The Line will “revolutionise our current way of life”: Neom director

The Line will “revolutionise our current way of life”: Neom director

The mirrored megacity planned for the Saudi Arabian desert will set a new standard for life in urban areas and be net-zero over its lifetime, argues developer Neom’s executive director for urban planning Tarek Qaddumi in this exclusive interview.

“Irrespective of its physical stature, it will end up demonstrating that the world has the human capacity, the technology and the commitment to revolutionise our current way of life,” he told Dezeen.

The Line “rethinks our urban life”

The Line is an enormous linear megastructure with mirrored cladding that is planned for a 170-kilometre stretch across the Saudi Arabian desert.

If built – as Qaddumi claims it will be – it could house nine million people.

At 500 metres tall and 200 metres wide, it will form a key part of Neom – a renewable energy-powered region under development across Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.

According to Qaddumi, The Line “rethinks our urban life from the ground up” and offers an alternative to traditional city models that fan out from a central point. This means its footprint will be just 34 square kilometres, making all daily needs accessible within a five-minute walk.

The director added that this linear layout will serve as a remedy for the many issues