Internet services giant Naver has finalized its digital twin platform for the Saudi Arabian cities of Makkah, Madinah, and Jeddah, marking a critical step in Riyadh’s broader smart city infrastructure initiative. This marks the first phase of Naver’s project to create virtual replicas of five Saudi cities.
Digital twin technology creates virtual models mirroring real-world environments. Naver’s platform offers high-resolution 3D imagery and real-time infrastructure data, serving urban planners and engineers with advanced analytical tools.
The project is led by Saudi-based mapping provider Balady and NHC Innovation, a subsidiary of the National Housing Company, with Naver supplying the technological backbone. The combined area of the three cities spans over 6,800 square kilometers—more than eleven times the size of Seoul—and includes upwards of 920,000 buildings.
The platform enables assessments such as earthwork volume, slope calculations, skyline and sunlight analysis, and regulatory compliance checks for proposed constructions. It also supports natural disaster simulations like floods, integrating historical flood data and real-time rainfall radar.
Balady plans to extend the digital twin platform to more cities, aiming to evolve it into a national infrastructure with broad applications in both public and private sectors.
A Naver official highlighted the platform’s global significance, stating it supports Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation and smart city ambitions. Naver will continue enhancing the platform alongside local partners, expanding coverage and exploring new use cases.
Naver was contracted by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Municipal Rural Affairs and Housing in October 2023, with work beginning in July 2024. On May 28, Naver Cloud and NHC Innovation established Naver Innovation, a digital twin joint venture to further this initiative.
