meters high and 490 meters long, contains 4 million cubic meters of rock fill material in its body.

Enchanted Forest Dam: The third concrete set, 38 meters high and 700 meters long, located in the lower wing of the project.

In addition to these huge dams, a 50-meter overhead weir and a 225-meter giant tunnel connection extending from the Enchanted Forest to the Lake Village are being established to manage the lake waters. There will be an artificial island in the middle of the lake where tourists can take botanical walks.

4.7 billion dollar contract: 10 thousand workers are racing against time

Webuild, the giant of the engineering world, signed a huge $4.7 billion contract with NEOM to build this artificial sea and ski resort in the Trojena mountains. More than 10,000 workers and engineers work continuously at the construction site, directly and indirectly.

So far, more than 3 million cubic meters of rock have been excavated from the mountains to create the lake bed. In an example of smart green engineering, all these rocks being excavated from the mountains at a rate of 90 thousand cubic meters per week are not thrown off site; It is recycled directly as raw material in the body fill of dams and lake bottom coating.

The giant ship that will hang over the valley: “The Bow”

One of the most breathtaking architectural elements of the project is the structure called “The Bow”, which will hang over the gap on the front of the main dam. This architectural wonder, designed as the bow (front) of a huge transatlantic ship extending over the valley; An ultra-luxury hotel overlooking the lake view will host futuristic residential areas, a giant central courtyard and hospitality facilities.

Below zero degrees and skiing pleasure in the middle of the desert

Although scorching deserts come to mind when Saudi Arabia is mentioned, the Jabal al-Lawz region, where Trojena is located, has a completely different climate thanks to its high altitude (2,600 meters). This region, where temperatures drop below zero and natural snowfall occurs in the winter months, will be the first open-air ski village in the Gulf with more than 30 kilometers of tracks.

When the master plan drawn by the world-famous architecture office LAVA is completed, luxury hotels, health centers, mountain amphitheatres, luxury boutiques and a golf course will rise around this artificial lake. Paddle boarding, canoeing and paddle boarding will be done on the water, while just a few meters above people will be skiing down the mountain. The project is so ambitious that the official center to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games has already been selected before its construction is completed! This crazy construction, which will create a futuristic oasis in the middle of the desert, continues to shape the future at full speed.