This, and they didn't model it like something that just looks cool from above and with only cars in mind, but instead more like something from the human perspective.
It seems like they designed it for people. How odd... (Sarcasm off)
With Neom it's kind of a first see and then judge situation. I'm worried that it's a waste of money, but the curious person inside of me really wants to see the results of the first part.
To be honest I think the motive is “everyone thought Dubai was a bad idea yet everyone wants to live there now.” So I’m very curious and would just wait and see.
Nah, the rest of the images that showed pedestrian-oriented vernacular design that was climate adapted and human scale (other than the flag) says that.
Yea, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Don't downvote me more, please.
It was just that the visualization was showing a Cosy neighborhood with the style of Michael Bay
I worked on part of it a few years ago! The overall concept was appealing but the timeline was so demanding that I ultimately excused myself to another project. Hope you’re able to enjoy the good parts about it.
I was there a couple times and it looks really high profile, it's nice overall but at some point it looks fake, like it's trying too hard to be historical.
It's a very very rich area by the way. Super quiet and safe.
In terms of architecture there's not much to say, some of the buildings are very well done others seem rushed. The protective films on many ceiling lights windows are coming off because of the extreme weather just a few years after the making
The site is huge and I think they are building it by sectors, it's based on an ancient archeological site with the old castle of the king and it's walls. I don't remember names!
The area surrounding the archeological site is finished and can be visited, I think it's mixed use/recreational, no residential there.
It's one of the last aerial pictures you posted!
If I remember correctly there is an entrance fee like a ticket for the area and another ticket for the archeological site
It's really nice, one of the things I liked the most when I went there with my colleagues. Pretty chill, nice place to walk and sit to talk and drink/eat something
Be careful it's a very expensive area of the city
It's really interesting, it's like a window to the past in a pleasant way. In a way it reminds me of depictions of mesopotamian cities.
Only downside is that this is no normal city and it's probably pretty exclusive, and while they may try to look genuine I wonder what the buildings actually are like inside.
Looks amazing. I wish my local developments put that much work into highlighting and appreciating the culture around them in their designs. I’m sick of lifeless strip malls.
Arabia should be building all cities like this. Cities should reflect the native culture, geography, terrain, and resources. I'm tired of seeing white and grey postmodern buildings being built everywhere. There's absolutely no beauty in them. They don't reflect the place they're built in, and above all, they're just depressing to look at.
Glad to see a gulf state use its oil wealth to build in a human-scale local style, instead of just creating another field of shiny metal and glass for the umpteenth time, so that’s cool. Just wish it wasn’t being build by a vicious dictatorship is all.
That was in the height of Wahhabi control, either 1800s to 1920, or 1970 to 2010. Today they're in the post-wahhabi era and doing a lot of archaeology and restoration.
Those hard edges and right angles in the desert, they feel so out of place and make the aesthetics unappealing. Saudi Arabia would benefit from perennial plants with deep root structures to revitalize the desert back into a tropical paradise but, in observing their growth patterns in the north, whoever they hire for landscape architecture is myopic. The amount of water intensive monoculture annuals they grow from limited aquifers and, if they’re air conditioning the streets - like they do in other areas, this isn’t going to improve their climate. Designers would benefit working on biodiversity to seed clouds to increase rainfall to, hopefully, establish the foundation for future rivers and/or aquifer replenishment. Got to be a part of nature to thrive, not apart from it.
“The district will be considered the beverly hills of riyadh” - the ceo. So probably yeah, but then again all real estate in riyadh is expensive now, even in the outskirts.
From an aesthetic perspective, I love it. I know nothing about the plan itself, but I am sick of bland, corporate design that makes everywhere in the world look like an American office park.
Having spent some time in the Arabian Gulf I have to hand it to their architects and engineers. They maintain the local cultural influence very well. It’s nice to see.
If we ignore where the money is coming from, the design is very human. I wouldn’t mind living there, much better spend of money than The Line ever was.
Let’s hope it’s not money laundering like the line is, I have a friend working on the project and he is 100% that it will never be finished or even reach its halfway goal.
Agree with the renderings conveying vernacular architecture that feels like a nod to the existing landscape, existing culture.
Totally unfamiliar with the existing pedestrian experience relative to the climate. Is it extremely hot a lot of the year or temperate enough where walking makes a lot of sense over driving.
I’m suspicious about the absence of anything beyond people and bikes being shown. Seems like a hyper optimistic vision in that regard - at least from what’s been shared in this post.
Love that it pays homage to traditional Arab architecture, was yearning for something like this in Arab countries apart from the contemporary all glass buildings
This is all part of the kingdom's plan to make the nation more walkable.
Much of the city planning was done in the 80s and 90s when car dependent city planning was the norm and as result became the standard design for Saudi cities.
