The Line: a city of giant mirrors in the middle of the desert

"THE LINE redefines the concept of urban development and what cities of the future will look like." This is how Neom, the company that is building  THE LINE, defines what may be the most avant-garde city project in the history of humanity.

Photos: Neom

THE LINE is a futuristic, sustainable, impossible and never-before-seen urban development that will be able to house nine million people in the middle of the desert in just 34 square kilometers (21 square miles).

Photos: Neom

Located in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, near the Red Sea and the Strait of Suez, this avant-garde project will be 105 miles or 170 kilometers long, 656 feed (200 meters) wide and will rise up to 1640 feet (500 meters) in height, and the whole city will be wedged between two mirrors that will run the entire the length of the city.

Photos: Neom

'THE LINE' will have no roads or cars and will be self-sufficient and sustainable. Neom, the company responsible for the project says that the objective is for the city to operate with 100% renewable energy.

Photos: Neom

One of the premises of this project, which will conclude its first phase in 2030, according to the project website is that "People's health and wellbeing will be prioritized over transportation and infrastructure, unlike traditional cities."

Photos: Neom

And yes, those responsible for Neom are aware that this premise is completely opposite to what prevails in any other city in the world, where pollution is just another accepted factor in the daily life of large cities.

Photos: Neom

For this reason, the commitment of 'THE LINE' is that every citizen has the necessary facilities for their daily life just a 5-minute walk from their home: parks, leisure areas, work, supermarkets...

Photos: Neom

How are they going to achieve it? With what they have come to call 'Zero Gravity Urbanism', Neom claims that the inhabitants will be able to move in three dimensions: up, down and transversally.

Photos: Neom

And if someone wants to go to the other end of the city, how would they travel those 105 miles? Especially if there aren't any cars or roads?

Photos: Neom

According to Neom, the city will have "an efficient public transport network" that "will offer a rapid end-to-end journey."

The creators of THE LINE also plan to incorporate A.I. into their city stating, "Automated services will be powered by artificial intelligence," which Neom claims will save residents "time and effort."

Photos: Neom

But that doesn't mean that the city will be cold and with little human interactions. Neom says, "Amenities in close proximity will mean residents see family and friends often through spontaneous encounters."

Photos: Neom

Furthermore, the creators promise that those who live and visit their city will have "unparalleled access" to nature. The Neom website states, "Our progressive design offers immediate and uninterrupted access to nature within a two-minute walk – through its diverse open spaces, suspended on multiple levels."

Photos: Neom

At the moment, the investment has been estimated at 800,000 million dollars, however, there is a good chance the creators will go overt budget, considering the difficulties of a project like 'THE LINE'.

Photos: Neom

Be that as it may, what is clear is that Neom is going to redefine urban life as we know it and, who knows, maybe even set the tone for what the future of cities will be.

Photos: Neom

Of course, we will still have to wait a few years to see the result and, above all, to know the price of a home in 'The Line'. The positive side? There is time to save.

Photos: Neom

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