The mirror-clad concert hall at the heart of the cultural activations at Mada'in Salih, reflects on the astonishing views of the surrounding Wadi Al-Qura desertscape, in Saudi Arabia.

Surrounded by the rugged landscape of the Quweira sandstone outcrops and the magnificently carved tombs of the Nabataean people, the concert hall - a site-specific ‘object-architecture’ designed by the Milan-based studio, Gio Forma Studio Associato, reflects on the extraordinary natural and human history of its unique location.

Inaugurating the venue in December 2018 was the Winter at Tantrora festival. Hosted by the residents of the Al-Ula County – a strategic link on the ancient incense route between Southern Arabia and Egypt that became a hub of commercial and cultural exchange – and curated to shed light on the valley’s significance in ancient civilization, the event that concluded in February 2019 offered a programme of arts, entertainment and cultural activities alongside the open, living museum that is the Wadi Al-Qura, a UNESCO proclaimed heritage site.

Acclaimed, world-renowned musicians performed inside the mirrored cube, that almost vanishes into the arid landscape to become an extension of the environment. The venue also presented an exhibition by Cultural Spaces and a kinetic artwork by Leva-Tado.

Encompassing land, art, architecture and set design, 'Maraya' serves as an interactive installation both inside and out, reflecting abstract views of the golden sands, majestic mountains and an ever-changing sky that envelope it.