Saudi Arabia plans to create a new city called Neom in the northwest of the country from scratch.

Already announced in 2021, this new kind of megalopolis would consist of only two parallel skyscrapers 500 meters high and stretching over 170 kilometers, from the Gulf of Aqaba to the desert.

The city was designed to promote "the preservation of nature and the improvement of human dwellings", assured the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed ben Salmane, quoted by

Le Figaro

.


It could accommodate nearly nine million inhabitants by 2045.

Inside, future residents would have access to all the necessary structures.

Residential spaces, but also schools, parks, recreation, commerce, industry and agriculture are planned.

Everything would be accessible in a maximum of five minutes on foot.

A public transport system would nevertheless make it possible to cross the city in just twenty minutes.

This concentration of installations would be precisely the key to saving time, but also energy.

A futuristic look

The entire site would run on renewable energy and allow residents to enjoy a “temperate microclimate all year round with natural ventilation”.

Neom would actually form two smooth, straight strips covered in mirrors, giving the city the appearance of a science fiction city.

In total, the project would cost between 500 and 1,000 billion dollars, depending on estimates.

It would be entirely financed by Saudi Arabia as part of its "Vision 2030" program, geared towards the diversification of the Saudi economy.

Lack of credibility for some

If Neom was presented as a project responding to the ecological and human challenges of this century, some people have already criticized its excessiveness and lack of realism.

Critics note in particular a lag in relation to the technical and scientific know-how currently at our disposal.

Other similar projects, such as Diamniadio in Senegal or Nusantara in Indonesia, have already been in difficulty.

World

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman thanks Emmanuel Macron for his “warm welcome”

World

Saudi Arabia's GDP continues to grow thanks to oil

  • World

  • Saudi Arabia

  • Town

  • Architecture

  • Environment