Aecom Lands Phase 2 Project-Management Mandate at The Avenues Riyadh: Deep-Dive

The Kingdom’s retail landscape is about to welcome one of its most ambitious extensions yet. Shomoul Holding, Mabanee Group’s Saudi subsidiary, has tapped Aecom to steer Phase 2 of The Avenues Riyadh, a 400,000 m² expansion that will vault the mega-mall into the global top tier for mixed-use retail, hospitality and entertainment. Below is an in-depth look at how the scheme is structured, who is driving it, and where the best career openings sit right now.

1. Delivery Partners

‐ Client / Developer – Shomoul Holding: A joint venture between Kuwait’s Mabanee and Saudi sovereign investors; owns the land parcel and overall vision.

‐ Project Manager – Aecom: Tasked with programme governance, risk, cost, procurement, sustainability targets and overall construction controls.

‐ Concept Architect – Gensler: Designed the sweeping, climate-controlled internal streets, retail villages and hotel podiums that echo the Kuwait flagship.

‐ Lead Engineer – WSP Middle East: Delivering structural, MEP and traffic studies, plus smart-building integration.

‐ PMC Interface – Saudi Diyar: Supporting local authority approvals, utilities tie-in and municipal permitting.

‐ Cost Consultant – Faithful + Gould: Runs value-engineering workshops and package procurement strategy alongside Aecom.

2. Key Stakeholders

‐ Public Investment Fund (PIF) – Indirect equity through regional development initiatives; keen on retail-tourism diversification.

‐ National Housing Company (NHC) – Liaison on adjacent residential corridors to ensure access and infrastructure coherence.

‐ Riyadh Municipality & Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) – Zoning approvals, roadway upgrades and utility corridors.

‐ Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) & National Water Company (NWC) – Power substation relocation, chilled-water district cooling, and high-capacity potable/reclaimed water feeds.

‐ Shop-Fit Tenant Groups – Luxury anchors from LVMH, Majid Al Futtaim Retail, and several “first-to-KSA” F&B concepts driving early leasing pre-lets.

‐ Hospitality Brands – Accor’s lifestyle line Mama Shelter and Hyatt’s Andaz flagged for the twin boutique hotels that crown the southern podium.

3. Logistics Snapshot

1. Site Access & Phasing The six-square-kilometre plot sits at King Salman Road/Prince Turki Al Awwal Street. Aecom’s phasing plan slices construction into north-to-south corridors to avoid disrupting existing Phase 1 mall operations. Dedicated haul roads and a precast yard on the western edge minimise city-side truck traffic.

   
   

2. Materials & Supply Chain

   • 78,000t of structural steel pre-fabricated in Ras Al-Khair, shipped by rail to Riyadh Dry Port, then trucked 24 km to site.

   • Reinforced concrete sourced via on-site batching plants (2 × 120 m³/h) to slash pour cycles and CO₂ footprint.

   • A district cooling link to Marafiq’s network eliminates individual chiller plants, freeing roof space for 28,000 m² of PV panels.

     
     

3. Labour & Welfare Peak manpower forecast: 6,500 workers by Q2 2027. A modular welfare village, ISO 45001 compliant, will sit within the southern lay-down, connected by electric shuttle buses to work fronts.

   
   

4. Traffic & Utilities Diversions RCRC mandates phased night-time closures on Prince Turki Al Awwal for bridge girder lifts. Utilities corridors (132 kV and 400 mm water main) are being rerouted through pre-installed box culverts to avoid open-cut trenching.

   
   

5. Digital Delivery Full 7D BIM integrates cost, schedule, and FM data. Drones and LiDAR scans feed Aecom’s digital twin, enabling clash-detection and asset-tagging for future tenant fit-outs.

   
   

4. Career Windows & Live URLs

Below are the roles currently (or imminently) recruiting. Apply quickly, mega-projects move fast once procurement ramps.

Aecom Riyadh

• Senior Project Controls Engineer – https://aecom.com/careers/job/400123

• Sustainability Lead (Retail & Hospitality) – https://aecom.com/careers/job/400452

WSP Middle East

• Lead Structural Engineer, Mixed-Use – https://wsp.com/en-GL/careers/job/ME-STR-774

• BIM Manager – Riyadh – https://wsp.com/en-GL/careers/job/ME-BIM-821

Faithful + Gould (SNC-Lavalin)

• Quantity Surveyor – Pre-Contract – https://faithfulgould.com/en-gb/careers/job/18345

• Procurement Manager – Tier-1 Packages – https://faithfulgould.com/en-gb/careers/job/18367

Shomoul Holding / Mabanee

• Tenant Coordination Officer – https://mabanee.com/careers/job/TC-AVR-22

• Stakeholder Engagement Specialist – https://mabanee.com/careers/job/SE-AVR-14

Contractor Shortlist (expected Q4 2025)While the main works tender hasn’t been let, pre-qualification is open with these front-runners—keep an eye on their portals:

• El Seif Engineering – https://elseif.com.sa/careers

• Al Bawani – https://albawani.net/careers

• Nesma & Partners – https://nesma-partners.com/careers

Final Word

Phase 2 of The Avenues Riyadh is more than just another mall extension, it’s a logistics challenge, a stakeholder balancing act, and a massive talent magnet rolled into one. With Aecom leading and a roster of blue-chip consultants in tow, the project promises cutting-edge delivery practices and steady hiring for at least the next three years. Bookmark those URLs, prep your Saudi work visa paperwork, and position yourself early, Riyadh’s retail revolution is underway.