Global architecture studio Populous has released visuals of the Qiddiya City Esports Arena, which will be located in "the world's first mixed-use gaming and esports district".

Designed to be a focal point for Saudi Arabia's Qiddiya entertainment megaproject, the proposal by Populous aims to reinforce the city's "play life" ethos informed by entertainment, sports and culture, the studio said.

The arena will be the first development for the area, which forms one of the country's fourteen "giga-projects" and was designed to be an integral part of the wider Saudi Vision 2030. Qiddiya will eventually house four dedicated esports venues.

The 5,155-seat venue will be made up of six tapered trapezoidal volumes, lined with neon lights informed by gaming.

These will host the main event spaces, whilst four "portals" at ground-floor level will provide illuminated entrances to the interior spaces and main auditorium.

"The innovative exoskeleton facade design and internal spatial arrangement responds to the flexible needs of an arena and reflects the creative concept of merging fiction and reality," Populous senior principal Rhys Courtney told Dezeen.

"The facade provides a varied visual experience for visitors to the arena, constantly evolving and reacting to its environment through exterior animated LED lighting based on events and competitions inside," he added.

According to the studio, the multifunctional venue will host the largest combined amount of video screens of any esports arena in the world, catering for both national and international esports requirements.

Within the venue, a seating bowl located in the main auditorium will be organised around a centrally positioned "digital chandelier" strategically designed to optimise views complimented by 4D haptic seats.

This will allow visitors to sense, feel and smell the experience, creating a fully immersive gaming environment.

"In addition to being a competitive performance arena, the venue provides non-event facilities such as a training centre and a media production hub which can offer educational and vocational opportunities to Saudis entering the industry," Courtney said.

The proposal will also host an arcade along with a food market, retail stores and an entertainment zone accessed via two concourses that will wrap around the seating bowl.

In order to increase operation and encourage community use of the venue, many of the spaces will also be accessible either prior to an event or fully on non-event days.

"The Qiddiya City Egames Arena is situated in the heart of the Qiddiya Gaming and Esports District, which is the world’s first mixed-use gaming and esports district and is a wider development offering a landmark for Qiddiya and beacon for global live Esports tournaments and events," Populous said.

Also among Populous' recent projects is the MSG Sphere arena in Las Vegas.

Other recently designed proposals in Saudi Arabia include an immersive events space with a 64-metre-high, stone-clad entrance and an opera house referencing vernacular mud-brick architecture.

The photography is courtesy of Populous.