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From Skyscraper to Sidescraper, Saudi Arabia NEOM has seen it all. NEOM The Line is a vision to create a revolutionary and futuristic city project that will change the face of urbanism.
The vertical city is planned to be erected in NEOM, to the northwest of Saudi Arabia. It will be situated on the Red Sea over three diverse regions that comprise the expanse of the Red Desert, snowy mountains, and valleys of Saudi Arabia having distinct ecologies. The Line is set to be designed across a length of 170 kilometers, and 200 meters in width and will stand 500 meters tall. Leading experts, architects, and engineers will be working together on this project to bring the revolutionary vision to reality. NEOM The Line has been addressed as an ultimate ?Sidescraper?. This project shall upturn the entire city concept and serve as an exemplar for future urban innovations. The city towers are 500 meters above sea level and shall have a footprint of about 34 square kilometres. A major 95% of the land will be preserved for nature by integrating vertical gardens within the city.
Exploring the Smart City Concept
The Line city is said to house around 9 million people arranged in vertically stacked modules. It has given a new definition to the concept of vertical urbanism. The primary intent of this project is to create an ideal city space within a limited space, significantly reducing the infrastructure footprint. Let’s cover innovative linear design, sustainable infrastructure, and smart city technologies of The Line. Architects and engineers aim to create a cognitive and smart city. The smart city NEOM will function in linear mobility allowing access throughout 170Km. Several layers of infrastructure like the built environment, services, and many more are embedded with innovative technologies and AI-operated services. The vertical city will accommodate commodious dwellings through interconnected modules arranged strategically to have access to daily essentials. Through unconventional design and innovation in infrastructure, futuristic cities will surpass the present idea of urbanism within no time.
Unfolding the Environmental Solutions and Their Impact
This futuristic city project has brought to us remarkable environmental solutions that are to be implemented in this project. The main motive is to curate an ideal environment within the city envelope. The Line City will be based on creating a sustainable transportation system. Prohibition of the use of cars is one of the key solutions for sustainable transportation, with the intent of nullifying pollution, traffic congestion, and most importantly carbon emissions. Another attempt at making the environment sustainable is promoting renewable energy. Renewable energy will be used for power generation and will be based completely on solar, wind, and hydrogen. To use renewable energy resources, it needs to be implemented into one framework of energy.
The project claims that the climate within the built environment will be maintained as ideal throughout the year to ensure suitable conditions for the residents. The project supports and boosts a clean and sustainable microclimate.
The Salient features of The Line
The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia envisages a futuristic model of a metropolis. His vision extends to fabricating an ideal city that shapes the future of urban living. Several crucial features of Saudi Arabia?s NEOM shall change the way we live. Easy access to daily essential services would be available short distances from people’s residences. End-to-end transit access by high-speed railway would be provided, covering the entire span within 20 minutes. The sidescraper is said to have no operational private transportation mode like cars, diminishing the issues of traffic congestion, and pollution, resulting in the least carbon emission. Countless new business opportunities and a large scope of employment will help people gain income sources leading to their upliftment.
The model of interconnected modules promotes community building and a sense of belonging within the built environment. People from the city do not have access to natural environments, therefore, closeness to nature shall be brought within the city space. The utopian city will be the land where people will be empowered not just by technology and innovation but also by pioneering ideas that shall act as a catalyst in the development of people and the city. The construction process of the most awaited metropolis city of The Line has commenced and is said to be completed by 2030.
There have been multitudinous critics and skepticism of the illustrious vision of The Line. Numerous experts and activists have raised questions regarding the realism and pragmatism of this revolutionary project. The impact of the curated micro-climate on the residents and environment. Activists have claimed that the enormity and the reflective facade of the structure are a hindrance and a threat to migrating birds. Experts have criticized the pragmatism of the project concerning the advanced technology, services, and systems needed for the efficient functioning of the city. Despite the criticism, the vision of the Crown Prince remains unshaken. Therefore, will ?The Line? prove to be the epitome of modernity and innovation or shall remain a mere concept of hyperbolic urbanism?