In a strategic shift, Saudi Arabia has adjusted its ambitious plans for The Line, a groundbreaking urban project that aims to redefine the future of city living. Initially envisioned as a 500-meter-tall mirrored linear city stretching across 170 kilometers of desert, The Line was slated to eventually house a staggering 9 million residents. However, recent reports indicate a more measured approach.
According to sources familiar with the project, Saudi officials now anticipate that only 2.4 kilometers of The Line will be constructed by 2030, accommodating fewer than 300,000 residents. While the grand vision remains intact, this scaled-back approach reflects a pragmatic assessment of the project’s feasibility.
The Line’s first segment, if realized, would still represent an extraordinary engineering achievement. Imagine two mirrored supertall skyscrapers soaring to a height of 500 meters, equivalent to New York’s iconic One World Trade Center. Remarkably, these structures would extend laterally for 2.4 kilometers, defying the desert landscape.
The Line is an integral part of NEOM, a broader mega-development spearheaded by Saudi Arabia’s state-created Public Investment Fund (PIF). The PIF’s mission is to diversify the nation’s economy beyond oil dependency, and The Line embodies this forward-looking vision.
However, The Line is not without controversy. Human rights groups have raised concerns about past labor practices and recent forced evictions near NEOM sites. Despite these challenges, Saudi Arabia remains committed to reshaping urban living through innovative projects like The Line.
Other headline-worthy initiatives, such as Trojena and The Mukaab, have also been unveiled. Meanwhile, the Jeddah Tower, set to resume construction in 2024, is led by a private development firm, adding to the region’s architectural ambitions.