Saudi Arabia has revealed new details about its upcoming The Line project in Neom.
The Line will be powered 100 per cent by renewable energy, free from roads, cars and emissions and will contribute to preserving 95 per cent of Neom’s land, according to state-run Saudi Press Agency.
It will be only 200m wide, and 500m above sea level, but will span 170km in length – a high-speed rail will provide end-to-end connectivity in 20 minutes.
The project is being built to accommodate nine million residents and will have a footprint of 34 sq km. Residents will have access to facilities in The Line within a five-minute walk, in addition to access to the high-speed rail too.
The Line’s design will vertically layer all the city’s offerings including its homes, offices, hotels and schools while giving those present within it the possibility to move seamlessly in three dimensions (up, down or across) to access the different facilities in a concept referred to as Zero Gravity Urbanism. Different from constructing tall buildings, this concept instead layers public parks and pedestrian areas, schools, homes and places for work.
It will have an outer mirror façade that will allow it to blend with its surrounding and will be created by a team of architects and engineers led by Neom.
“At The Line’s launch last year, we committed to a civilisational revolution that puts humans first based on a radical change in urban planning. The designs revealed for the city’s vertically layered communities will challenge the traditional flat, horizontal cities and create a model for nature preservation and enhanced human livability. We cannot ignore the livability 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 remains one of the most important projects of Saudi Vision 2030,” said Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the Neom Board of Directors.
Apart from The Line, Neom’s other significant projects include Oxagon, its floating manufacturing and innovation city; and Trojena, its mountain tourism destination that will offer the outdoor skiing facilities.