Is Saudi Arabia Still Building THE LINE, Its Futuristic Desert Megacity?
THE LINE, a 170-kilometer-long mirrored city slicing through the desert, remains at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s evolving architectural ambitions. Initially celebrated as one of the most daring experiments in modern urban planning, this project was designed as the central spine of NEOM—a $500 billion development in the country's northwest.
The concept promised a car-free, carbon-neutral city built within two parallel walls, each rising 500 meters high. It aimed to redefine urban living through innovation and environmental consciousness. However, the project now faces challenges as the broader Vision 2030 agenda undergoes reassessment.
Reassessment and Challenges
Recent reports reveal that Saudi Arabia is re-evaluating its massive Vision 2030 portfolio, which includes architectural megaprojects valued at over $1 trillion. The slowdown is linked to declining oil revenues and increasing fiscal pressures that have made the original construction pace difficult to sustain.
“Officials have acknowledged that the pace and cost of construction have become unsustainable amid falling oil prices and growing budget deficits.”
As a result, THE LINE, once planned to extend across 170 kilometers of the Tabuk desert, is now reportedly reduced to a limited initial section, only a few miles in length. The government has begun reallocating resources and adjusting timelines to maintain progress across its broader development initiatives.
Summary
Saudi Arabia is scaling back THE LINE, pivoting from utopian ambition to pragmatic development as economic realities reshape its Vision 2030 goals.