Invisible Theater in the Desert

Saudi Arabia The way to see the Maraya Theater is not to try to find the building, but to look for people with selfie sticks and follow them.

Maraya is the world's largest mirrored building, located in the desert of the ancient oasis city of AlUla. The surrounding landscape is reflected through the mirrors, making Maraya seem to disappear into the desert. If you don't have a really sharp eye, you will have a hard time spotting this structure.

The Maraya Theatre reflects the surrounding desert landscape. Photo: AFP

Maraya, which means “mirror” or “reflection” in Arabic, is a 500-seat concert hall and community center for the country. Artists such as Alicia Keys, Andrea Bocelli, and Enrique Iglesias have performed here. “But it’s also a literal work of art,” says American travel expert Lilit Marcus.

“We believe that if a building cannot compete with the landscape around it, it should enhance the landscape,” says Florian Boje, architect of Maraya.

Boje visited AlUla and was "deeply moved by the natural and cultural landscape" of the place. So when he submitted his design to the government, he wrote: "Nothing should be built here. If anything is built, it should be a silent mirror."

It took more than 8 months to bring the drawings to life. The work was completed in 2019 and quickly became a tourist attraction. People flocked to participate in the performances and activities inside, and to take pictures with the house that is invisible in the desert if you don't have a really sharp eye.

From a distance, the theater looks like a panoramic mirage. But as visitors get closer, they see a perfect reflection of themselves.

However, placing such a large glass block in the middle of a scorching desert was also a big challenge for the architects. The Boje team had to find materials that would not affect the desert landscape. They chose a new type of glass made of bronze. In total, there are 9,740 bronze glass panels surrounding the building.

The high temperatures of the desert can cause glass to oxidize. The team applied a special coating to the pieces of glass to prevent damage from harsh desert weather conditions such as sandstorms and large temperature fluctuations.

The building at night. Photo: Maraya Concert Hall

One of the building's main attractions is the Maraya Social restaurant, which sits on a rooftop terrace with sweeping desert views and is headed by Michelin-starred British chef Jason Atherton. One of the restaurant's favorite desserts is the banana and date pudding.

For a more convenient way to visit the building, visitors can stay overnight at Banyan Tree, the closest resort to Maraya, just 2 km away. Some visitors choose to walk from the hotel to the building. Others take a car provided by the hotel. Regardless of the means of transport, the best way to fully appreciate the beauty and artistry of the building is to visit it multiple times during the day: from dawn to dusk for different experiences.

Anh Minh (According to CNN )

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