Common Projects
Common Projects”7 Ongoing Mega Projects Of Saudi Arabia”
Megaprojects are being undertaken by Saudi Arabia to transform it into a powerful economic force on the world stage. Saudi Arabia is developing its economy beyond oil, creating jobs, and strengthening its status as a significant trading and tourism destination through significant investments made as part of Saudi Arabia Vision 2030.
A comprehensive strategy called Saudi Vision 2030 seeks to wean Saudi Arabia off of its dependency on oil. It aims to strengthen public service areas like health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism as well as diversify the economy. The plan’s basic specifics were initially revealed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on April 25, 2016. The vision is based on three pillars: establishing the nation as the “heart” of the Arab and Islamic worlds; dominating global investment; and reshaping the country’s economic landscape.
1. The Line (Common Projects)
Location: Saudi Arabia, NEOM, Tabuk
Design Firm: Adjaye Associates, Morphosis, practise Fuksas, Coop Himmelb(l)au, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, Tom Wiscombe Architecture, Oyler Wu Collaborative, HOK, Peter Cook’s practise CHAP, Delugan Meissl Associated Architects, Studio Fuksas, UNStudio, and OMA were among the design firms represented.
The futuristic city of NEOM is expected to be completely rebuilt in the northwest of Saudi Arabia. With a surface area of 26,500 square kilometres, it seeks to be a centre for innovation, technology, and sustainable living. NEOM will concentrate on a number of industries, including biotechnology, tourism, entertainment, and energy.
The megaproject known as The Line is still up for discussion, with opponents concentrating on its effects on human rights and the environment.
The Saudi Vision 2030 intends to diversify and expand the Kingdom’s economy while guiding global growth, and NEOM is a key part of that plan. As part of NEOM’s continued growth, The Line, one of the biggest and most complicated infrastructure projects in the world, is scheduled to start construction in 2021.
The concept, a revolutionary form of urban development, spans 170 kilometers and consists of multiple connected neighborhoods with open areas and spaces for pedestrians. People and the environment are given priority, and sizable land tracts have been set aside for conservation.
The Line’s 34-square-kilometer area connects northwest Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea coast.
The Line, possibly Neom’s most talked-about neighborhood. This desert metropolis without any cars is only 200 meres wide and spans 170 kilometers’.
The Line, which is enclosed in a mirror-like exterior intended to reflect the immaculate surroundings, will eventually house 9 million people.
This city of the future, powered entirely by renewable energy and managed by artificial intelligence, will vertically layer residences, public parks, pedestrian zones, schools, retail establishments, and places of employment so that inhabitants can access all daily necessities within a five-minute walking radius.
With a maximum trip duration of 20 minutes, emission-free, high-speed transit vehicles would transport locals to other locations along The Line, such as sports stadiums, opera theatres and museums. (Common Projects)
This also applies to the enormous Port of Neom in Oxagon. The facility, which was formerly known as Duba Port, was built to handle the increasing amounts of cargo that arrive at Neom.
There is also an airport in Neom Bay. The transportation hub was established in June 2019 and offers flights to London, Dubai, and a number of Saudi Arabian destinations via both flydubai and Saadia, the main airline of the country. (Common Projects)
Other amenities already available in Neom include housing, catering, and sports facilities, all of which are intended to accommodate the city’s expanding population.
When will Neom open to visitors?
A large portion of the project is expected to be completed and open by 2030, according to ambitious timeframes set by Neom.
The first tourist destination to open at Neom is Sindalah Island. The island resort is scheduled to launch before the year is through. (Common Projects)
As Saudi Tourism’s head of corporate communications and public relations, Abdullah Aldakhil, told The National, “Sindalah will be the first physical showcase of Neom as our vision becomes a reality.”
“A unique island location, it will serve as a gated entrance to the magnificent Red Sea. At the end of 2023, Sindalah will debut with a 9-hole golf course, 469 hotel rooms, and a rewilding plan that will reintroduce oryx, ibex, sand gazelles, and mountain gazelles to the area.
Trojena, a mountain resort in Neom, will be finished in 2026, and the area has already been selected to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games.
While the port at Oxagon is already up and running, the city’s first residents shouldn’t move in until after 2025, when the first container terminal is planned to begin operations.
The Line will likewise be partially operational by 2025, with the first modules of the future metropolis being finished by 2030. However, the region won’t have its first sizable population until 2030, when up to a million people could call the smart city their home. (Common Projects)
2. Trojena
Location: Tabuk, NEOM, Saudi Arabia
Design Firm: BIG, Lava Architecture, Bureau Probert’s, Zaha Hadid Architects (and many more)
Trojena, a brand-new mountain tourism destination that will be a part of the NEOM mega-development, will be established in May 2022, according to Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince and Chairman of the NEOM Company Board of Directors.
