The Line skyscraper is part of Saudi Arabia’s Neom project. The country aims to build a smart city that stretches up to 170 kilometers.
Impact on Biodiversity
In 2016, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia announced the Vision 2030 program, aiming to transform the kingdom into a new economic development model.
The highlight of this program is the Neom project, which is divided into four areas: Sindalah, Trojena, Oxagon, and The Line.
The Line is an ecological city, primarily structured as a skyscraper with impressive dimensions: 170 kilometers long, 200 meters wide, and 500 meters high. Therefore, this unique city can accommodate a population of 9 million people.
The Line skyscraper features a mirror-like structure, standing at 500 meters tall and stretching 170 kilometers, which may pose a threat to migratory birds (Photo: SP).
Saudi Arabia communicates that The Line aims to be a future city focused on self-sufficiency with agricultural facilities and high-speed transportation, utilizing 100% renewable energy.
However, this project has raised concerns following the building’s operational status. It is expected to negatively impact biodiversity, resulting in the death of a significant number of bird species due to its mirrored design.
This assertion comes from the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal, which explained in a May 7 article that it had access to internal project documents and was aware of this information.
Potential Changes to the Project
Project planners for Neom are reportedly expressing concerns regarding the location of The Line structure. In fact, its construction site lies on a migratory route for billions of birds.
In other words, the building, resembling a 500-meter-high mirror, is certainly not beneficial for these animal species.
However, The Line’s development director, Denis Hickey, has expressed in a video that the project presents an opportunity to create a better interactive model between the city and the landscape, nature, and the environment.
The future city of The Line is estimated to cost $500 billion, and those involved in this project will make the final decisions, primarily regarding the design of the building’s mirrored façade.
Currently, it is uncertain whether the architecture of this structure will be modified, as construction has already begun.
However, some media reports suggest that Saudi Arabia may shorten the length of The Line from 170 kilometers to 2.4 kilometers, with 300,000 residents expected to live in this city by 2030.
