RIYADH: The fifth anniversary of the launch of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority was an amazing milestone, Kiran Haslam, the organization鈥檚 chief marketing officer, told the Arab News podcast 鈥淭he Mayman Show.鈥�

In the podcast, which features actors, comedians, models, athletes, and more, he said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a milestone that we want to shout about to each other in the office, more so than outside the office.鈥�

Haslam pointed out that the DGDA鈥檚 鈥渦nique working environment and mandate鈥� was recently recognized as being one of the best places to work in the Kingdom, adding that this was 鈥渋ncredible, but sort of not a surprise.鈥�

He said that as an organization each member of the authority cooperated and interacted with each other in a refreshing, dynamic, and energetic manner.

鈥淪ometimes there鈥檚 a lot of excitement. Not wanting to name brands, I will say that I have visited the offices of Google. It has a reputation for very open, exciting, and dynamic workplaces where people enjoy themselves,鈥� Haslam added.

鈥淭he crossover point between where it is work and where it is just how we want to live, has blurred. The DGDA is just like Google in that regard, with a lot less beanbags around the office. Google of course is famous for having beanbags everywhere. Our spines are all straight because we鈥檙e sitting on good chairs, and we鈥檙e still able to interact in that kind of positive manner.鈥�

Haslam, the author of two children鈥檚 books, joined the DGDA with the mindset of an anthropologist. He is also a musician and a composer with a master鈥檚 degree in guitar, as well as a professional with experience in the yachting and automotive industries.

He noted that what was magnificent about the authority were the kind of assets it was creating for a city within Riyadh. 鈥淎t Diriyah, we are creating mixed-use assets,鈥� he said.

鈥淗istorically, people have talked about it almost from a development perspective only, which is the five-star hotels, the academies and university concepts, and all of the stuff that create a way to live inside a city within the capital city, which is Riyadh.鈥�

Highlighting examples of the authority鈥檚 attention to detail during the development of Diriyah, he said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 sort of the humanity which is linking all the projects, all of those assets, all of those locales and initiatives. And the entire project in itself is human scale.

鈥淪o, it鈥檚 all in reference to Najdi architecture and it鈥檚 all adobe construction. We have created 180 million mud bricks thus far to build the first phase of Diriyah.鈥�

At-Turaif was built with adobe mud and other natural materials in the 1700s and features courtyards, alleyways, and towers that showcase quintessential Najdi architecture and tell the story of a traditional Saudi way of life. In 2010, almost three centuries later, the ruins of At-Turaif were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Haslam pointed out that the mud bricks would be used to replicate the feel of At-Turaif, maintain its ambience, and amplify its spirit and meaning.

鈥淭o give you a little idea, 180 million mud bricks, if you stack them end to end, is 3.7 times longer than the Great Wall of China.

鈥淪o, it鈥檚 a big project, it鈥檚 a complex project, but it鈥檚 one which is always rooted in humanity, culture, and interaction. That鈥檚 what really sets the project apart,鈥� he added.

鈥淭he Mayman Show鈥� episode featuring Kiran Haslam will launch on Aug. 5 at 6 p.m. Riyadh time.

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