Neom, a colossal project conceived by Saudi Arabia, aims to build a 170-kilometer-long city in the barren deserts of the Kingdom. Originally projected to cost around $200 billion, the city is envisioned to be a marvel of modern technology and sustainability, capable of housing up to 9 million residents within a massive structure 200 meters wide and towering 500 meters tall. Strategically located in an area described as almost entirely empty, Neom's architects imagined a city infused with cutting-edge innovations, from artificial moons and flying cars to robot dinosaurs and human gene editing—creating a hyper-futuristic habitat unlike any other.
An Uninhabitable Environment for a City of the Future?
According to reports, particularly from The Wall Street Journal, the remote location of Neom was dictated by a scarcity of natural resources—mainly saltwater and sunlight—resources that are abundant in the desert, but inhospitable for conventional urban life. This led to the radical concept of a city shaped vertically and longitudinally, emphasizing a tall, narrow architecture, presumably to maximize efficiency and resource utilization while minimizing land usage.
Recent updates reveal that the project is undergoing significant scaling down. Bloomberg reports that Saudi Arabia is rethinking its medium-term ambitions for Neom and the project known as "The Line". The Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund, which funds and oversees the development, has yet to approve Neom’s 2024 budget, signaling financial caution amid broader economic challenges.
As of September, Saudi cash reserves have plummeted to around $5 billion, the lowest since 2020, raising concerns about funding such grand ventures. The latest projections forecast that The Line will extend only 2.4 kilometers—a stark reduction from the initial vision—housing approximately 300,000 residents by the end of this decade. This represents a 98.6% reduction from the original plan, which sought a city spanning 170 km with 9 million inhabitants.
Despite the downsizing, the project is still underway. The first phase of construction, according to official sources, aims to be completed by 2030, with early habitation targeted for early 2024. Infrastructure like accommodations, hotels, and a new airport are reported to be set to accommodate residents and tourists.
Architectural and Urban Planning Marvels?
The design of Neom’s city—particularly The Line—has drawn both fascination and skepticism. Its unconventional shape, only 200 meters wide but stretching 170 km long, has puzzled urban planners unfamiliar with such proportions. Historically, cities tend to be dense and circular or sprawling, but not narrowly elongated and extremely tall.
Supporters argue that, in extreme environments such as deserts or distant planets, vertical and linear urban growth makes sense. The design supposedly ensures residents are always within a 20-minute walk of daily needs, thanks to innovative infrastructure. Moreover, a hyperloop system—an ultra-fast transit tube allowing speeds over 1,000 km/hr—would theoretically connect the city's ends in moments, although current technological constraints suggest this might be more science fiction than near-term reality.
The hyperloop, once touted as a revolutionary transport system, had a partnership with Neom but has recently faced obstacles, including the shutdown of Hyperloop One in 2020. Even if the hyperloop were operational, the logistics of stopping the train at the 412 stations along the 170 km route would be complex and time-consuming, perhaps making the goal of a 20-minute city commute unrealistic.
Furthermore, the city plans to incorporate autonomous flying cars and drones, which could revolutionize movement within the city, but these technologies remain in development or early deployment stages.
Neom promises a highly integrated technological ecosystem: holographic teachers, robots assisting daily tasks, urban microclimates, renewable energy, and even a floating city on the Red Sea. The project even envisions a metaverse, where residents could enter virtual worlds for shopping, socializing, or experiencing Mars-like environments.
Many of these innovations rely on technologies not yet fully realized or commercially viable, such as artificial moons, genome editing, and advanced AI-managed justice systems. Critics argue that such hyperbole might be just that—hype.
Behind the glittering veneer of innovation, human rights issues have surfaced. Reports indicate that Saudi authorities have forcibly displaced tribespeople, often without adequate compensation, to clear land for Neom. In some cases, tribesmen have been killed or imprisoned for resisting eviction. This dark reality casts a shadow over the city’s utopian promises, highlighting a stark disconnect between development narratives and local communities’ human toll.
Supporters emphasize that Neom is a critical component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030—an ambitious plan to diversify its oil-dependent economy through investments in tourism, tech, and renewable energy. The project aims to turn Neom into a hub attracting billions in foreign investment, boosting GDP, and creating new job opportunities.
