Saudi Arabia unveils futuristic ‘zero-gravity vertical city’

First announced in 2017, NEOM has consistently raised eyebrows for proposed flourishes like flying taxis and robot maids, even as architects and economists have questioned its feasibility.

Published on: Jul 27, 2022 4:38 PM IST

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Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz recently unveiled the design of a zero-carbon city called NEOM which is touted to be the “world’s first zero-gravity vertical city” extending over 170 kilometres (more than 100 miles) and have “zero cars, zero pollution and zero carbon emissions”. (AFP)

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The megacity will feature two skyscrapers extending across a swathe of desert and mountain terrain, according to the latest disclosures on the project by the kingdom's de facto ruler. (AFP)

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The parallel structures of mirror-encased skyscrapers known collectively as The Line, form the heart of the Red Sea megacity NEOM, a plank of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's bid to diversify the Gulf state's oil-dependent economy. (AFP)

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Analysts noted, though, that plans for NEOM have changed course over the years, fuelling doubts about whether The Line will ever become reality. (VIA REUTERS)

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In a presentation Monday night, Prince Mohammed sketched out an even more ambitious vision, describing a car-free utopia that would become the planet's most liveable city "by far". (AFP)

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NEOM was once touted as a regional "Silicon Valley", a biotech and digital hub spread over 26,500 square kilometres (10,000 square miles). (AFP)

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Now it's a vehicle for reimagining urban life on a footprint of just 34 square kilometres, and addressing what Prince Mohammed describes as "liveability and environmental crises". (AFP)

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"The concept has morphed so much from its early conception that it's sometimes hard to determine its direction: scaling down, scaling up, or making an aggressive turn sideways," said Robert Mogielnicki of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. (AFP)

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The site will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy and feature "a year-round temperate micro-climate with natural ventilation", a promotional video released Monday said. (AFP)

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NEOM is well-positioned to harness solar and wind energy, and plans are also afoot for the city to host the world's largest green hydrogen plant, said Torbjorn Soltvedt of risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft. (AFP)

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"But the feasibility of NEOM as a whole is still unclear given the unprecedented scale and cost of the project," he said. (AFP)