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Click picture for full size gallery
Click picture for full size gallery
dominic verhulst
documentary photographer
THE MARAYA
Al Ula desert Saudi Arabia
Meaning ‘mirror’ or ‘reflection’ in Arabic, Maraya is a stunning piece of art set in the desert canyon of Ashar Valley. Designed to blend into the surrounding landscape, it rises from the sand like a mirage. The state-of-the-art structure is covered in 9,740 mirrored panels reflecting AlUla's beauty and, according to Guinness World Records, making it the largest mirrored building in the world.
Maraya also celebrates AlUla's significant role in history as a crossroads of cultures for centuries. The mirrors themselves become a contemporary canvas, reflecting the area’s remarkable heritage. And while the building itself stands as a work of art, it was also designed as a fully functioning multi-purpose venue and centrepiece of AlUla's emerging cultural scene on a global scale.
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