Located within NEOM in the Northwest of Saudi Arabia, THE LINE is a linear city that will be built on a footprint of just 34 square kilometres. The city intends to eventually accommodate over nine million people. The mirror facade allows the city to seamlessly blend into the nature around it.
With a reduced infrastructure footprint, THE LINE will have no roads, cars or emissions, running on 100 percent renewable energy with 95 percent of land preserved for nature. The city is built to prioritise health and well-being over transportation and infrastructure.
The city will be just 200 metres wide but 170 kilometres long and 500 meters above sea level with ideal climate throughout the year and a high-speed rail offering residents end-to-end transit in 20 minutes.
Access to nature and quality of life
The progressive design offers immediate and uninterrupted access to nature within a two-minute walk through its diverse open spaces, suspended on multiple levels. Equitable access to pristine views of the surrounding natural landscape, mountains and sky – for all – avoiding urban sprawl thanks to a reduced infrastructure footprint.
Clean air
The city will be zero-carbon, through the elimination of carbon-intensive infrastructure like cars and roads. It will operate on 100 percent renewable energy, including the operations of its industries. The integration of nature and open spaces throughout will serve an important role in purifying air quality.
Accessibility and convenience
Everything necessary for daily living will be accessible within a five-minute walk and an efficient public transport network will offer an end-to-end journey in just 20 minutes. Automated services will be powered by artificial intelligence. Reduced commutes will create more time for leisure. Not paying for expenses like car insurance, fuel and parking will mean higher disposable incomes for residents, NEOM says.
Ideal climate throughout the year
To ensure the establishment of microclimatic spaces, the environment has been designed to allow for an optimal balance of sunlight, shade and natural ventilation. Furthermore, the green open spaces throughout the city will enhance the comfort for those living, working and visiting the city.
Zero-gravity living will mean a higher-density footprint to create a better human experience, and new business opportunities. Over 380,000 jobs are expected to be created by 2030.
“THE LINE will tackle the challenges facing humanity in urban life today and will shine a light on alternative ways to live. 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,” said Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Chairman of the NEOM Company Board of Directors.
“NEOM is leading a team of the brightest minds in architecture, engineering and construction to make the idea of building upwards a reality,” he added.
Watch: THE LINE being built
Last week, drone footage was released by the Saudi Arabia-based OT Sky drone company showing THE LINE under construction.
According to the footage, the 170-kilometre linear city, which is being built in the kingdom’s north-west Tabuk province, saw excavators digging a wide trench in the desert in the video.
The idea of layering city functions vertically while giving people the possibility of moving seamlessly in three dimensions (up, down or across) to access them is a concept referred to as Zero Gravity Urbanism.
The city’s design will be completely digitised, and the construction industrialised to a large degree by significantly advancing construction technologies and manufacturing processes.
The announcement of THE LINE’s designs is a continuation of NEOM’s progress in the development of its flagship projects such as OXAGON and TROJENA.
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