Unchaining Tomorrow: The Line

How can the problems of chaotic cities, limited access to resources and overpopulation be solved all at once? New frontiers in technological development aim at creating innovative, efficient answers through the means of smart cities. What used to seem a futuristic ambition is now taking shape, and institutions are leveraging to enhance services and infrastructures. However, some governments dream bigger than others. This is the case of Saudi Arabia, whose ambition is to build a high-tech city from the start: Neom.

Neom is a location in the Tabuk Province of northwestern Saudi Arabia. The Line, as it is worldwide known, is a part of the Vision 2030 project, this being a guideline for economic diversification, enhanced quality of life and global engagement. The main goal through Neom is to craft an ultramodern city that serves as a pivot for sustainability and innovation. Its plan stretches across 170 kilometers from the mountains to the Red Sea coast, so as to become a trade center, open to strategic commercial routes. Unnecessary infrastructure will be eliminated, and the city will be zero-carbon, without cars and roads. It will operate entirely on renewable energy, and so will the applications of its industry. Air quality will be significantly improved and 95% of land will be preserved for nature.

The Neom megacity project has an estimated area of about 26,500 square kilometers and it is divided into 10 regions all touted as sustainability firsts, four of which are already under construction.First of all, Sindalah, an artificial island which will provide 86 berth marina, 51 luxury retail outlets, 3 luxury hotels, a huge yachting hub and some other luxury attraction that will attract 2,400 visitors per day by 2028, advertised as a ‘yachting paradise’, the first ‘superyacht ultra-first’ in the Red Sea. Indeed, according to Antoni Vives, project manager for Sindalah at Neom, ‘Sindalah will redefine the luxury island experience and become the most sought-after yachting destination in the world, offering six months of winter sun and less than a day’s sail from the ports of the Mediterranean’. On the other hand, the region of Oxagon aims at becoming not only a simple sustainable port located on the coast of the Red Sea, but it aims to redefine the concept of a ‘traditional industrial city’. Additionally, Trojena, located in the mountainous region of Tabuk, has been designed to host the Asian Winter Games in 2029 and, thanks to the snow-capped year-round from 2026, it will aim to attract athletes, ski enthusiasts and tourists with its luxury resorts and attractions; and The Line, which will accommodate around 9 million inhabitants in an area of only 34 square kilometers by 2030. Despite blatant announcements that the Sindalah region would be activated in 2024, the latest video update on the progress of work on the 4 regions was released in October 2023: nothing is ready yet.

Nonetheless, some main points at issue need to be untangled, and perhaps the most significant one is the one of fundraising. The project represents a significant opportunity for investors. Yet, the critical financing issues (Prince Mohammed Bin Salman had initially indicated an investment of $1.5 trillion dollars) and the strong environmental impact of the operation make it a daunting challenge. Moreover, a highly controversial aspect is surprisingly the one of sustainability, the guiding thread of the project, particularly if we consider that to complete the Trojena project alone where about 90,000 cubic meters of rock per week will be excavated, about 1,000 trucks per week that will move the rock from the mountains. This does not even account for the emissions generated by the construction involved in the overall realization of the project. Here, a delicate ethical debate arises: To what extent can we discuss sustainability when we aim to create something entirely new from scratch, overriding nature and molding it to our preferences? To what extent can Neom really be the future of urban development?

Other cities around the world have tried to keep up with innovative drives in the past decades, and undoubtedly the combination of Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things has transformed the way we perceive urban contexts.

Noteworthy is how the use of these tools plays a significant role in how we approach public and private transport, making it hard to picture life in Neom as road-free and car-free. Automatic means are nowadays’ vision, but smart infrastructure needs to be implemented in urban environments everywhere so as to have them fully introduced. In fact, vehicles must be able to perceive their surroundings, which can be done accurately only if locations are themselves ‘smart’. Moreover, as urban areas continue to expand, AI and IoT have proven to be key tools in improving sustainability and quality of life, and smart meters are a leading example. They use IoT sensors to continuously monitor and optimize energy consumption, providing city administrators with real-time data, which brings significant cost savings. For instance, Barcelona has adopted smart meters to save water in its parks, achieving a 25 per cent reduction in water use and saving approximately $555,000 per year. In addition, smart poles represent another innovative application of IoT, as they offer multifunctional benefits ranging from improved lighting and wireless connectivity to environmental monitoring. These poles are equipped with sensors and cameras to provide real-time data, helping to make informed decisions, and potentially transforming urban landscapes globally.

So, what is the future? As time and tech innovation progress, the adoption of AI and IoT technologies is expected to increase rapidly, with data-driven decision-making and predictive analytics at the forefront. The Line is a significant step forward, representing a bold ambition for urban development. It has the potential to define the way we live and interact with our surroundings. By way of conclusion, it shall not be forgotten that, for a city to truly become smart and ultramodern, data privacy must be ensured. An approach centered on citizens and their rights must be adopted, with the need for transparent policies and laws.

CC: Gabriel Campisi, Francesca Posadinu