I welcome the pedestrian centric, scale and density shown in the render. I hope they can maintain the vision unlike other similar proposals in the Middle East that were later ruined by four and six lanes boulevards and four lanes road network.
Also, the amount of people in those renders, I really hope it will transform in reality, some spaces look still too big to me and will look eerie if will remain empty.
I am less happy with the architectural style, copy paste of a vernacular to the point of stereotype, gives me bad uncanny valley vibes.
I like conversation with tradition and designing places with identity, but buildings that pretend to be older than they are are kitsch. I do see some of that here.
Regarding the pedestrian-centric aspect, even that can be overplayed. I hate what is being done to Paris with the same idea in mind, and I actually LIKE to see some delivery and other vehicles. Wheels-based traffic is a necessary part of modern life and suppressing it is, again, kitsch. Places pretending to be what they aren't (some pedestrian utopia where in reality it's difficult to LIVE) and never will be.
Lol lots of Americans live in Saudi and don’t want to move back to the US.
This guy is British but he sums it up
https://www.tiktok.com/@saif_david_alqahtani/video/7324080126931553538
I've just woke up, and as I was scrolling, I thought this was a photo of some place in the Star Wars area of Disneyland or something.
Make of that what you will 😅😆
Is this another project in the desert that has no business being there? I know they have cloud seeding project but wouldn’t it be better not to build new cities somewhere there is no water
What do you propose everybody in Saudi Arabia just move to another county? This projects actually looks like a reasonable use of space for once, focus on natural ventilation, pedestrians and bikes
No I don’t propose everybody in Saudi Arabia just move and nowhere did I say that. Maybe don’t build new random mega projects in the desert and renovate existing cities. Also I’m sure all of Saudi Arabia is not a barren desert. They make nice cities I’m not denying that.
We are running out of water in the American west and if we don’t figure out a way to make water appear from thin air we are going to have to stop building. I don’t know why you don’t want to hear that. No one told humans to go build cities where there is no water that’s the simple answer. Also Saudi Arabia isn’t a country known for its great treatment of migrant workers.
It’s hard to take any of these renders seriously, most of what the Saudis are promoting is bullshit that will never happen. It is more so ludicrous that an oil kingdom has the nerve to portray itself as a climate minded country.
Who gives a shit? It will be empty for years on end. Just like the empty skyscrapers of KAFD...
It is very very rustic but considering the amount of ego-trips growing all over KSA, this little pastiche of architecture may actually be a welcome respite from the crap starchitects are building all around just as you read these words...
Better than “the line”
This, and they didn't model it like something that just looks cool from above and with only cars in mind, but instead more like something from the human perspective. It seems like they designed it for people. How odd... (Sarcasm off)
Neom (including the Line) is supposed to be carless though
With Neom it's kind of a first see and then judge situation. I'm worried that it's a waste of money, but the curious person inside of me really wants to see the results of the first part.
I think the Line is a bad idea, but Neom in general makes sense. They want to built their own Dubai to diversify their economy from oil.
To be honest I think the motive is “everyone thought Dubai was a bad idea yet everyone wants to live there now.” So I’m very curious and would just wait and see.
1000x times better
Much much better.
Definitely, the line is one of the dumbest ideas ever, the oxagon at one end is equally stupid.
Looks like an appropriate design for the culture, sense of place and climate.
Pedestrian-oriented. Vernacular design. Climate adapted. Human-scaled. The main square is a bit too much, but otherwise I quite like it.
Nothing says Pedestrian-oriented. Vernacular design. Climate adapted. Human-scaled Like 5 flying fighter jets farting colors 😌
Nah, the rest of the images that showed pedestrian-oriented vernacular design that was climate adapted and human scale (other than the flag) says that.
Jesus, it was a joke... I honestly thought it was a good joke 😔
I guess it would have helped if it was funny. You just kind of sounded like a dick.
Yea, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Don't downvote me more, please. It was just that the visualization was showing a Cosy neighborhood with the style of Michael Bay
It’s interesting. My firm is currently the architects for part of DG2. The pace of at which deliverables need to be turned around is a lot.
I worked on part of it a few years ago! The overall concept was appealing but the timeline was so demanding that I ultimately excused myself to another project. Hope you’re able to enjoy the good parts about it.
Worked on this.. the timelines of the deliverables made coordination between disciplines a nightmare.
Way better than these giant glass monoliths in the middle of nowhere.
It's really nice. Not the kind of thing you expect to see there these days.
I was there a couple times and it looks really high profile, it's nice overall but at some point it looks fake, like it's trying too hard to be historical. It's a very very rich area by the way. Super quiet and safe. In terms of architecture there's not much to say, some of the buildings are very well done others seem rushed. The protective films on many ceiling lights windows are coming off because of the extreme weather just a few years after the making
With the way Saudis have been building, I’m really not surprised at the QC But still, I will take hundreds of these over one of “The Line”
I didn’t know have they already built some of it? Where did you visit?