However, critics point out that the project’s massive costs—initially estimated at $200 billion, now expected to surpass $500 billion—may be unsustainable. The country’s financial reserves are strained, and the overall economic feasibility remains questionable. Thunderf00t, a popular YouTuber, estimated that a city this size could cost trillions of dollars, and warned that many of the green and futuristic claims are contingent on technologies still in their infancy.
Despite claims of carbon neutrality, Neom’s construction process, including desalination and massive foundations, would generate significant carbon emissions—estimated at nearly 1.8 gigatons of CO2. Critics argue that these environmental costs may outweigh the supposed ecological benefits, especially considering the desert’s harsh conditions and Saudi Arabia’s track record.
The project’s environmental claims hinge heavily on future technological breakthroughs and renewable energy sources. Yet, current progress on renewable energy in Saudi Arabia remains modest, with only a tiny fraction of electricity coming from renewables. The construction of power plants and infrastructure could cost tens of billions of dollars, further complicating the financial picture.
Historically, Saudi Arabia’s previous grand plans—such as King Abdullah Economic City and other desert developments—have fallen short of their targets. Many projects remain underpopulated or incomplete decades later, leading some to skeptically view Neom as more of a geopolitical and economic symbol than a fully realized city.
As Neom’s development slows and scales back, some question whether this utopian vision can actually materialize or whether it remains an elaborate showcase of technological ambition, driven more by rhetoric than practical feasibility.
While Neom embodies a bold vision for future urban living—fusing technology, sustainability, and innovation—it faces numerous hurdles. Economic constraints, technological maturity, environmental impact, and human rights issues pose significant challenges to its realization. Whether the project becomes a marvel of the 21st century or a cautionary tale remains to be seen, but it is undeniably one of the most ambitious endeavors ever conceived in modern urban planning.
Note: This article reflects the insights and concerns raised by recent reports and commentary. The future of Neom remains uncertain, and its final outcome will depend on a complex interplay of technology, politics, and economics.
Part 1/14:
Neom: The Futuristic Saudi Desert City in Flux
An Ambitious Vision in the Heart of the Desert
Neom, a colossal project conceived by Saudi Arabia, aims to build a 170-kilometer-long city in the barren deserts of the Kingdom. Originally projected to cost around $200 billion, the city is envisioned to be a marvel of modern technology and sustainability, capable of housing up to 9 million residents within a massive structure 200 meters wide and towering 500 meters tall. Strategically located in an area described as almost entirely empty, Neom's architects imagined a city infused with cutting-edge innovations, from artificial moons and flying cars to robot dinosaurs and human gene editing—creating a hyper-futuristic habitat unlike any other.
Part 2/14:
An Uninhabitable Environment for a City of the Future?
According to reports, particularly from The Wall Street Journal, the remote location of Neom was dictated by a scarcity of natural resources—mainly saltwater and sunlight—resources that are abundant in the desert, but inhospitable for conventional urban life. This led to the radical concept of a city shaped vertically and longitudinally, emphasizing a tall, narrow architecture, presumably to maximize efficiency and resource utilization while minimizing land usage.
Scaling Back: Economic and Political Realities
Part 3/14:
Recent updates reveal that the project is undergoing significant scaling down. Bloomberg reports that Saudi Arabia is rethinking its medium-term ambitions for Neom and the project known as "The Line". The Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund, which funds and oversees the development, has yet to approve Neom’s 2024 budget, signaling financial caution amid broader economic challenges.
Part 4/14:
As of September, Saudi cash reserves have plummeted to around $5 billion, the lowest since 2020, raising concerns about funding such grand ventures. The latest projections forecast that The Line will extend only 2.4 kilometers—a stark reduction from the initial vision—housing approximately 300,000 residents by the end of this decade. This represents a 98.6% reduction from the original plan, which sought a city spanning 170 km with 9 million inhabitants.
Part 5/14:
Despite the downsizing, the project is still underway. The first phase of construction, according to official sources, aims to be completed by 2030, with early habitation targeted for early 2024. Infrastructure like accommodations, hotels, and a new airport are reported to be set to accommodate residents and tourists.
Architectural and Urban Planning Marvels?
The design of Neom’s city—particularly The Line—has drawn both fascination and skepticism. Its unconventional shape, only 200 meters wide but stretching 170 km long, has puzzled urban planners unfamiliar with such proportions. Historically, cities tend to be dense and circular or sprawling, but not narrowly elongated and extremely tall.
