A cognitive city stretching across 170 kilometers and spanning three regions, each boasting unique ecologies perfectly suited for various purposes. That’s the idea behind THE LINE, Saudi Arabia’s latest ambitious project that will eventually accommodate 9 million people on a footprint of just 34 square kilometers.
“Imagine a whole city within a 500-meter-tall and 200-meter-wide building, stretching 170 kilometers across the coast, desert and mountains of Northeast Saudi Arabia. Well, that’s what we are building with THE LINE, the ultimate sidescraper,” says Giles Pendleton, Executive Director of NEOM, a visionary project that is set to transform the Red Sea coast of northwest Saudi Arabia into a city quite literally out of this world. This project is part of a large Saudi Vision 2030 initiative, Saudi Arabia’s government-launched program whose aim is to increase Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification, global engagement, and quality of life.
The city consists of a sequence of linked modules, towering at a height of 500 meters. For reference, this is approximately 170 meters taller than The Eiffel Tower, 57 meters taller than the Empire State Building, and 48 meters taller than the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. The modules are crafted to accommodate up to 80,000 individuals in close proximity to anything one’s heart might desire, including work, leisure, education and healthcare, ensuring that no time is wasted on unnecessary commutes. This is all complemented by a high-speed rail system with an end-to-end transit time of 20 minutes.
By eliminating infrastructure that is not absolutely necessary and living in close proximity to all the necessities, the city is set to achieve a zero-carbon status while running on 100% renewable energy. As stated on the project website, “THE LINE will tackle the challenges facing humanity in urban life today and will shine a light on alternative ways to live.”
However, many mathematicians have already shown their scepticism when it comes to the proposed linear structure of the city. Mathematician Rafael Prieto-Curiel and physicist Dániel Kondor from the Complexity Science Hub Vienna (CSH) suggest that, for this solution to be effective, the city would require approximately 86 train stations, ensuring each resident has a train stop directly within walking distance. However, the abundance of stops would extend the duration of each journey, impeding trains from achieving the short times presented in the marketing materials online. According to their calculations, 47% of the population will experience a commute exceeding 60 minutes, with only a mere 1.2% of individuals residing within walking distance of one another.
In October 2022, the project made buzz online when drone footage verified that THE LINE’s construction had commenced, with visible excavation works going on on the site. In October 2023, NEOM unveiled its most recent progress video, offering a glimpse into the rapid advancements unfolding across the 4 major projects that are part of the Saudi Arabia 2030 vision:
- THE LINE
- OXAGON: A floating port city featuring a port, a cutting-edge logistics hub, and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities.
- SINDALAH: A prestigious island retreat that is said to demonstrate the power of NEOM’s ambitious vision and offer an astounding 840,000m² getaway for the world’s most luxurious customers.
- TROJENA: A unique year-round travel destination in the Trojena mountains that is set to host a range of winter outdoor activities, including a world-class ski resort, mountain biking, watersports, and more. Comprising six sectors – Explore, Discover, Gateway, Valley, Relax, and Fun – the complete TROJENA zone allows visitors to choose destinations according to their moods and preferences. And to make things even more exciting, TROJENA has successfully secured the hosting rights for the Asian Winter Games in 2029, further amplifying the urgency of completing all developments on time.
NEOM promises to introduce a free and open city that will not be bound by the current legal framework of Saudi Arabia, which will make it globally attractive in the eyes of both local and international guests alike. Whether it means that alcohol, casino games, and other generally illegal activities in Saudi Arabia will now be legal in the city remains unknown at this moment in time. What’s more, the project proposal still lacks substantial discussion on crucial aspects like demographics, governance, individual rights, and the acceptance of diverse religious and spiritual beliefs.
However, with more than 3,000 NEOM employees from 90 countries already present, along with over 60,000 construction workers actively engaged on-site, the project seems to be advancing rapidly. With a giant airport strategically positioned for global reach – 40% of the world being less than a six-hour flight away – NEOM aims to become a pivotal hub for international connectivity and seamless travel. Should the project really get finished by 2030, it has the potential to redefine the concept of urban living and what cities of the future will look like.
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