The government of Saudi Arabie as part of the NEOM project, had unveiled images of a 170-kilometre-long tower building. The Line, a rebuilt metropolitan development connecting the Red Sea coast to the mountains and upper valleys of northwest Saudi Arabia, was unveiled by crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The 200-meter-wide compact structure is an economic and social experiment. The city will run entirely on renewable energy, including the operations of its industries, and strives to be carbon-zero through the elimination of carbon-intensive infrastructures like vehicles and highways.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said, “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.”
He further added that “NEOM is leading a team of the brightest minds in architecture, engineering, and construction to make the idea of building upward a reality.”
The images show two parallel structures that resemble walls enclosing a space in between them. The Line’s outside will be covered in a mirror facade, giving it a distinctive look and, in the opinion of its designers, a more subdued integration into the surrounding environment.
Buildings, layers of public parks, pedestrian zones, schools, houses, and workplaces will all be able to fit inside. The idea’s developers refer to it as “Zero Gravity Urbanism.” This construction would rise 500 meters above sea level, ranking as the 12th highest and by far the longest skyscraper in the world.
The Line is planned to accommodate around 9 million residents on a footprint of just 34 square kilometres. Reducing the footprint also means reducing the infrastructure that supports it.
According to the five-minute city concept, the functional units for residential, retail, and leisure zones are set out so that residents may reach all necessary amenities on foot.
A high-speed train will also run the whole length of the megastructure to guarantee 20-minute end-to-end transportation.
This initiative was first announced last year as part of the Neom project, which includes Oxagon, a reimagined manufacturing city; Trojena, a mountain tourism destination; and Neom’s two main subsidiaries.
These initiatives are a part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a strategy to move away from an oil-based economy and toward one based on information.
