The facade of Riyadh’s Tuwaiq Tower has become a vast canvas bearing a portrait of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in one of the largest murals painted on a building in the region and the world. The team behind the project hopes it will earn a place in Guinness World Records. The mural covers the facade of the roughly 305-meter tower, one of the tallest buildings in the Saudi capital. Its palette draws on traditional colors, blending the building’s architectural identity with public art. Saudi mural artist Badr Al-Balawi said the idea came from the tower’s owner, businessman Ibrahim Al-Muhaidib. “He wanted the tower, which is known for its traditional character, to carry an artwork depicting the crown prince while preserving the building’s visual identity,” Al-Balawi told Asharq Al-Awsat. “The aim was to use colors that matched the tower’s heritage-inspired style and to create the world’s tallest mural, given that the building rises more than 300 meters.” The project took 31 days of continuous work and required four cranes, specialized equipment and materials designed for outdoor use. “The scale of the project created a range of technical and on-site challenges,” Al-Balawi said. “We were working at an unprecedented height, using four cranes, paints and supporting equipment. It was unlike any project I had carried out before.” He said the mural was being considered for Guinness World Records, with the project seeking recognition for a mural executed at such an extreme height. Public interest grew as the image gradually took shape. “At first, people could only see lines and did not understand what the work was,” Al-Balawi said. “But once the features began to appear, interest rose sharply, and many people started visiting the site to see the mural up close.” In recent weeks, the mural has drawn visitors and attracted wide attention on social media. It also reflects the growing presence of public art in Saudi Arabia’s urban landscape, as artists take on works of unprecedented scale that combine national identity with ambitions for global recognition. Al-Balawi said photographs could not fully convey the mural’s size. “Only someone standing at the foot of the tower can understand the project’s true scale and height,” he said. “Pictures do not capture how immense it is.” Although the work generated widespread attention online, Al-Balawi said his focus remained on completing it. He has more than 10 years of experience in mural painting and has completed more than 150 murals in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. He has also taken part in events linked to World Cup finals and worked on towers and other high-rise structures. Al-Balawi described the Tuwaiq Tower mural as a turning point in his career, not only because of its scale but also because of the figure it depicts. “This project changed the way I see mural art,” he said. “Painting a figure of the stature and standing of Prince Mohammed bin Salman is an enormous responsibility. Throughout the project, I kept asking myself whether I could complete it in a way worthy of him.” Tuwaiq Tower is one of Riyadh’s most prominent landmarks. Its design draws on traditional Najdi architecture, while its light earth tones reflect Saudi Arabia’s cultural and historical identity. The tower combines heritage-inspired ornamentation with a contemporary structural design. The mural has added a new artistic dimension to its facade, turning the building into a striking visual landmark for visitors and photography enthusiasts.
