HRH Crown Prince announces the design of “The Line” city in NEOM
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, HRH Mohammed bin Salman announced the plans for The Line development at NEOM on Monday.
The prince said the design would clarify the internal structure of the multi-layered city and address the problems of traditional flat horizontal cities, achieving harmony between urban development and preservation of nature, according to Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
“At NEOM, we strive to be at the forefront of providing new and innovative solutions, and today we are determined to implement the idea of ‘Building to the Top’ through a team led by NEOM and a group of the brightest minds,” the crown prince said.
During Monday’s announcement, Prince Mohammed said The Line would achieve “ideal living” and address the urgent challenges facing humanity.
“NEOM is one of the most important projects of the Saudi Vision 2030 and The Line is an affirmation of our firm commitment to presenting a project to the whole world, NEOM is a place for those who dream of a better tomorrow,” he said.
The designs of The Line embody how urban communities will be in the future in an environment free from roads, cars and emissions, he added.
The crown prince said the project, which offers a new approach to urban design, would run on 100 percent renewable energy and prioritize people’s health.
“The idea of layering city functions vertically, giving people possibility of moving seamlessly in three dimensions to access them is a concept referred to as Zero Gravity Urbanism,” he said.
According to the design plan revealed on Monday, The Line will have an outer mirror facade that will provide the structure its unique character and allow even its small footprint to blend with nature, while its interior will be built to create “extraordinary experiences and magical moments,” the crown prince added.
The Line will eventually accommodate 9 million residents and will be built on a footprint of 34 square kilometers, which is unheard of when compared to other cities of similar capacity, according to Monday’s statement.
“The Line 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,” Prince Mohammed said.
The ideal climate within the structure, all year round, will ensure that residents can enjoy surrounding nature while walking around. Residents will also have access to all facilities in The Line within a five-minute walk.
The designs of “The Line” is a reflection of what urban communities will be like in the future in an environment free from streets, cars, and emissions, and contribute to preserving 95% of NEOM’s land for nature, and relies on 100% renewable energy, to make human health and well-being an absolute priority instead of The priority of transport and infrastructure as in traditional cities.
One of the most important specifications of The Line is that it is only 200 meters wide, 170 kilometers long, and 500 meters above sea level. The city will be built on an area not exceeding 34 square kilometers and will accommodate about 9 million people, which is completely unprecedented in cities of this size.
This, in turn, reduces the expansion of the infrastructure and enhances the efficiency and sustainability of the city in a distinctive way. Its perfect climate all year round will ensure that residents can enjoy nature when traveling on foot. “The Line” allows all residents to access all facilities and services within 5 minutes, in addition to the presence of a high-speed train that connects the two ends of the city within 20 minutes.
