A 170km long belt of skyscrapers, called the Line, is planned for Neom, Saudi Arabia’s metropolis of the future. The concept was first revealed at the beginning of last year and now, concrete designs have finally been revealed.
His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman (HRH), Crown Prince and Chairman of the Neom Board of Directors, announced the designs on 25 July, calling the project a “civilizational revolution” that puts humans first, providing an unprecedented urban living experience while preserving the surrounding nature.
At the Line’s launch last year, we committed to a civilizational revolution that puts humans first based on a radical change in urban planning. The Line will tackle the challenges facing humanity in urban life today and will shine a light on alternative ways to live.
HRH Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia
The designs of the Line embody how urban communities can live and develop in the future in an environment free from roads, cars and emissions. It will run on 100% renewable energy and, unlike traditional cities, it will prioritize people’s health and well-being over transportation and infrastructure. It puts nature ahead of development and will contribute to preserving 95% of Neom’s land.
The announcement reveals the most important characteristics of the project, which is only 200 meters wide, 170 kilometres long, from the mountains of Neom to the Red Sea, and 500 meters above sea level. The Line will eventually accommodate 9 million residents and will be built on a footprint of 34 square kilometres, which is unheard of when compared to other cities of similar capacity. This in turn will reduce the infrastructure footprint and create never-before-seen efficiencies in city functions.
The city will be built with temperature regulation systems in place, which will ensure an ideal climate all year round, so residents can enjoy the surrounding nature when traveling on foot. Residents will also have access to all facilities in the Line within a five-minute walk, in addition to a high-speed rail with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes.
The project offers a new approach to urban design, the idea of layering city functions vertically, while giving people the possibility of moving in three dimensions (up, down or across) to access them is a concept referred to as Zero Gravity Urbanism. Different from just tall buildings, this concept layers public parks and pedestrian areas, schools, homes and places for work.
“We cannot ignore the liveability and environmental crises facing our world’s cities, and Neom is at the forefront of delivering new and imaginative solutions to address these issues. Neom will be a place for all people from across the globe to make their mark on the world in creative and innovative ways. Neom remains one of the most important projects of Saudi Vision 2030, and our commitment to delivering the Line on behalf of the nation remains resolute”, HRH said.
The designs revealed today for the city’s vertically layered communities will challenge the traditional flat, horizontal cities and create a model for nature preservation and enhanced human liveability. Neom is leading a team of the brightest minds in architecture, engineering and construction to make the idea of building upwards a reality.
HRH Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia
The Line will have an outer mirror facade that will provide its unique character and allow even its small footprint to blend with nature, while the interior will be built to create extraordinary experiences and magical moments. It will be created by a team of world-renowned architects and engineers, led by Neom, to develop this revolutionary concept for the city of the future.
The city’s design will also be completely digitized and the construction industrialized to a large degree by significantly advancing construction technologies and manufacturing processes.
