saudi arabia – DesignApplause

the line redefines the concept of what cities of the future will look like.

Oct 1, 2023

above/below> a detail view of the concept vertical city aptly named “the line” touching the red sea

the line, a cognitive city stretching across 105.6 miles [170 kilometers], from the epic mountains of neom across inspirational desert valleys to the beautiful red sea. a mirrored architectural masterpiece towering 1,640 feet [500 meters] above sea level, but a land-saving 656 feet [200 meters] wide. the line redefines the concept of urban development and what cities of the future will look like. a civilizational revolution, its unparalleled livability can be explored at the line exhibition – now welcoming visitors in riyadh. no roads, cars or emissions, it will run on 100% renewable energy and 95% of land will be preserved for nature. people’s health and wellbeing will be prioritized over transportation and infrastructure, unlike traditional cities.

above> a ground level view of the mirrored wall cutting through the desert / below> the vertical concept city vs comparable traditional city

a small footprint to blend with nature
the line will have an outer mirror facade that will provide its unique character and allow even its small footprint 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.

this city will eventually accommodate 9 million people and will be built on a footprint of just 13 square miles [34 square kilometers]. this will mean a reduced infrastructure footprint, creating never-before-seen efficiencies in city functions. the ideal climate all-year-round will ensure that residents can enjoy the surrounding nature. residents will also have access to all daily essentials within a five-minute walk, in addition to high-speed rail – with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes.

above> a canal from the red sea to the marina / below> the marina

a perfect climate all-year-round
to ensure the establishment of microclimatic spaces, the environment has been carefully designed to allow for an optimal balance of sunlight, shade and natural ventilation. furthermore, the green open spaces throughout the city will further enhance the comfort for those living, working and visiting here.

unparalleled access to nature
the progressive design offers immediate and uninterrupted access to nature within a two-minute walk – through its diverse open spaces, suspended on multiple levels. equitable access to pristine views of the surrounding natural landscape, mountains and sky, for all, avoiding urban sprawl thanks to a reduced infrastructure footprint.

more time to spend with loved ones
all daily essentials will be accessible within a five-minute walk and an efficient public transport network will offer a rapid end-to-end journey. automated services will be powered by artificial intelligence. amenities in close proximity will mean residents see family and friends often through spontaneous encounters.

clean air for everyone
the city will be zero-carbon, due to the elimination of unecessary infrastructure, cars and roads. it will operate on 100% renewable energy, including the operations of its industries. the integration of nature and open spaces throughout will serve an important role in enhancing air quality.

a concept referred to as zero gravity urbanism
the line remains one of the most important projects of saudi vision 2030, offering a new approach to urban design: the idea of layering city functions vertically while giving people the possibility of moving seamlessly in three dimensions (up, down or across) to access them is a concept referred to as zero gravity urbanism. different from just tall buildings, this concept layers public parks and pedestrian areas, schools, homes and places for work, so that one can effortlessly move to reach all daily needs within five minutes.

[ neom ]

games open doors at dubai design week.

Nov 25, 2015

abwab (arabic for ‘doors’) comprised six country pavilions each created in response to the theme ‘games: the element of play in culture’ to celebrate dubai’s inaugural design week. six countries in the middle east north africa and south asia (menasa) region – jordan, kuwait, pakistan, saudi arabia, tunisia and the uae – curated six 50 square-metre pavilions at the newly built d3 (dubai design district) to showcase the work of home-grown designers, design studios and curators.

d3 | dubai design district | courtesy of dubai design district

“abwab represents a direct portal to the region’s local design talent, which can benefit from a such international and culturally lively display as the dubai design week,” said a statement from the show’s organizers.

the pavilions themselves were designed by loci architecture + design studio under the creative direction of rawan kashkoush and comprised structures made from polycarbonate panels filled with sand, creating different patterns for each country.

the kuwaiti pavilion, curated by architect waleed shaalan, was entitled tagga in tagga (move by move) and centred on a series of pictograms designed by graphic designer osama hadeed designed to simply communicate traditional kuwaiti games to younger generations so they would not be lost.

the tunisian pavilion curated by chacha atallah, founder of architectural firm, fleury atalah, comprised 999, a game by haythem zakaria and karim ben amor. a single wooden module, repeated 999 times, could be endlessly combined to create different three-dimensional structures.

under the curatorial eye of arini creative platforms, jordanian designers dina haddadin, omar al-zo’bi, rand el haj hassan and rula yaghmour drew inspiration from the kite-flying, mountain hiking and the swings or ‘murjeiha’ of their childhood to create the untitled swing project, a collection of swings separated by white cotton curtains whose movement triggered an audio soundscape.

the saudi arabian pavilion took traditional local game um tse as its inspiration and included ‘male’ and ‘female’ saddle-inspired floor seats designed by ayah al bitar as game pieces inspired by differing gender roles in the country – the ‘male’ pieces were free to move, whereas the ‘female’ pieces were attached to the ceiling as swings, thus restricting their movement.

the phrase ‘all work and no play makes jack a dull boy,’ provided the inspiration for the mobius design studio curated uae pavilion. different experiences housed in the space invited participation and sensory stimulation in different ways.

and finally, the pakistan pavilion, entitled ‘daalaan’ was curated by salman jawed and featured works by a multidisciplinary team of eight designers and included hanging fabric panels silk-screened with natural dyes to evoke the busy courtyards of pakistani homes and traditional games rendered in high-quality natural materials such as wood and bronze.

[ dubai design week ] @dubaidesignweek