Ben Mulry
The Line.
Dystopian fiction novel? Coming of age cocaine comedy? Documentary series on NFL offensive linemen?
No. The Line is the nickname of the new Saudi Arabian plan to build a new kind of mega city in the form of a more than 100 mile long thin skyscraper call Neom that’s only 200 meters thick.
The plans seem like steep promises, including flying vehicles, 100% renewable energy usage, and everything the residents need within a five minute walk of their house. Everything would be in house from education to work, encouraging tens of millions of Saudis as well as people from other countries to immigrate to live in the city.
The city will have a mirrored outer wall and year round temperate climate control. Also promised is a transportation system capable of taking residents from one end of the city to the other in just 20 minutes.
380,000 jobs are estimated to be created, and the first phase of the project will last until 2030 and cost over 1 trillion Saudi riyals which is around $270 billion.
Neom is already under construction, but it’s unclear exactly what is going on. This seems like a dope idea though, we will see how it turns out.
