Saudi Arabia has announced plans to construct a mind-bending ‘upside down skyscraper’ as part of its rapid development of NEOM – a burgeoning construction site that the Kingdom aims to turn into a next-generation megacity on the Red Sea.
The new site, dubbed ‘Aquellum’ and billed as a ‘luxury and experiential space offering guests a taste of futuristic living’, looks like something out of a sci-fi video game and sparks both interest and skepticism upon first viewing.
Digital mockups of the planned development, set to be embedded within a 1,500ft-high mountain range along the Gulf of Aqaba coastline in northwestern Saudi Arabia, show a 330ft-high megastructure bustling with amenities, not to mention stunning views.
Its proposed concealed location means visitors will have to access the proposed development on a specially designed vessel via an underground canal.
Upon arrival, visitors would emerge into a cavernous space built within the mountain, surrounded by all manner of facilities, including decadent hotels and apartments, retail spaces, and ‘leisure and entertainment zones’.
Saudi Arabia has announced plans to construct a mind-bending ‘upside down skyscraper’ on the Red Sea
Upon arrival, visitors would emerge into a cavernous space built within the mountain, surrounded by all manner of facilities
Its proposed concealed location means visitors will have to access the proposed development on a specially-designed vessel via an underground canal
The new site, dubbed ‘Aquellum’ and billed as a ‘luxury and experiential space offering guests a taste of futuristic living’, sparks both interest and skepticism upon first viewing
These megacities will provide tens of thousands of jobs and boost Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry, with its developers hoping the futuristic, high-tech projects will attract billions in foreign investment
The upper floors of the construction will be replete with lush gardens and viewing platforms from which visitors can enjoy the breathtaking landscapes.
But Aquellum is not just designed to be a luxury fantasy playground reserved only for the richest among us.
It will also play host to ‘The Generator’, a dedicated space comprised of various laboratories where scientists will flock to design cutting-edge technology.
The proposal of Aquellum follows NEOM’s recent announcements of Leyja, Epicon, Siranna, Utamo, and Norlana, all touted as sustainable tourism destinations in the Gulf of Aqaba.
All the developments fall under plans drawn up by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Kingdom’s best and brightest to diversify the Gulf state’s oil-dependent economy.
These megacities will provide tens of thousands of jobs and boost Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry, with its developers hoping the futuristic, high-tech projects will attract billions in foreign investment.
They are also planned to be sustainable cities, soaking up population growth from Riyadh and Jeddah while remaining carbon neutral.
Aquellum will be part of a next-generation megacity on the Red Sea
Concept art of the planned development shows otherworldly scenes
NEOM’s upside down subterranean development is undoubtedly ambitious
The upper floors of the construction will be replete with lush gardens and viewing platforms from which visitors can enjoy the breathtaking landscapes
NEOM’s upside down subterranean development is undoubtedly ambitious – but perhaps an even more audacious undertaking of engineering comes in the form of another NEOM megastructure named ‘The Line.’
This mammoth construction will see two parallel skyscrapers measuring 1,500ft high and stretching for 100 miles through northwestern Saudi Arabia built parallel to each other, effectively creating an elongated city within mirrored walls.
Concept art for the proposed structure is truly otherworldly, displaying a vast glass and metallic construction sprawling across the desert to the shores of the Red Sea.
The Kingdom says The Line, which will cost $1trillion to build, will be an ‘unprecedented living experience’ that preserves ‘surrounding nature’.
However, conservationists have sounded the alarm over the vast project, saying it will be a deadly barrier for birds migrating between Europe and Africa each year.
The mirrored facades, city orientation, and proposed wind turbines in The Line all pose dangerous for the dozens of migratory animals navigating the region, while a study led by Professor William Sutherland of Cambridge University identifies The Line as one of the 15 most pressing conservation issues in 2024.
The Line, a mega-project launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will be part of the vast desert complex of NEOM
Concept art of The Line shows it as a futuristic long mirrored construction, which Saudi Arabia says will run for 100 miles in the northwest of the kingdom
The Mirror Line will consist of two gigantic buildings that run parallel to each other acrossthe desert
A handout picture provided by Saudi’s NEOM on July 26, 2022 shows the design plan for the 500-metre tall parallel structures, known collectively as The Line
‘Birds flying into tall windows is a serious problem, and this is a building that is 500m high going across Saudi Arabia, with windmills on top,’ Professor William Sutherland, director of research in Cambridge University’s zoology department, told The Times.
‘It’s also kind of like a mirror so you don’t really see it,’ Sutherland, who led the study, added. ‘So unless they do something about it, there’s a serious risk that there could be lots of damage to migratory birds.’
Nightingales, wheatears, larks, sandgrouse and turtle doves are all species of bird that use the migratory route which could be affected.
Other species known to travel that way include the Egyptian vulture and saker falcon, both of which are endangered globally, The Times reports.
A spokesperson for NEOM told The Times that studies are ‘under way with international partners to understand animal and bird migration patterns and to assess how these can be mitigated,’ the British newspaper said.
They added that measures being considered include how the linear city can incorporate animal crossing points, such as tunnels, to allow them to pass through.
NEOM was first announced in 2017, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman delivering a presentation on The Line in July 2022.
It has consistently raised eyebrows for proposed flourishes like flying taxis and robot maids, even as architects and economists have questioned its feasibility.
At just 200 yards wide, The Line is intended to be Saudi Arabia’s answer to unchecked and wasteful urban sprawl, layering homes, schools and parks on top of each other in what planners term ‘Zero Gravity Urbanism’.
Promotional material says residents will have ‘all daily needs’ reachable within a five-minute walk, while also having access to other perks like outdoor skiing facilities and ‘a high-speed rail with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes.’
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