Saudi Arabia is said to have commenced construction work for The Line, its overtly futuristic vision for a megacity in the desert.
Forget next-generation, cutting-edge, or state-of-the-art, this plan takes ambition and innovation to a new level.
The project aims to deliver a 170 km-long super-structure, a ‘five-minute’ city of the future with all the required amenities and resources provided.
As reported by the Saudi Gazette, Neom’s Chief Development Officer Denis Hickey outlined the details of the opening stage of the project. Speaking at the PIF Private Sector Forum in Riyadh last week, he revealed the first phase of The Line will be known as the Hidden Marina.
It will measure 2.5km across the desert, rising to 500 meters in height, comprising three individual modular segments. All of this will be enclosed in a mirrored exterior.
The development will include a man-made marina, for the benefit of 200,000 residents who will live within 80,000 residential units and 9,000 hotel rooms, while the site will also accommodate various retail units and other relevant features.
Late last year, Saudi Arabia launched “Project Transcendence”, a $100 billion investment to drive AI infrastructure.
2034 World Cup Stadium
Given the megacity plan, this will be much more than a resort.
The Line will have schools, police and security services, fire stations, and more, with AI set to be utilized as much as possible to enhance the living experience for residents as well as assisting the authorities responsible for the vast metropolis.
As mentioned above, the intention is that everything will be provided for everyone within a five-minute walk, with a high-speed rail transport system embedded within the super-structure to get people from one end to the other.
The futuristic credentials of this project are further enhanced with plans for The Line to construct a soccer stadium on its top level, built to meet the requirements of stadia hosting the 2034 World Cup in Saudi.
The Hidden Marina is expected to be completed by 2030, in line with preparation plans for the World Cup, with 140,000 workers said to be involved in the construction process.
Seeing will be believing but effectively, money is no object. $140 billion has reportedly been invested in all of the infrastructure required to make the vision of The Line a reality.
Image credit: Via Midjourney
