Saudi Arabia unveils plans for new mirrored city that stretches 75 miles along the desert

Saudi Arabia has unveiled ambitious plans to develop a world-first 75-mile-long mirrored city stretching from the mountains in the northwest of the country to the Red Sea, setting its sights on building what would become the world's tallest building called The Line, which could eventually be home to 9 million citizens.

The long linear city, slated to cost over $1 trillion to develop, would become the “largest carbon-free system” in the world, offering residents everything they need encapsulated within the mirrored megastructure, including healthcare, education, entertainment, and leisure.

The 500 metres tall structure would stand taller than the Empire State Building, designed over a footprint of 34 square kilometres. Inside, The Line is said to feature large green spaces and residential zones, complete with a high-speed rail system capable of transporting riders from end to end in the development within 20 minutes.

The futuristic development, conceptualised by NEOM, will use a concept referred to as Zero Gravity Urbanism, creating a layered city that gives people the possibility of moving in three dimensions (up, down or across) to access the city's functions. 

NEOM say the city will have an outer mirror facade that will provide its unique character and allow the city to blend with nature, while the interior will be built to “create extraordinary experiences and magical moments.” It will be created by a team of world-renowned architects and engineers, led by NEOM, to develop this revolutionary concept for the city of the future.

According to reports, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has he intends The Line to be completed by 2030, but engineers have said it could take 50 years to construct due to the complexity and scale of the 13.1-square-mile city.

Images courtesy of NEOM