Inside Saudi Arabia’s futuristic luxury travel destination, Neom: 33 times bigger than NYC, Crown Prince MBS’ multibillion-dollar project has a ski resort in the desert and a zero-gravity skyscraper
These massive structures will be surrounded by giant fake moons, animatronic dinosaurs, robots and tropical rainforests, making Neom city larger than Kuwait. It may reportedly take Neom another 50 years to be completed – decades that will surely advent a new way of life. But the magic will also be witnessed as early as 2024, with Sindalah opening its gates to visitors.
Here’s everything you need to know about the four regions that make up Neom …
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1. Sindalah
What: Sindalah marks the marriage of idyllic island life with New-Age luxury
When will it be completed: 2024
What makes it unique: Italian superyacht and architecture studio Luca Dini Design and Architecture designed the 840,000-square-metre island to be an exceptional resort and a yacht club destination.
2. Trojena
What: A futuristic ski resort in the desert
When will it be completed: 2026
What makes it unique: Year-round outdoor skiing and adventure sports smack in the middle of a desert? Yes, it’ll soon be possible. The almost-60-square-kilometre skiing and outdoor activity resort Trojena will include six distinctive development districts based on visitors’ moods and choice of activity.
The opulent resort will allow adrenaline junkies to indulge in a range of activities in the ski village, featuring a ski slope, mountain biking and watersports. Those with no penchant for sports can spend time at the Vault, a vertical village dotted with restaurants and retail stores. It is believed that attractive chalets, villas and ultra-luxury hotels will house up to 9 million residents by 2045.
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3. Oxagon
What: The eight-sided floating city on the Red Sea
When will it be completed: 2030
What makes it unique: This octagon-shaped construction will reportedly be the world’s first fully automated port and integrated logistics hub. This net-zero city aims to modernise the conservative kingdom under the nation’s Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to diversify its economy by minimising dependence on oil. The industrial port hub with a cruise terminal and oceanographic research centre will use robots and AI for operations. The Oxagon will operate on 100 per cent clean energy and aims to introduce housing for 90,000 residents by 2030.
“Through Oxagon, there will be a fundamental shift in how the world views manufacturing centres. What encourages us is to see the enthusiasm of a number of our partners who have shown eagerness to start their projects in Oxagon,” said Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of Neomm, in an official announcement. “These pioneers of change will establish factories developed with the latest technologies using artificial intelligence to achieve a significant leap for this era into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.” He continued, “As with The Line, Oxagon will be a comprehensive cognitive city that provides exceptional livability for its residents.”
4. The Line
What: A 170-kilometre-long mirrored megacity
When will it be completed: Around 2030
What makes it unique: The cynosure of Neom City and its most talked-about aspect is The Line, which would be a groundscraper unlike any other on the planet, standing 1,640 feet high and stretching horizontally for miles. A number of architectural firms are working on the out-of-the-box idea, including California-based Morphosis.
The Line will be home to a whopping nine million people living together in a car-free place powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. It is genuinely the stuff of dreams; if realised, The Line will unveil an entirely alien yet amazing way of life. The urban dwelling will incorporate public parks, pedestrian areas, schools and workplaces, all accessible within five minutes. The high-speed rail with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes will make all daily needs reachable.
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has grand plans for a luxury travel destination set to be 33 times the size of New York City when completed
- Sindalah Island – opening in 2024 – could be more extensive than Disneyland, while the octagon-shaped city Oxagon could be the world’s largest floating structure