"The Line" - Saudi Arabia plans 100 mile long indoor megacity. [Neom]

[klang]

A line is proper long?

 

[keybored]

We all know that it will rapidly split into an undercity, full of mutants, and the Upper Levels where all the posh people live.

So it's basically Bristol but in a desert.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Better the other way round. Build primary schools right next to asbestos factories and you save on transport costs because you hardly need to drive the stuff any distance.

Or, make the kids work in the factory for maximum efficiency.

 

[8ball]

Or, make the kids work in the factory for maximum efficiency.

Education is important!

So only during breaks between lessons, evenings, and weekends.

 

[WouldBe]

Can someone please tell me why a 'line' and not a regular type city that sort of emanates from a central point outwards in all directions? Is there some sort of advantage to this design which I'm missing?

Makes transport and infrastructure simpler as it's effectively 1D not 2D

 

[skyscraper101]

Makes transport and infrastructure simpler as it's effectively 1D not 2D

Sure, but I'm wondering at what point it becomes impractical say for stuff where there's a central focus which usually relies on pulling people in from all directions. e.g. an airport, a sports event, a central shopping district, or whatever.

If the majority of people live 30, 40, 50 plus miles away somewhere on 'the line', then how's that going to work even?

 

[tim]

Sure, but I'm wondering at what point it becomes impractical say for stuff where there's a central focus which usually relies on pulling people in from all directions. e.g. an airport, a sports event, a central shopping district, or whatever.

If the majority of people live 30, 40, 50 plus miles away somewhere on 'the line', then how's that going to work even?

Don't let silly details spoil beautiful idea. Particularly, when then genius who came up with the beautiful idea is liable to send someone round to dismember cheeky naysayers with a bonesaw.

 

[BigTom]

Makes transport and infrastructure simpler as it's effectively 1D not 2D

simpler in a way but also less efficient because things are further away from each other than they need to be.

 

[pogofish]

Can someone please tell me why a 'line' and not a regular type city that sort of emanates from a central point outwards in all directions? Is there some sort of advantage to this design which I'm missing?

Part of the initial promotion was that it would be vehicle-free and all parts would be accessed via a central transport line.

 

[skyscraper101]

Part of the initial promotion was that it would be vehicle-free and all parts would be accessed via a central transport line.

Amazing. I'd love to see how they go about carting around their groceries, refuse collection, emergency services, building materials, homeware purchase, etc with no vehicles.

 

[Spymaster]

Has it been mentioned that Neom is a portmanteau, from "neo" (new) and the M is from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's first name.

 

[nogojones]

Unless you live right by your work the commute will be a fucker.

9 million people crammed on the 8am train will be a joy

 

[nogojones]

Has it been mentioned that Neom is a portmanteau, from "neo" (new) and the M is from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's first name.

Then maybe we should rename it Neot for twat

 

[Spymaster]

Then maybe we should rename it Neot for twat

Neoc

 

[pogofish]

Amazing. I'd love to see how they go about carting around their groceries, refuse collection, emergency services, building materials, homeware purchase, etc with no vehicles.

I daresay, being Saudi, there will be an underclass of very lowly-paid workers imported from various third world countries who live in the basements, or nearby labour lines/camps to take care of all that, for a fee, to a middleman who takes a big cut, of course.

They have had that part of the economy well organised for a long time.

The people living in the line/tower/cube/hexagon/whatever will need to have the considerable wherewithall to pay for absolutely everything that supports/enables their lifestyle.

 

[Rob Ray]

Makes transport and infrastructure simpler as it's effectively 1D not 2D

Adam Something did quite a good job of skewering the transport proposals (5:15, though the whole thing is worth watching)

 

[WouldBe]

Unless you live right by your work the commute will be a fucker.

9 million people crammed on the 8am train will be a joy

As I understand it you're not going to have residential at one end and industrial at the other end, it will be split up and 'alternated' so everything is close by.

 

[Rob Ray]

A lovely idea until you consider how industry, particularly entertainment, actually works. Perhaps they'll decentralise sports stadiums so there's just a little one on every corner. Or rather than a jewellery quarter they can have a series of jewellery teenths, which doesn't sound like it'd become a pain in the arse to shop for a ring at all.

 

[WouldBe]

A lovely idea until you consider how industry, particularly entertainment, actually works. Perhaps they'll decentralise sports stadiums so there's just a little one on every corner. Or rather than a jewellery quarter they can have a series of jewellery teenths, which doesn't sound like it'd become a pain in the arse to shop for a ring at all.

Unless you're planning on living there you'll not have to worry about it.

 

[Rob Ray]

I'm not worried inasmuch as it definitely won't ever be built in the form proposed, but it's good for a bit of autocrat megaproject bashing (also of Peter Cook, the guy who sold the idea to MBS and who is a perfect example of Colin Ward's view that the more awards an architect has the less capable they are of building things for humans).

 

[teuchter]

Some new(?) images here

Aerial photos reveal work progressing on The Line megacity

A set of aerial images has revealed work progressing on The Line megacity, Oxagon port and Sindalah resort, which are being built as part of Neom in Saudi Arabia.

www.dezeen.com

 

[kabbes]

My team got asked to risk assess this construction project for insurance purposes.

I think my comment to the underwriting team probably consisted of five letters.

 

[Silas Loom]

My team got asked to risk assess this construction project for insurance purposes.

I think my comment to the underwriting team probably consisted of five letters.

There’s quite a lot you can say using only five letters.

Abracadabra?

 

[kabbes]

There’s quite a lot you can say using only five letters.

Abracadabra?

I wasn’t thinking pentatonically.

 

[Yossarian]

There’s quite a lot you can say using only five letters.

Abracadabra?

That's 11 letters - my guess is "shite." Or "never." Or "crazy." Or "flood." Or, "FYYBS," an acronym for "Fuck You, You Bonesaw Shits."

 

[pogofish]

A lovely idea until you consider how industry, particularly entertainment, actually works. Perhaps they'll decentralise sports stadiums so there's just a little one on every corner. Or rather than a jewellery quarter they can have a series of jewellery teenths, which doesn't sound like it'd become a pain in the arse to shop for a ring at all.

The sports/leisure facilities seem to be developing outside the Line - One area to the north of it where most of the service/construction camps are currently located along with the preliminary "communities" and another to the south, around "Neom Bay", which seems to be slated as the tourism/leisure hub, which is getting the big-ticket sites and where the corporate offices, airport, resorts and the Saudi Royals have built their own palaces.

 

[NoXion]

My team got asked to risk assess this construction project for insurance purposes.

I think my comment to the underwriting team probably consisted of five letters.

Aren't swearwords usually four letters?

 

[ouirdeaux]

In theory. But in practice that only gives you fuck, cunt and shit.

OK, arse if you insist, but really.

 

[WouldBe]

In theory. But in practice that only gives you fuck, cunt and shit.

OK, arse if you insist, but really.

Dick.

 

[newme]

I keep having this come up as a recommended job. Yes I would like 90k, free housing and all that stuff but I don't want to go and live there. It also should definitely not be coming up as a remote job.