The Line: Utopia or Dystopia?

The Line is a revolutionary project that aims to create a futuristic city in the Saudi Arabian deserts, focusing on sustainability and advanced technology. The city will be built in a straight line stretching about 170 kilometers across and will be home to over a million people.

The Line will be a zero-carbon producing city, relying only on renewable energy such as solar and nuclear power. The city will use technology to reduce energy consumption and waste, with buildings and houses designed to be extremely energy-efficient as well as efficient transportation systems. The city will also recycle water, aiming to reduce water consumption and waste. The Line will be somewhat of a “smart city” using artificial intelligence to manage, public services, traffic, and the surroundings to enhance the quality of life of the residents, as well as personalized healthcare. It will also promote a healthy lifestyle. The city will have plenty of green walking spaces, with bike-friendly streets, and buildings designed to encourage social interaction, like public spaces and community centers.

The Line is a part of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 plan, which aims to expand and diversify the country’s economy and reduce dependency on oil, which there is a lot of in the Middle East. It is expected to create over 400,000 jobs and generate $48 billion in GDP by 2030. The construction of The Line began in 2021, with the first phase of the city scheduled to be completed by 2025, and is expected to be completed in 2030.

Although, some people don’t see this as a positive. Many people see this as a dystopian nightmare. While the infrastructure and idea of this city are revolutionary, many worry about the livelihood of the residents of this futuristic city.

Even with all these concerns, The Line is a project that is worth keeping an eye on, as it has the potential to change the way we think of cities and sustainability.