NEOM, the new region taking shape in northwest Saudi Arabia, has announced the appointment of partners to deliver the core planning, design and engineering for the first phase of the Line, the ambitious linear city it plans to build in the desert.
Delugan Meissl Associate Architects (DMAA), Gensler and Mott MacDonald are collaborating with the Line’s design, development and project delivery teams to provide urban design, planning consultancy and infrastructure design for the first phase of the city.
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NEOM, with the support of this group, has established a sophisticated design ecosystem with advanced and rigorous methodologies to deliver on the Line’s urban objectives. This will then be followed by the planning and design of the neighbourhoods within phase one, which will be undertaken by a suite of architects starting early 2025.
‘As development and construction of the Line progresses, we have established a unique partnership that brings world-leading city design and engineering expertise to deliver Phase One, said Denis Hickey, the Line’s chief development officer. ‘Collaboration is at the core of this, with a city-wide best-practice group that will showcase how innovation can change the way we consider, design and build cities forever. This reflects NEOM’s vision and global ambition.’
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DMAA has been appointed as urban designer, leading the concept and detailed masterplan of Phase One. The Line’s urban design will challenge traditional planning conventions, which revolve around a vertically organised city. DMAA will later support NEOM in maintaining the design vision of Phase One, as neighbourhood architects are appointed. DMAA is working with a team of experts across a range of topics, such as microclimate and ecology, mobility and logistics and sustainability.
Global design firm Gensler has been appointed as city planning consultant for Phase One, an essential role given the unprecedented size, scale and complexity of the project. Gensler will lead on city design coordination and city planning, providing leadership and governance across the project on crucial areas, including planning policies and frameworks, land use and design compliance. Gensler is also appointed as city asset design architect for critical city infrastructure, including transport hubs and the public realm.
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Mott MacDonald joins the project as city infrastructure engineer. It will drive management and control of vertical and horizontal structures and city utility systems for Phase One. This role will focus on the efficiency and sustainability of the design for a functional, constructable and operable city.
The Line is being designed to tackle global urban challenges head-on and will establish a transformative and sustainable urban environment that co-exists in harmony with nature. It will be built without roads and cars, combining the vibrancy of city living with the peace and tranquillity of green spaces and access to nature.
Additional to building the necessary regional capital projects surrounding the Line, NEOM is currently focused on the initial phases of infrastructure and enabling works for the new city. With more than 120 foundation piles being cast into the ground each week at the Phase One site, the Line is on track to be the largest piling operation ever conceived.