Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia is planning a 105-mile long city, The Line – a new living area powered entirely by renewable energy.
Being developed as part of its Neom project, the linear city will prioritise the health and wellbeing of its citizens, with all residents living within a five-minute walk of essential services. With no cars or streets, the mega-city will consist of connected communities called ‘city modules’.
These modules will link the Red Sea coast with the northwest of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, and provide zero-energy living for a million people. The development offers a way for homes to be introduced without putting a cost on nature. According to Mohammed bin Salman, crown prince of Saudi Arabia: ‘Why should we sacrifice nature for the sake of development? Why should seven million people die every year because of pollution?’
In a similar vein, Vicente Guallart is working on a self-sufficient city in Xiong’an, China, which sets a new standard for post-Covid urban living.