Part 6/14:
Supporters argue that, in extreme environments such as deserts or distant planets, vertical and linear urban growth makes sense. The design supposedly ensures residents are always within a 20-minute walk of daily needs, thanks to innovative infrastructure. Moreover, a hyperloop system—an ultra-fast transit tube allowing speeds over 1,000 km/hr—would theoretically connect the city's ends in moments, although current technological constraints suggest this might be more science fiction than near-term reality.
The Hyperloop and Its Challenges
Part 7/14:
The hyperloop, once touted as a revolutionary transport system, had a partnership with Neom but has recently faced obstacles, including the shutdown of Hyperloop One in 2020. Even if the hyperloop were operational, the logistics of stopping the train at the 412 stations along the 170 km route would be complex and time-consuming, perhaps making the goal of a 20-minute city commute unrealistic.
Furthermore, the city plans to incorporate autonomous flying cars and drones, which could revolutionize movement within the city, but these technologies remain in development or early deployment stages.
Technological Utopia or Overpromised Reality?
Part 8/14:
Neom promises a highly integrated technological ecosystem: holographic teachers, robots assisting daily tasks, urban microclimates, renewable energy, and even a floating city on the Red Sea. The project even envisions a metaverse, where residents could enter virtual worlds for shopping, socializing, or experiencing Mars-like environments.
Many of these innovations rely on technologies not yet fully realized or commercially viable, such as artificial moons, genome editing, and advanced AI-managed justice systems. Critics argue that such hyperbole might be just that—hype.
Displacement and Human Cost
Part 9/14:
Behind the glittering veneer of innovation, human rights issues have surfaced. Reports indicate that Saudi authorities have forcibly displaced tribespeople, often without adequate compensation, to clear land for Neom. In some cases, tribesmen have been killed or imprisoned for resisting eviction. This dark reality casts a shadow over the city’s utopian promises, highlighting a stark disconnect between development narratives and local communities’ human toll.
Economic Justifications and Criticism
Part 10/14:
Supporters emphasize that Neom is a critical component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030—an ambitious plan to diversify its oil-dependent economy through investments in tourism, tech, and renewable energy. The project aims to turn Neom into a hub attracting billions in foreign investment, boosting GDP, and creating new job opportunities.
Part 11/14:
However, critics point out that the project’s massive costs—initially estimated at $200 billion, now expected to surpass $500 billion—may be unsustainable. The country’s financial reserves are strained, and the overall economic feasibility remains questionable. Thunderf00t, a popular YouTuber, estimated that a city this size could cost trillions of dollars, and warned that many of the green and futuristic claims are contingent on technologies still in their infancy.
Environmental Considerations
Part 12/14:
Despite claims of carbon neutrality, Neom’s construction process, including desalination and massive foundations, would generate significant carbon emissions—estimated at nearly 1.8 gigatons of CO2. Critics argue that these environmental costs may outweigh the supposed ecological benefits, especially considering the desert’s harsh conditions and Saudi Arabia’s track record.
The project’s environmental claims hinge heavily on future technological breakthroughs and renewable energy sources. Yet, current progress on renewable energy in Saudi Arabia remains modest, with only a tiny fraction of electricity coming from renewables. The construction of power plants and infrastructure could cost tens of billions of dollars, further complicating the financial picture.
Part 13/14:
A City of the Future or a Pipe Dream?
Historically, Saudi Arabia’s previous grand plans—such as King Abdullah Economic City and other desert developments—have fallen short of their targets. Many projects remain underpopulated or incomplete decades later, leading some to skeptically view Neom as more of a geopolitical and economic symbol than a fully realized city.
As Neom’s development slows and scales back, some question whether this utopian vision can actually materialize or whether it remains an elaborate showcase of technological ambition, driven more by rhetoric than practical feasibility.
Final Thoughts
Part 14/14:
While Neom embodies a bold vision for future urban living—fusing technology, sustainability, and innovation—it faces numerous hurdles. Economic constraints, technological maturity, environmental impact, and human rights issues pose significant challenges to its realization. Whether the project becomes a marvel of the 21st century or a cautionary tale remains to be seen, but it is undeniably one of the most ambitious endeavors ever conceived in modern urban planning.
Note: This article reflects the insights and concerns raised by recent reports and commentary. The future of Neom remains uncertain, and its final outcome will depend on a complex interplay of technology, politics, and economics.