The masterplan was made by the German design firm Lava Architecture. By 2026, the project is anticipated to be finished.
The brand-new year-round tourist spot will feature a ski village, opulent family and wellness resorts, as well as a variety of shops and eateries.
It will include sporting activities, concerts, and festivals of art, music, and culture. By 2030, Trojena hopes to draw 700,000 tourists and 7,000 long-term inhabitants who will dwell there and in nearby residential areas.
All building work will follow NEOM’s commitment to reduce environmental impact and maintain sustainability over the long term. By 2030, Trojena is anticipated to contribute SAR3 billion to the GDP of the monarchy and create over 10,000 employment.
50 kilometers from the Gulf of Aqaba’s coast, in the Centre of NEOM, is Trojena. Gateway, Discover, Valley, Explore, Relax, and Fun are its six districts. (Common Projects)
Trojena is a town in Saudi Arabia’s tallest mountain range, the Neom Mountains. This will be the first significant outdoor skiing destination in the GCC.
The world-famous mountain resort, which is divided into six distinct districts, will offer facilities for both professional and recreational skiers, with courses of varying degrees of difficulty sprinkled throughout its summits, some of which soar up to 2,600 meres above sea level.
The purpose-built community on the mountain where guests may discover stores, cafes, restaurants, and hotels will provide the apres ski experience.
Visitors will be welcomed by ultra-luxurious wellness resorts, upscale family-friendly lodging, a natural reserve, hiking and mountain biking paths, and water sports on a sizable man-made reservoir.
By developing a location based on ecotourism principles and showcasing our efforts to preserve environment and improve the quality of life in the community, which is in line with the objectives of the kingdom’s Vision 2030, Trojena will redefine mountain tourism for the rest of the globe. It also reaffirms our determination to contribute to the international effort to save the environment.
Trojena will be a significant boost to tourism in the area and a special illustration of how Saudi Arabia is developing tourist sites based on its diverse geography and ecosystem. Mohammed bin Salman said.
3. Sindalah
Location: Red Sea Coast, Saudi Arabia
Design Firm: Luca Dini Design and Architecture
A part of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision, which intends to diversify the economy and wean it off its dependency on oil, is Sindalah. The megacity’s first tourism site to launch will be Sindalah. Early 2024 will see the opening of the Sindalah island resort, the first of ten areas to be finished as part of the NEOM mega-development in northeastern Saudi Arabia.
This opulent island resort, which spans 840,000 square metrs on the picturesque Red Sea, will place a significant emphasis on protecting the area’s natural beauty through a vigorous rewilding programme.
It will have a number of posh hotels, a sizable yacht marina, a beach club, a spa Centre, and upmarket retail establishments.
Kayaking, kiteboarding, and water skiing are among the activities that visitors to Sindalalah can partake in to make the most of their visit. Additionally, there will be fantastic chances for scuba diving.
The 86-berth marina and yacht club, created by Luca Dini Design and Architecture, a firm best renowned for designing superyachts, will be the centerpiece of the resort.
According to Bin Salman, “Sindalah will be NEOM’s first luxury island and yacht club destination in the Red Sea, providing a scenic gateway to the Red Sea that will become the region’s most exciting and attractive tourism location,” further adding that “It will be a destination where travelers can experience the true beauty of Neom and Saudi Arabia, above and below the water, making Sindalah the future of luxury travel.” (Common Projects)
When fully developed, Neom will have ten distinct districts. Only four of these have been formally announced thus far.
The megacity’s first tourism attraction to debut will be Sindalah. This opulent island resort, which spans 840,000 square metres on the picturesque Red Sea, will put a heavy emphasis on protecting the area’s natural beauty, the majority of which is undeveloped.
It will have a number of affluent hotels, a sizable yacht marina, a beach club, a wellness centre, and upscale retail establishments.
Kayaking, kiteboarding, and water skiing are just a few of the activities available to visitors to Sindalalah to help them get the most out of the island getaway. There will also be fantastic prospects for scuba diving.
4. OXAGON
Location: Read Sea, Northwest of Saudi Arabia
Design Firm: BIG (masterplan)
It is claimed that OXAGON, a floating city, is the “world’s largest floating structure.” It will be constructed in NEOM’s southwest section, which Saudi Arabian officials believe will be 33 times larger than New York City. OXAGON’s lower half will float in the Red Sea, which is 500 meter’s deep on average.
“OXAGON will serve as a catalyst for diversity and economic growth in NEOM and the Kingdom, helping us to further achieve our goals under Vision 2030. In the future, OXAGON will help redefine how the world approaches industrial development, safeguarding the environment and fostering economic prosperity for NEOM.
