Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project has released detailed plans for constructing The Line, a 170-kilometer linear city envisioned to redefine sustainable urban living. Engineers revealed that the megastructure will begin with forty skyscraper cores, each rising 500 meters from a 2.4-kilometer foundation forming Phase 1’s framework.
These cores will be connected by approximately two million tons of prefabricated structural steel trusses that will create the city’s main decks and horizontal platforms. Prefabrication in controlled environments at ground level aims to enhance precision and efficiency before the components are lifted into place. Once assembled, the exterior will be clad in 2.1 million square meters of mirrored glass, giving The Line its distinctive reflective facade.
“The Line’s construction symbolizes a new era in how cities are built—efficient, sustainable, and human-centric,” said Giles Pendleton, Chief Operating Officer, The Line, NEOM.
The lower levels will host high-speed transit systems capable of connecting the entire length of the city in about 20 minutes. Above these decks, residential, commercial, and community spaces will create a vertical environment where essential services are within a five-minute walk.
Among its signature features are a 350-meter-tall cruise ship gateway and a 46,000-seat stadium positioned high above the main decks. Many massive components—some weighing up to 11,000 tons—are being assembled at ground level before being hoisted nearly half a kilometer into position.
Phase 1 covers 2.4 kilometers divided into three 800-meter sections. Once fully developed, The Line will stretch 170 kilometers and accommodate up to nine million residents. Operating entirely on renewable energy, the city will incorporate advanced water recycling and vertical farming systems to support self-sufficient, low-carbon living.
Image Courtesy: Parametric Architecture
