As one of the world’s most dynamic economies, Saudi Arabia is building the world’s next great mega-project: Neom. It’s a planned megacity that will provide a new model for sustainable urban development. It’s one of the world’s most ambitious projects.
Neom will boast a completely carbon-free infrastructure. The city will have an entirely renewable energy system, state-of-the-art transport facilities, and a swathe of new urban development features.
Keep reading to learn more about Neom and its futuristic new features.
What is NEOM?
Neom is a planned smart city in Tabuk province, Saudi Arabia. The site for Neom is just south of Jordan and on the opposite side of the Red Sea from Egypt.
The city will have futuristic innovations and world-class technology fuelled by data and intelligence to build an advanced sustainable living space.
Saudi Arabia intends to use NEOM for both residential and tourist purposes.
Check out this video if you wanna learn more about NEOM straight from the city’s authorities.
NEOM has a new model for urban sustainability that’s powered entirely by renewable energy. The city will also have world-class medical facilities, including innovative technology, education, and research.
The city will also champion environmental responsibility practices to build a stable and sustainable environment.
These are some of the features of NEOM:
4-hour flights away from 40% of the globe
Powered 100% by renewable energy
26,500km² in size
Plentiful natural parks
10°C cooler than the rest of the region.
Planned Regions of NEOM
NEOM will have the following planned regions:
The Line
Trojena
Oxagon
Neom Bay Airport
NEOM Green Hydrogen Project
Sindalah
The Line Project
The Line is a 170 km long linear stretch of urban communities that includes walkable neighborhoods and public parks with natural landscapes. The project is designed to be a model of modern urban life with environmental sustainability.
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman announced that The Line would provide humanity with an alternative sustainable lifestyle to present urban living standards.
🔊 Built with the most advanced engineering and design imaginable, THE LINE is a landmark city stretching 170 km. A revolution in urban living.
— NEOM (@NEOM) July 25, 2022
A city that delivers new wonders for the world.#TheLINE #NEOM pic.twitter.com/urmRtJ5XNE
The Line is being developed by a team of renowned architects and engineers led by CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr. The project’s designs will exemplify how the urban communities of the future will look like.
The Line will replace traditional carbon-intensive infrastructure with environmentally sustainable new infrastructure
Discovering the Line City
The Line City alone will create around 380,000 new jobs with the following plans.
The Mirror Line will be the city’s outer mirror facade that will provide a unique appearance to the project and integrate the structure with nature. The project will need thousands of construction workers and engineers to complete the facade.
The city’s interior is expected to house over 9 million people within an area of only 34 square kilometers. The Line will provide maximum infrastructure within a small area by optimizing its resource use.
All of this will be achieved with 100% renewable energy principles to promote sustainable development. The Line will be completely carbon neutral by abandoning conventional carbon-based infrastructure like cars and streets.
The project will have a cool and consistent internal temperature all year around. That plus the city’s minimal and carbon-free infrastructure ensures residents will access most amenities within 5 minutes.
The Mirror Line’s two buildings will be connected through walkways and a high-speed train that will allow travel between the area’s two maximum points in only 20 minutes.
The Line’s lack of cars ensures a clean and 100% sustainable transportation system and no air pollution in the location. So residents will also enjoy clean air and efficient transport.
A Sustainable City for Humans
The Line’s revolutionary approach is to build a city that’s designed for human welfare. The city will serve its inhabitants, not vice versa like conventional cities.
For example, The Line’s emphasis on nature lets residents experience harmony with nature and sustainable life. They’ll have access to vast open spaces, including parks, gardens, and other natural environments.
The city will also have hyper-connected infrastructure that uses digital technology, including AI and robotics for continually improving its system. In fact, NEOM will analyze over 90% of data from the city in a predictive system.
This system will provide smart recommendations on how the city can be improved to bring greater ease to residents.
NEOM’s communities are also expected to be self-sufficient and reflect the community’s progressive personality and forward thinking.
The Line will be layered vertically, giving residents the chance to seamlessly move in three dimensions. This concept is known as Zero Gravity Urbanism.
Trojena
Trojena will provide year-round outdoor adventure sports, like skiing, to residents. The destination is expected ready by 2026. It will house 6 different development districts with tailored experiences to blend real and virtual architecture.
Trojena will also house advanced architectural innovations to create a unique destination.
After completion, Trojena will contain diverse residential buildings ranging from affordable apartments, detached homes, luxury mansions, and high-end hotels. Trojena will cater to all spectrums of housing needs.
There will also be equally exhaustive options for dining, leisure, and retail activities. The city’s other amenities include year-round sports facilities, including skiing, water sports, and mountain biking.
These are the following activities that’ve been planned for Trojena
Wellness season (September to November)
Alternative medicine
Wellness summit
Discovery week
Yoga Retreat
Artist residency
Entertainment residency
Winter season (December to March)
Skiing
Snowboarding
Winter fashion week
Ice skating music festival
Adventure season (March to May)
High-altitude training
Adventure triathlon Yoga
Mountain biking
Paragliding
Climbing
Lake season (May to September)
Music Festival
Food Festival
Art fair
Light show
Cultural week
Yoga Retreat
Oxagon
Oxagon will be NEOM’s economic and industrial center. It’ll attract global talent to the region and power the city’s diverse economic needs. Hexagon will have the latest automation and integrated supply systems to build an innovative ecosystem.