It will enable the development of a new hub for international trade flows and advance regional trade and business in Saudi Arabia. The fact that business and development have gotten off the ground makes me happy, and we anticipate the city’s quick growth. Mohammed bin Salman said.
The same philosophy and principles as THE LINE (announced in January 2021) will be complemented by OXAGON, which will provide extraordinary livability in conjunction with nature.
Additionally, OXAGON will create the first completely integrated port and supply chain ecosystem for NEOM. In order to achieve net-zero carbon emissions and world-class productivity, the port, logistics, and rail delivery facilities will be combined. This will also set new benchmarks for the adoption of technology and environmental sustainability. (Common Projects)
The serious side of Neom is Oxagon. This huge metropolitan city, which is home to the largest floating industrial complex in the world, is situated adjacent to the Suez Canal in the southwest corner of the destination on the Red Sea, making it a great location for trade.
With an anticipated population of over 90,000 people, Oxagon will be one of the most technologically advanced cities in the world, centered around an integrated port and logistics hub.
The largest cruise terminal in the Red Sea will be located in Oxagon, which will be easily reachable and powered by 100% sustainable energy. Oxagon will also have a high speed rail link to The Line and to Neom airport.
And life at Oxagon won’t be all work and no pleasure; there are plans for natural areas, parks, and beaches. Nature and leisure will play a significant role in daily life there.
5. Amala
Location: Read Sea, Northwest of Saudi Arabia
In northwest Saudi Arabia, near the Red Sea, AMAALA is being built as a super-luxury tourist destination. More than 4,000 square km. The initial stage of development, which will consist of eight separate resorts and more than 1,300 hotel rooms, is expected to be finished by the middle of 2024.
It will include about 3,000 hotel rooms split over 25 hotels when it is finished in 2027, as well as about 900 opulent villas, apartments, and estate residences.
Amaala, which is located about 800 kilometer’s north of Jeddah, will have three resorts along its 12 km of coastline.
Two of the buildings are being designed by HKS. The “first fully immersive experiential marine life centre in the world” is being built in the Amaala by the British company Foster + Partners. The resort’s airport is also being designed by Foster + Partners.
Bedouin tribes, who have a strong reverence for the ancestors’ lands and waters that have nourished them for millennia, are the source of inspiration for AMAALA. In order to reduce any environmental damage, AMAALA will only accept 500,000 visitors annually.
6. The Red Sea Project
Location: Read Sea, Northwest of Saudi Arabia
Design Firm: Kengo Kuma and Associates and Foster + Partners
The Red Sea Project, a tourism development with its own dedicated airport on an archipelago of Saudi Arabian islands, is being designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates and Foster + Partners. Between Umluj and Al Wajh on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea Project will be constructed on 90 uninhabited islands.
This tourism initiative, which is situated along the Red Sea coast, intends to create an opulent vacation spot with beautiful beaches, coral reefs, and a varied marine life. There will be resorts, houses, leisure grounds, and an airport there.(Common Projects)
Foster + Partners will build an airport to serve the development and multiple hotels, and Kengo Kuma and Associates will create 100 vacation villas.(Common Projects)
The plan, according to the Red Sea plan Company, is “grounded in sustainability and sustainable tourism,” and both architectural teams have worked to reduce the impact of the structures being developed.
The head of the Foster + Partners studio, Gerard Evenden, stated that “our proposals are respectful of the extreme environmental sensitivity of the region, taking a ‘light-touch’ approach that will have the least detrimental impact on the wonderful biodiversity of the islands.”
By 2022, two inland locations and five of the archipelago’s islands will have been developed as part of the Red Sea Project. Twenty-two islands and six inland areas will have been built by the time the project is completed in 2030. (Common Projects)
7. Diriyah Gate
Location: At Turaif, Saudi Arabia
Design Firm: Atkins Middle East – Planning, Landscape, and Urban Design Team
At Turaif, the historic capital of the contemporary Saudi Kingdom and a UNESCO World Heritage site, served as the inspiration for the Diriyah Gate master plan. The project seeks to develop a one-of-a-kind neighborhood that maintains heritage, imitates traditional urban form, and enhances the natural environment for controlled use. It draws influence from its surroundings.
UNESCO built the master plan layout taking needs like development proximity and view cones into account. The site has included a chosen list of 100 stories about Diriyah in a variety of ways, including physical assets, events, performances, sculptures, navigation, trails, and place names as experience creators.
An arena, opera house, convention canter, museum of contemporary art, grand mosque, and innovation cluster were among the important buildings that helped the eastern area develop. (Common Projects)