The Line: between smoke and mirrors
treehugger.com
A city: 170km long, 200 metres wide, completely encased in mirrors and built in the Saudi desert. Although it may seem like the description of a fictional post-apocalyptic city, the plan is real and the vision of His Royal Highness Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
This desert city which will eventually house 9 million people, has already entered the beginning stage of it being built and projections say by 2030, 1.5 million people will be able to live within its glossy walls. The announcement of this grand city provided some interesting details. It promises to be taller than the Empire State Building, at 500 metres above sea level, there will be no cars or roads just a high speed rail that will travel end to end in 20 minutes, “it will run 100% on renewable energy and 95% of land will be reserved for nature” with a reduced carbon footprint and “never-before-seen efficiency”, there will also be an ideal all year round climate for the citizens to enjoy.
engadget.com/the-line-neom-saudi-images-134030730.html
In the press statement released, there is constant emphasis on the fact that The Line will revolutionise the way cities are built, as they claim it is more focused on human livability and environmental preservation. HRH added that The Line is in some ways a response to the very present climate crisis and the failings of traditional city planning; he plans for the city to be fully digitised as well. The Line will be a way for its citizens to make their mark on the world in a creative and innovative way.
The promises are luxurious and grandiose but ultimately what this city would be is a shiney spectacle in a world rapidly falling apart with just a bunch of people, burying their heads in the nearest sandbox. When our climate becomes hotter and hotter each year and the air becomes dirtier, the least noble act is to use hundreds of billions of dollars (yes, really that much) to create a guarded safehouse to ignore the problem were in.
This, of course, is only relevant under the grand assumption that this city will ever be built. Which seems increasingly unlikely due to the sheer amount of money and labour it would take to achieve the type of city promised. The reasons behind the creation of The Line are also less benevolent than they seem. The Prince wants to create a monument that will stand the test of time, like the pyramids in Egypt. He wants Saudi Arabia to be a globally renowned country and thinks The Line could propel that vision. There is also a dire need for a population increase to happen in Saudi Arabia to make it the world’s biggest crude exporter and therefore economic powerhouse. The hope for The Line is that it draws people to the country.
treehugger.com/the-line-linear-city-saudi-arabia-5095379
The creation of this vertical city is perhaps a symptom of living in a constantly unstable world. The idea of protection and feeling guarded is attractive, especially if everything is a 5 minute walk away from you and it never gets too hot or too cold. Perhaps the city will be created and the claims will come true, cities will be revolutionised forever. Until then however, it seems more like a decree of power and wealth than a blessing to humanity.
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