How can The Line city in Saudi Arabia possibly work? Stunning new images from the NEOM project look like optical illusions where ships can somehow travel through the megacity – amid reports the 100-mile metropolis is being scaled back
Designs for Saudi Arabia’s The Line are once again capturing the imagination, with mind-boggling concept images of a ship traveling through the megacity, amid reports that the ambitious project is to be scaled back.
NEOM, which is behind the project and the brainchild of ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, claims the 170-kilometre metropolis will “redefine livability” and “transform the way we live.”
But critics have said the grand plan is unfeasible. A Bloomberg report last month found that its length will be reduced by 98 percent to just a mile and will be home to just 300,000 people by 2030, down from 1.5 miles. million.
Renderings suggest that the metropolis will be enveloped by two tall skyscrapers with mirrors that reflect the sky, surrounding the desert and water, creating the illusion of invisibility.
So as a cruise ship sails towards its hidden entrance, it appears to disappear from a certain angle, with little explanation available as to what purpose the futuristic marina would serve or how it will be achieved.
The metropolis appears invisible, floating above a marina, in one confusing artist’s impression of the plans
Renderings suggest the metropolis will be enveloped by two tall skyscrapers with mirrors reflecting the sky, surrounding desert and water
NEOM claims the 170-kilometre-long futuristic metropolis will ‘redefine livability’ and ‘transform the way we live’
New aerial photos of the construction site show a barren desert landscape and no visible foundation
The Line has been pitched as a new vision of urban design – with computer-generated promotional material that makes it look like something out of a sci-fi movie
A map shows where The Line would have been built and how long it would have been. Saudi officials said it would be built in phases and eventually cover a 170 kilometer stretch of desert along the Red Sea coast in the western province of Tabuk.
The Line has been pitched as a new vision of urban design – with computer-generated promotional material that makes it look like something out of a science fiction movie.
In addition to the alien designs, the staggering costs of the massive project have led to skepticism about its feasibility.
When it was first announced, The Line was expected to cost $1.5 trillion, but now reports have emerged that it could cost more than $2 trillion if fully built.
The first 2.5 kilometers of The Line alone are estimated to cost more than $100 billion Wall Street Journal reports today, citing two employees familiar with the plans.
Analysts have also raised concerns about the technology touted by the project, which has yet to be invented.
Unsurprisingly, the company has consistently raised eyebrows at proposed developments like flying taxis and robot girls.
And the proposed mirror walls have also proven controversial, with experts warning that the vast surfaces would be a ‘death trap’ for millions of birds that migrate between Europe and Africa every year.
The Line is featured in a concept video released by Saudi Arabia, showing the two massive structures stretching into the distance
The Line β part of the country’s bold and futuristic NEOM project β was expected to be 170 kilometers long and house 1.5 million residents by the end of the decade. According to Bloomberg, plans have been scaled back, with The Line now only 1.5 miles long
Saudi Arabia has been forced to scale back its $1.5 trillion plans for a 170-kilometer linear desert city (shown in concept images), according to reports, in a humiliating decision for the kingdom.
While Saudi Arabia touted the sustainability credentials of the completed projects, researchers identified the construction project itself as one of the 15 most pressing conservation issues to watch in 2024.
Experts said in a study published in December that a combination of factors means it poses a huge risk to birds that migrate across Saudi Arabia every year.
Consider the mirror facades, the orientation of the city and the intention to install wind turbines.
The Line has been promoted as a completely green city, powered by 100 percent renewable energy.
NEOM said three million cubic tons of earth are being moved thanks to their excavators
It is one of fifteen projects announced as part of Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious NEOM venture.
It is part of the crown prince’s overall “Vision 2030” plan to reshape the economy and image of his oil-dependent country.
In a progress video released by NEOM earlier this year, Chief Development Officer Denis Hickey said the Saudi mega-development is committed to achieving ambitious development goals.
He said: βThe first phase of The Line will be completed by 2030. We are committed.
‘We have literally and figuratively done a lot of foundation work. I think the construction of The Line is unique in terms of industrialization and modular approach.β
NEOM was first announced in 2017, when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured) gave a presentation on The Line in July 2022
New aerial photos of the construction site show a barren desert landscape and no visible foundation.
Hundreds of excavators can be seen in the clip, with NEOM saying three million cubic tons of earth are being moved thanks to their teams of excavators.
While the group insists the plans are going ahead as intended, the clip’s caption reads: ‘Our vertical city is making progress. Witness the first phase of our master plan taking shape.β
NEOM as a whole remains one of the largest and most difficult construction projects in history, with the region covering a 10,000 square kilometer strip of desert β the size of Belgium.
NEOM has been contacted for comment.