The site is intended to create advanced transformational industries and form a global gateway to international trade.
Saudi Arabia’s ambition is to transform Oxagon into the future of advanced industries. It’ll contain an automated port with a smart supply chain network that will oversee 13% of global trade in the Suez Canal.
Oxagon will also provide over 70,000 new jobs for an expected population of 90,000 by the year 2030.
The site will have the following features
The world’s largest floating structure
A high-speed trail to NEOM airport and The Line
The largest cruise terminal in the Red Sea
Oversight of 13% of global trade through the Suez Canal
5 min walkability to the beach and nature sites
100% clean energy
Smart supply chain
A massive port with 3.5m capacity.
OXAGON’s fully automated port and integrated supply chain provide speed and efficiency.#OXAGON@NEOMOXAGON
— NEOM (@NEOM) December 9, 2021
NEOM Bay Airport
Neom Bay Airport will be part of a four-airport network in the city. Neom Bay Airport will be 48km from the nearest airport, Sharam El Sheikh International Airport. NEOM’s CEO, Nadhmi Al-Nasr stated NEOM Bay Airport is a key enabler of the site’s development.
The airport is intended to vastly improve how NEOM connects with the wider world.
NEOM airport will be more than just a transport station. It’ll provide an intricate introduction to the city’s wider potential and features. In fact, the airport will symbolize Saudi Arabia’s commitment to the modern world and building sustainable lifestyles.
NEOM airport will have a modern design with the latest technology incorporated into the airport. It’ll be the world’s first airport to use 5G wireless network service to provide high-speed internet to passengers.
The airport will have a 2,600 meter/ 8,600 feet long runway to accommodate different aircraft. The facility’s first focus is the NEOM bay.
Sindalah
Sindalah is NEOM’s first luxury island destination and one of Saudi Arabia’s most important national tourism projects. The site will stretch over 840,000 square meters, consisting of a group of islands. Each island will have unique features and designs.
This site will be the main gateway to the Red Sea and provide luxurious nautical experiences. Sindalah is expected to start welcoming guests as soon as early 2024. Over 3,500 new jobs in the tourism and hospitality industry will service these guests.
Sindalah’s main goal is to reshape nautical tourism in the area. It’ll achieve this by providing features like an international yachting calendar for guests. The site will also have a luxurious 86-berth marina for accommodating naval vessels.
A set of offshore buoys will also store superyachts in the area.
Sindalah will house guests in 413 premium hotels and 333 serviced apartments. Amenities also include a beach club, yacht club, and over 38 unique restaurants providing exquisite culinary experiences in the Red Sea.
Sindalah’s unique array of amenities and high-quality offerings with a strategic landscape will provide exceptional service. In fact, Sindalah is expected to be one of the Red Sea’s most alluring destinations.
.@NEOM‘s next-level innovation, inspired by the pristine waters of the Red Sea. Sindalah’s surroundings are at its heart. Nature and technology work together here to create an unforgettable experience.#Sindalah #NEOM pic.twitter.com/BUFlJlS6bK
— SINDALAH (@NEOMSindalah) December 5, 2022
NEOM green hydrogen plant
NEOM will be one of the world’s leading green hydrogen centers. This is due to the city being located in one of the few places where green hydrogen can be produced competitively.
The site will also combine wind and sun power to generate clean energy. NEOM can use this renewable energy to produce green hydrogen to export to countries like Japan.
Saudi Arabia has invested over 8.4 Billion in this project as of May 2023.
NEOM also intends to introduce a new urban sustainability model that entirely uses renewable energy. They’ll also provide residents with a smart network that provides high-standard water.
Agriculture Project: The Future of Food
The Saudi government is also using NEOM to pioneer solutions for food production. Their goal is to build scalable models for sustainable agricultural growth that can be applied globally.
The Saudi government has teamed up with a Dutch greenhouse company to build a synthetic climate to develop agriculture in the desert.
Saudi Arabia will carve an area of 15 soccer fields to build this horticulture region. This project is the largest food-tech investment for a predominantly arid country.
Dutch horticulturist Van Der Hoeven has a $120 million with the Saudi government that details constructing two horticulture facilities in NEON’s outskirts.
The project is the first of many for the region.
Horticulture is expected to rapidly expand in NEOM once the two pilot greenhouses are completed. The main agricultural produce of the project includes fruits and vegetables.
These projects are expected to create around 325,000 tons of fruits and vegetables, as well as 178,000 tons of dairy products and alternative meats.
This is followed by 80,000 of aquaculture produce and 48,000 tons of grains.
NEOM’s Latest News: What’s Happening?
NEOM partnered with IMG Golf Course, a world-leader in golf course design and management. With them, NEOM will introduce extensive beachfront golf courses in Sindalah.
The IMG Golf Course will build, market, and manage the new club.
The new club is expected to have over 280 meters of driving range and golf practice suits with ball-tracking tech and statistic feedback. It will also include other luxury facilities like a gym, Olympic swimming pool and sports courts.
The new golf course will also be GEO certified with a high social and environmental responsibility standard.
Naturally, there will also be many high-end restaurants as well.
Construction Progress: When will Neom be completed?
Almost 20% of infrastructure work at NEOM has been completed. By 2026 the project is to have housing for 450,000 people. And by 2030 it’s expected to house between 1.5 million and 2 million people, eventually growing to 9 million by 2045.
