As if the world couldn’t get any more dystopian, a bunch of world-leading architects have designed possibly the worst idea for a city that man could imagine.
Here’s the rundown: “The Line” is a 34-square-kilometer city that is 656 feet wide and roughly 1,640 feet above sea level, according to the NEOM Project’s official website. The bizarre development aims to accommodate 9 million people and will run on 100% renewable energy, the site notes. It’s apparently going to be built in Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince and Chairman of the NEOM Board of Directors, Mohammed bin Salman, stated in an announcement on The Line’s official site.
“For too long, humanity has existed within dysfunctional and polluted cities that ignore nature,” the advertisement begins, before graphics pop and change into the vision of “The Line.” The voiceover claims the project is part of “a revolution in civilization,” but all we’re presented with is what looks like a glorified prison camp that one will presumably have to pay to enter.
I’ll admit, living in an open-air prison camp has become expensive and dangerous: just look at California, for example. It’s ridden with crime and most residents will never be able to afford to live comfortably if things keep devolving.
But what’s worse? Fixing the cities we do have, or living in a square box of misery and monotony that seems more like dystopian sci-fi than something humans actually want? (RELATED: A Host Of Cartoonish Bond Villains Are Deciding Your Fate From The Swiss Alps)
“The Line” advertisement goes on to boast about preserving nature, as if humans are somehow not part of the natural world. At this, I rolled my eyes and put my head in my hands. How ignorant are the people creating this thing?
There’s a reason why so many people are fleeing major cities for bigger parcels of land. We as animals seek the outdoors. We seek fresh air. We want to live at one with nature, but our consumerism doesn’t allow for it right now. Putting ourselves into smaller boxes like those depicted in “The Line” will only make the mental health crisis worse. I hope to goodness we never have to test out this imagined city for real.