NEOM, Saudi Arabia – November 11, 2024: NEOM today announced the appointment of three leading global partners to oversee the master planning, design, and engineering for the first phase of “The Line.”
The architectural firm Delugan Meissl Associated Architects, alongside Gensler and Mott MacDonald, will collaborate closely with NEOM’s design, development, and project delivery teams. These firms will provide consultation on urban planning, design execution, and infrastructure development for the initial phase of this groundbreaking city.
The partners will leverage their extensive global expertise to bring the intricate details of “The Line” to life, contributing to one of the world’s most ambitious and complex engineering projects. Together, the architects and design teams within this partnership are set to foster a dynamic design environment, implementing advanced methodologies to achieve NEOM’s urban development goals. Planning and neighborhood design work is expected to commence in early 2025.
Dennis Hickey, Chief Development Officer of “The Line,” stated, “As we advance the construction and development of The Line, we’ve established partnerships with world-renowned experts in urban design and engineering to deliver the city’s first phase in alignment with NEOM’s ambitious vision. Through these collaborations, we will demonstrate how innovation can redefine city planning and construction in unprecedented ways.”
Delugan Meissl Associated Architects will serve as the urban designer for the project, overseeing the master plan’s layout for Phase One and introducing entirely new concepts in city planning through vertical design. The firm will also support NEOM’s vision by appointing architects for upcoming neighborhood designs. Their work will be supported by experts in local climate, ecology, mobility solutions, logistics, and sustainability.
Gensler, a global design firm, will lead the city’s urban and architectural design, a critical role given the project’s scale and unprecedented complexity. Gensler will provide oversight, governance, and guidance on essential aspects, from regulatory planning and land use policies to design standards, along with designing the core infrastructure assets such as transport hubs and public facilities.
Mott MacDonald, serving as the project’s infrastructure engineering consultant, will manage the planning, coordination, and oversight of essential utility systems for both vertical and horizontal facilities in Phase One. The firm is committed to ensuring the effective, sustainable construction, functionality, and operational readiness of all facilities within “The Line.”
Current development efforts on “The Line” are focused on early foundational works and infrastructure. Over 120 foundation bases are poured each week, marking it as the largest foundational pour operation of its kind globally.
“The Line” has been designed to address the challenges of urban life worldwide, offering a sustainable environment that harmonizes with the surrounding nature. Free of streets and cars, the city will blend the vibrancy of urban life with the tranquility of green spaces and seamless access to nature.
