Atkins has been appointed as a Delivery Partner organisation for THE LINE at NEOM in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The release states a civilizational revolution that will have no roads, cars or carbon emissions, THE LINE is set to provide an unprecedented urban living experience.
A linear development, THE LINE, once completed, will be 170 kilometers long and only 200 meters wide cognitive city run on 100% clean energy.
The project hopes to eventually accommodate nine million residents and will be built on a land area of 34 square kilometers
THE LINE will be surrounded by large world-class protected areas as 95% of the surrounding NEOM region will be protected for conservation. This was part of the initial plan to build around natural areas rather than over them
Atkins has been awarded a five-year contract under a framework agreement for consultancy services on THE LINE. In collaboration with NEOM and other Delivery Partner organizations, Atkins will provide project and construction management consultancy services for the design, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning of the project, together with the management of the critical interfaces that the linear city shares with adjacent NEOM projects and logistics, states the release.
The project has adopted a highly collaborative delivery model in response to its scale, complexity, supply chain and requirements for innovation.
“THE LINE is a truly ground-breaking, world first project and we are proud to have the opportunity to bring our global engineering, digital and net zero expertise to help create a lasting legacy for the Kingdom and its people,” said Philip Hoare, President, Atkins. “As a Delivery Partner organization, we will work closely with NEOM and our partners to seamlessly connect people, data and technology to drive innovation, value, efficiency and certainty on the project. Our combined intent is to radically transform the way major infrastructure projects are delivered and THE LINE, with its vision and complexity, provides a great opportunity to demonstrate what our industry can achieve.”
The LINE offers a unique approach to urban design. The design is a new concept referred to as ‘Zero Gravity Urbanism’. The concept layers city functions vertically while giving people the possibility of moving seamlessly in three dimensions (up, down or across) to access them.
The company states that the development’s infrastructure will be embedded with sustainable smart technology containing essential utilities and transportation services, generating car-free communities and public realms.
“With over 50 years’ presence in the Middle East, Atkins has played a key role in supporting the region’s transformation by delivering some of its most iconic and complex projects,” said Campbell Gray, Chief Executive Officer, Middle East & Africa, Atkins. “Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s most dynamic growth markets and we are committed to supporting the country’s ambitions through our global engineering expertise, our in-depth local knowledge, and our investment in the Kingdom’s future talent. As a Delivery Partner organization, we will work closely with NEOM to drive value and efficiency by adopting innovative technologies and world-class sustainability standards.”
Press release and picture: SNC Lavalin
