Venice hosts the Saudi NEOM pavilion within a courtyard of an ancient palace overlooking one of the city's most significant landmarks: the Basilica della Salute. A large mirror, simulating a satellite view of the city named The Line, welcomes curious visitors eager to learn about this revolutionary Saudi Arabian project.
The route inside the pavilion guides visitors through each area composing the 170-kilometer-long city, from the harbor entrance to the zones designated for concerts and discos. Each section boasts distinct architecture and is characterized by green spaces, dining venues, and essential services. Models, renderings, and videos offer a sneak peek into life within this futuristic city under construction, reminiscent of cities of the future seen in movies.
What captures the viewer's attention are the natural elements meticulously integrated into the cityscape, engineered to be entirely artificial: trees and parks, cascading waterfalls from above, and floating gardens adorn the city's interior. Every segment of 'The Line' has been meticulously planned by numerous architects to ensure vital services are within the same block, no more than a five-minute walk away. Visitors traverse suspended glass bridges facilitating both horizontal and vertical movement.
The key element of both the company and the pavilion is sustainability. NEOM champions the concept that environmental sustainability, achieved through the reduction of carbon emissions and pollution, must be complemented by two other forms of sustainability to enhance the lives of citizens: social
sustainability, aimed at increasing the well-being and health of residents, and economic sustainability, achieved by fostering economic growth through reuse and recycling.
Nature's response to technologies
Through informative panels, renderings, and architectural plans, the architects show visitors how the city is built around the idea of bioscape, a project designed to harmonize with nature and its needs. Indeed, within The Line, nature prevails, thanks to studies in ecological sciences and new technologies focused on sustainability.
Nature permeates the city through a network of parks intricately woven into the urban landscape in all areas. These green spaces play a vital role in mitigating the urban heat island effect, providing clean air, and granting access to natural light, thereby enhancing the well-being of the residents. Each green area is strategically placed horizontally, with atria and green parks, and vertically, with hanging and rooftop gardens. Vegetation benefits from an in-depth study of plants, carefully arranged at each level and sector based on their proximity to the sea or mountains. The 'line' will stretch along the Saudi Arabian desert, connecting both the sea and mountainous regions.
In terms of ventilation, this is facilitated by a 500-meter-high façade of mirrors, which reduces the cooling demand, centralizes the air filtration system, and enables water production through the dehumidification of outdoor air, and more. The façade also incorporates new technologies, such as: a retractable roof, to control urban heat; solar panels; radiant cooling (based on the transmission of heat via electromagnetic waves); materials with thermal inertia (temperature varies according to external or internal conditions); and evaporative coolers, which cool the air through water evaporation.
The water is processed by a recycling system that produces no emissions and allows the reuse of the wastewater to power the waterfalls along the city's central street and nourish the plants. Additionally, a seawater desalination system has been implemented, capable of producing one million cubic meters of drinking water per day.
One of the city's many sectors will be dedicated to high-altitude food production: a circular hanging area designed for various crops and regenerative aquaculture, coupled with innovative food types that will enable personalized nutrition for the residents.
Other NEOM projects
Inside the pavilion, located in the Abbey of San Gregorio in Venice, visitors can explore other projects by the NEOM Company that revolve around sustainability and the development of exclusive new locations such as Oxagon, Trojena, and Sindalah.
Oxagon, an island in Saudi Arabia not far from where The Line will be built, is designed to be the industrial hub of conventional cities. Enclosed within an octagon and divided into offshore and mainland areas, Oxagon achieves a perfect balance between industry, ecology, and nature. The octagonal layout includes various areas such as the port and transport area, the research and development sector, residential spaces dedicated to Oxagon workers, manufacturing zones, a hydrogen and desalination plant, and the offshore industrial area. In contrast to the typical industrial areas we are accustomed to seeing, Oxagon places a strong emphasis on people. It prioritizes the speed at which entrepreneurs and innovators can develop their ideas directly within laboratories and bring them to market within the city. Consequently, the structure is deliberately circular to ensure that luxury, sustainability, and the acceleration of technological advancements permeate all sectors, from industrial activities to sales and housing. Oxagon pledges to exclusively host clean and sustainable industries, supporting them through an automated and emission-free supply and transport chain.
In contrast, Sindalah and Trojena are set to provide unparalleled luxury experiences. Sindalah, an island
in the Red Sea, has been designed as a haven for vacationers and relaxation seekers, featuring luxurious resorts, yacht clubs, areas dedicated to maritime sports, and exclusive restaurants and entertainment venues. Every service is strategically placed in specific areas across the island. The architectural designs of the buildings draw inspiration from The Line, incorporating abundant vegetation and suspended structures.
On the other hand, Trojena serves as a mountain retreat hosting six distinct thematic areas. Ranging from public parks to secluded spots nestled in the heart of nature, Trojena is open year-round. Each area is artificially curated, offering a blend of services, residential spaces, and entertainment facilities, all artificially controlled. Similar to other NEOM projects, the architecture of each section is carefully crafted, aiming to provide a wide array of services and activities for visitors.
Translated by Iuliana Cindrea
Mondo Internazionale APS – All rights reserved ® 2023
List of sources consulted for this article:
Image link: https://www.pexels.com/it-it/foto/fotografia-ad-angolo-basso-di-un-grattacielo-305833/
Visit to the NEOM Pavilion, San Gregorio Abbey, Venice.
https://www.neom.com/en-us/regions/trojena
https://www.neom.com/en-us/regions/sindalah
https://www.neom.com/en-us/regions/oxagon
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigeratore_evaporativo
https://rri.it/raffrescamento-a-pavimento-come-funziona-e-tutti-i-dettagli/
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L'Autore
Federica Luise
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sostenibilità energia rinnovabile biennale di Venezia NEOM Arabia Saudita città del futuro bioscape The Line città di lusso Oxagon Sindalah Trojena