The facade of Tuwaiq Tower in Riyadh has been transformed into a giant mural bearing the image of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in a work considered one of the largest murals executed on a building facade in the region and the world, and those behind it aspire to have it registered in the Guinness World Records.

The work extends across the tower's facade, which stands about 305 meters high, making it one of the capital's skyscrapers, with colors inspired by heritage, in an attempt to blend architectural identity and public art.

Badr Al-Balawi, the Saudi mural artist, told Asharq Al-Awsat about the idea behind the work: 'The idea of executing the mural came from the tower's owner, businessman Ibrahim Al-Muhaidib, who wanted the tower, known for its heritage character, to host a work embodying the image of the Crown Prince while preserving the building's visual identity.' He added: 'The goal was for the colors to be consistent with the tower's heritage character, and for it to become the largest mural in the world in terms of height, given that the tower is over 300 meters tall.' Al-Balawi explained that the project took 31 days of continuous work, using cranes, special equipment, and materials designed for outdoor work, noting that 'the scale of the project posed various technical and field challenges, as we dealt with unprecedented height, using 4 cranes, paints, and auxiliary equipment to complete the work, which made the experience different from any project I had executed before.' Al-Balawi says the mural is a candidate for entry into the Guinness World Records, noting that the project aims to set a world record for a mural executed at such a towering height.

Al-Balawi expressed his happiness with the public's interaction with the work, which gradually changed as execution progressed, as the idea was not clear in the early days before the image's features began to appear. 'At first, people only saw lines and did not understand the nature of the work, but as the features were completed, interaction increased significantly, and many people began visiting the site to see the mural up close.' The mural, which has become a focal point for visitors and social media users in recent weeks, reflects the growing presence of public art in the Saudi urban landscape, and the trend of artists executing works on an unprecedented scale, combining national identity and the ambition to achieve global records. Badr Al-Balawi emphasized that the magnitude of the work cannot be comprehended through images alone, adding: 'Only those standing at the base of the tower can realize the scale of the project and its true height; images do not convey the feeling of its enormity.' The work was accompanied by widespread interaction on social media platforms. Al-Balawi said he was more focused on completing the work, having more than 10 years of experience in mural painting, during which he completed over 150 murals in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries, in addition to participating in events related to the World Cup finals, and executed works on tall towers and structures. The artist comments that the Tuwaiq Tower mural represents a turning point in his professional career, not only because of its size but also because of the person it depicts: 'This project changed my perspective on mural art because painting a figure of the size and stature of Prince Mohammed bin Salman is a huge responsibility, and I was constantly wondering: Can I complete this work in the manner it deserves?' Tuwaiq Tower is one of the most prominent landmarks of Riyadh, distinguished by its design inspired by traditional Najdi architecture and light earth tones that reflect the cultural and historical identity of Saudi Arabia, while simultaneously incorporating heritage motifs and a contemporary engineering structure. The mural has added a new artistic dimension to its facade, turning it into a visual landmark that attracts visitors and photography enthusiasts.