Atkins, one of the world’s leading design, engineering and project management consultancies and a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, has been appointed as a delivery partner organization for The Line, a mega project within Saudi Arabia’s futuristic city Neom.
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 km long and only 200 m wide cognitive city run on 100% clean energy. It will eventually accommodate nine million residents and will be built on a land area of 34 sq km – a footprint unheard of compared to other cities of similar capacity.
Designed around nature rather than over it,The Line will be surrounded by large world-class protected areas as 95% of the surrounding Neom region will be protected for conservation.
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.
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, the President of 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,” explained Hoare.
The Line offers a new approach to urban design. The idea of layering city functions vertically while giving people the possibility of moving seamlessly in three dimensions (up, down or across) to access them is a concept referred to as ‘Zero Gravity Urbanism.’
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,” explained Campbell Gray, the CEO for Middle East & Africa.
“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,” he added.