Saudi mega-city project begins with The Line, a 105-mile-long 'civilizational revolution'

July 27 (UPI) -- A futuristic Saudi walled city project called The Line is intended to provide an ideal climate year-round in vertically layered communities run entirely on renewable energy.

It will cost billions of dollars and will be a tall, narrow city 105 miles long, with an open interior enclosed by a mirrored façade, according to a statement from the Saudi government development project NEOM.

In a statement, NEOM calls The Line "a civilizational revolution that puts humans first, providing an unprecedented urban living experience while preserving the surrounding nature." It will have no roads or cars and cost hundreds of billions of dollars to build.

"At The Line's launch last year, we committed to a civilizational revolution that puts humans first based on a radical change in urban planning," Saudi Crown Prince Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a statement.

"The designs revealed today for the city's vertically layered communities will challenge the traditional flat, horizontal cities and create a model for nature preservation and enhanced human livability.

The Line will tackle the challenges facing humanity in urban life today and will shine a light on alternative ways to live."

The Line is being designed and created by NEOM, a development project of Saudi Vision 2030. The Line will be the first section.

NEOM is owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. Crown Prince bin Salman is the chairman of the board of NEOM.

"NEOM will be a place for all people from across the globe to make their mark on the world in creative and innovative ways," bin Salman said in the Saudi NEOM statement.

"NEOM remains one of the most important projects of Saudi Vision 2030, and our commitment to delivering The Line on behalf of the nation remains resolute."

The Line will be roughly 656 feet wide, 106 miles long and 1,640 feet above sea level. According to the Saudi government it eventually will accommodate 9 million residents.

"It's ideal climate all year round will ensure that residents can enjoy surrounding nature when traveling on foot," the Saudi NEOM statement said.

"Residents will have access to all facilities in The Line within a five-minute walk, in addition to high-speed rail with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes."

NEOM's statement said The Line is to be built by a team of "world-renowned architects and engineers" to develop "this revolutionary concept for the city of the future."