Designs for Saudi Arabia’s The Line are stretching the imagination once again, with puzzling concept images showing a ship traveling through the megacity, amid reports that the ambitious project will have to be scaled back.
NEOM, which is behind the project and is the brainchild of ruling Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, claims the 106-mile metropolis will “redefine liveability” and “transform the way we live.”
But critics have said the grand plan is unviable, and a Bloomberg report last month suggests its length will be reduced by 98 percent to just a mile and a half and house only 300,000 people by 2030, instead of 1 ,5. million.
Renderings suggest that the metropolis will be enclosed in two long skyscrapers with mirrors that reflect the sky, surrounding the desert and water, giving the illusion of invisibility.
So when a cruise ship sails toward its hidden entrance, it appears to disappear from a certain angle, with little explanation available as to what the futuristic marina would serve or how it will be accessed.
The metropolis seems invisible, floating above a marina, in a confusing artistic impression of the plans.
Renderings suggest the metropolis will be encased in two long skyscrapers with mirrors that reflect the sky, the surrounding desert and the water.
NEOM claims futuristic 106-mile metropolis will “redefine liveability” and “transform the way we live”
New aerial images of the construction site show a bare desert landscape with no apparent foundations.
The Line has been presented as a new vision of urban design, with computer-generated promotional material that looks like something out of a sci-fi movie.
A map shows where The Line would be built and how long it would have lasted. Saudi officials said it would be built in stages and would eventually cover a 106-mile stretch of desert along the Red Sea coast in the western province of Tabuk.
The Line has been presented as a new vision of urban design, with computer-generated promotional material that looks like something out of a sci-fi movie.
In addition to its otherworldly designs, the staggering cost of the massive project has led to skepticism about its viability.
When it was first announced, The Line was expected to cost $1.5bn (£1.2bn), but reports have now emerged that it could cost more than $2bn if fully built. .
The first 1.5 miles 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 expressed concern about technology touted by the project that has not yet been invented.
Unsurprisingly, it has always attracted attention for its proposed flourishes, such as flying taxis and robot maids.
And his proposals for 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 each year.
The Line is seen in a concept video released by Saudi Arabia, showing the two massive structures stretching into the distance.
The Line, part of the country’s bold and futuristic NEOM project, was to be 106 miles long and home to 1.5 million residents by the end of the decade. According to Bloomberg, plans have been scaled back and the line will now be just 1.5 miles long.
Saudi Arabia has reportedly been forced to scale back its $1.5 trillion plans for a 106-mile linear desert city (in concept images), in a humiliating decision for the kingdom.
As 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 over Saudi Arabia each year.
These include the mirror facades, the orientation of the city and the intention to have wind turbines on top.
La Línea has been promoted as a totally green city, powered by 100 percent renewable energy.
NEOM claims that three million cubic tons of earth are being moved thanks to its excavator equipment
It is one of 15 projects announced as part of Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious NEOM project.
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, development director Denis Hickey said the Saudi megadevelopment is committed to achieving ambitious development goals.
He said: ‘The first phase of The Line will be complete in 2030. We are committed.
‘We’ve done a lot of the foundation work, literally and figuratively. “I think the construction of The Line is unique in terms of its industrialization and its modulated approach.”
NEOM was first announced in 2017, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured) gave a presentation on The Line in July 2022.
New aerial images of the construction site show a bare desert landscape with no apparent foundations.
Hundreds of excavators are seen in the video and NEOM says three million cubic tons of earth are being moved thanks to its excavator teams.
While the group insists that plans are going according to plan, the clip is titled: “Our vertical city is progressing.” Witness the first phase of our master plan take shape.’
NEOM as a whole remains one of the largest and most difficult construction projects in history, and the region will cover a 10,000-square-mile swath of desert, the size of Belgium.
NEOM has been contacted for comment.