Once laughed at by critics across the world, Saudi Crown Prince MBS’s futuristic city, ‘The Line,’ is now closer to reality with the appointment of renowned architects and engineers to complete Phase 1 of the 170-km-long dual skyscrapers.

With the opening of his first megaproject, Sindalah, in Northwest Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince MBS is shifting focus to The Line, the most ambitious and demanding element of his $1.5 trillion Neom City vision. Despite persistent criticism and skepticism from detractors, the Crown Prince has turned words into action, making significant strides in his audacious plans. In the latest development, MBS has enlisted Austrian studio Delugan Meissl Associated Architects (DMAA) and global design firm Gensler to lead phase one of The Line megacity, a groundbreaking horizontal marvel originally envisioned as two 170-kilometer-long towers.


However, the project has since been reimagined and scaled down for the initial phase, with phase one focusing on a 2.4-kilometer (approximately 1.5 miles) stretch. DMAA will oversee urban planning, while Gensler will act as the city planning consultant. Additionally, UK-based Mott MacDonald has been appointed as the city infrastructure engineer. This powerhouse team of global experts is transforming what was once dismissed as MBS’s pipe dream into a futuristic linear smart city built on principles of sustainability, mobility, logistics, ecology, and adaptability.

Gensler faces a monumental challenge, given the project’s unprecedented scale and complexity. As The Line is unlike any traditional city, eschewing roads and cars in favor of a seamless linear design, Gensler plays a pivotal role in creating frameworks for land use, compliance, infrastructure, and transport hubs. “The Line is a pioneering, visionary project that redefines city planning,” said DMAA founder Roman Delugan. “We’re prioritizing sustainability and adaptability. Its the first time in urban development history that a city is being built using a parametric model. This method allows rapid adjustments to people’s needs, something essential for a sustainable future.”