An IMGW Report
“Our vertical city is beginning to take shape,” announced the Neom corporation in a recent video showcasing an army of trucks and excavators moving vast amounts of sand across the Saudi desert. This marks the onset of construction for what is touted as the world’s most ambitious project, the trillion-dollar initiative known as The Line.
Progress on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s (MBS) vision for a 170km-long linear city, which is just 200 metres wide and flanked by two towering horizontal skyscrapers, has accelerated in recent months. This initiative is poised to be a dazzling showcase of urban innovation, likened by the Saudi ruler to Egypt’s pyramids, and positioned as a new wonder of the modern world.
The Line serves as the centrepiece of the kingdom’s Vision 2030, a blueprint for economic and technological transformation spanning tourism, real estate, sports, and transport sectors. Echoing Saudi Arabia’s commitment to diversification and sustainability, this project moves the kingdom away from its traditional reliance on oil revenue. As stated in Vision 2030, “Diversifying our economy is vital for its sustainability. Although oil and gas are essential pillars of our economy, we have begun expanding our investments into additional sectors. We understand that there are complicated challenges ahead but we have long-term plans to overcome them. In the past 25 years, the Saudi economy has grown by an annual average rate of more than 4 percent, contributing to the creation of millions of new jobs.”
However, as the initial outline of the city begins to materialise along the Red Sea coast, and as lucrative contracts attract top architects and consultants globally, The Line faces formidable hurdles. Spiralling costs, hesitant investors, design challenges, and concerns over alleged human rights abuses threaten its progress. Reportedly, the kingdom has scaled back its initial construction phase ambitions, with insiders suggesting The Line will now accommodate fewer than 300,000 residents by 2030—far below MBS’s original target of at least 1.5 million.
Currently, only 2.4km of the city is expected to be completed by this date. Costs are now projected to escalate to £2 trillion, according to analysts and sources close to the project—quadrupling the original estimates for the entire Neom development zone, which also plans for a floating hotel and a foldable village.
Amidst this turmoil and the whims of the crown prince, work was delayed for several months after MBS decided to shift one end of the city to a preferred area, insiders revealed to The Wall Street Journal. Further delays ensued when excavation teams inadvertently dumped tons of sand on a planned waterway site.
MBS recently stated that he had instructed architects to narrow The Line from 2km to 200 metres in width.
“Living in The Line would be daunting and logistically challenging,” commented Tom Ravenscroft, editor of the architecture and design magazine Dezeen. “The sheer distances mean that work and social connections could be extremely far apart. This city seems designed for a specific demographic—namely young, digital professionals—and excludes considerations for families and older populations.”
The Line has been touted as a model of sustainability, powered by renewable energy, but analysts are raising alarms about the carbon costs involved in the decades-long construction in the Saudi desert. A report from Dezeen highlighted that the vast, mirrored facades pose a substantial risk to migratory species.
Despite these challenges, project representatives remain optimistic. “The intended scale is continuing as planned. There is no change in scale,” stated Saudi economy minister Faisal al-Ibrahim, emphasising the project’s long-term, modular design.
Giles Pendleton, Chief Operating Officer, recently announced a “record month” for excavation, maintaining that “The masterplan for The Line remains at 170km.”
However, as the project’s viability is questioned, and with the kingdom struggling to attract the necessary private investment, the full realisation of The Line, along with other Saudi megaprojects, remains uncertain. The development also serves as an advertisement for the Kingdom and its grand ambitions, creating a buzz in global discourse, attracting interest from global companies, and putting Saudi Arabia on the map. This forms part of Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to diversify its economy, as emphasised in Vision 2030, which seeks to reduce its dependence on oil revenues and enhance job creation and economic stability across various sectors.
Related articles of interest:
- The Human Cost of Saudi’s Neom https://imglobalwealth.com/articles/from-riches-to-razes-saudi-arabias-vision-2030-clashes-with-human-rights/
- CEO Ditches $100M Neom Contract Over Saudi Human Rights Record https://imglobalwealth.com/articles/ceo-ditches-100m-neom-contract-over-saudi-human-rights-record/