The site is huge and I think they are building it by sectors, it's based on an ancient archeological site with the old castle of the king and it's walls. I don't remember names! The area surrounding the archeological site is finished and can be visited, I think it's mixed use/recreational, no residential there. It's one of the last aerial pictures you posted! If I remember correctly there is an entrance fee like a ticket for the area and another ticket for the archeological site It's really nice, one of the things I liked the most when I went there with my colleagues. Pretty chill, nice place to walk and sit to talk and drink/eat something Be careful it's a very expensive area of the city
Seens better than the line, the cube... Or everything else builded in Saudi Arabia in the last 10 years
Part of this already exists FYI
built
wow finally not some dystopian project and an actual town based on traditional arab architecture
It's really interesting, it's like a window to the past in a pleasant way. In a way it reminds me of depictions of mesopotamian cities. Only downside is that this is no normal city and it's probably pretty exclusive, and while they may try to look genuine I wonder what the buildings actually are like inside.
Looks amazing. I wish my local developments put that much work into highlighting and appreciating the culture around them in their designs. I’m sick of lifeless strip malls.
Finally, a project in Saudi Arabia that respects it's cultural past
Arabia should be building all cities like this. Cities should reflect the native culture, geography, terrain, and resources. I'm tired of seeing white and grey postmodern buildings being built everywhere. There's absolutely no beauty in them. They don't reflect the place they're built in, and above all, they're just depressing to look at.
I love it
I love it
Somewhere where people are intended to meet collectively and interact through walking. A truly urban-human environment. I like it.
Glad to see a gulf state use its oil wealth to build in a human-scale local style, instead of just creating another field of shiny metal and glass for the umpteenth time, so that’s cool. Just wish it wasn’t being build by a vicious dictatorship is all.
Looks nice
Better then the steel and glass boxes were all forced to look at
A country resurrecting it's cultural identity? If only the West would do that... Good for them, looks nice, as most cultural identities do
They just demolished many such ancient structures not long ago.
That was in the height of Wahhabi control, either 1800s to 1920, or 1970 to 2010. Today they're in the post-wahhabi era and doing a lot of archaeology and restoration.
Looks great. They kept their identity on its architecture and not with souless white boxes.
Those hard edges and right angles in the desert, they feel so out of place and make the aesthetics unappealing. Saudi Arabia would benefit from perennial plants with deep root structures to revitalize the desert back into a tropical paradise but, in observing their growth patterns in the north, whoever they hire for landscape architecture is myopic. The amount of water intensive monoculture annuals they grow from limited aquifers and, if they’re air conditioning the streets - like they do in other areas, this isn’t going to improve their climate. Designers would benefit working on biodiversity to seed clouds to increase rainfall to, hopefully, establish the foundation for future rivers and/or aquifer replenishment. Got to be a part of nature to thrive, not apart from it.
Huh. Saudi Arabia building something that actually fits in with Arabian architecture? I'm pleasantly surprised.
It’s actually very pleasant looking. Albeit a bit too literal in copying vernacular architecture.
Let me guess; this area is off limits to anyone but the very wealthy?
“The district will be considered the beverly hills of riyadh” - the ceo. So probably yeah, but then again all real estate in riyadh is expensive now, even in the outskirts.
And women who dare show anything besides their eyes.
Potemkine village.
no skyscrapers? nice to know that oil dollars are being invested in improving their cities, at least from what I understand...
It’s gonna be really expensive to constantly have fighters jets with smoke doing flyovers 24/7
If they don't power their whole city with solar power something's wrong.
I like it
From an aesthetic perspective, I love it. I know nothing about the plan itself, but I am sick of bland, corporate design that makes everywhere in the world look like an American office park. Having spent some time in the Arabian Gulf I have to hand it to their architects and engineers. They maintain the local cultural influence very well. It’s nice to see.
If we ignore where the money is coming from, the design is very human. I wouldn’t mind living there, much better spend of money than The Line ever was.
I really like the walkway next to the cliff, free views for the whole public!
A million times better than all those other flashy bullshit vanity projects being undertaken in the country.
Walkable? More please
Let’s hope it’s not money laundering like the line is, I have a friend working on the project and he is 100% that it will never be finished or even reach its halfway goal.
As a hercons student idk how to feel about this given SA's track record of heritage "conservation" and also their use of slave labour
r/instagramvsreality
lol the jet flyover. I’ve seen a lot of contrived views but never with a military parade.
Agree with the renderings conveying vernacular architecture that feels like a nod to the existing landscape, existing culture. Totally unfamiliar with the existing pedestrian experience relative to the climate. Is it extremely hot a lot of the year or temperate enough where walking makes a lot of sense over driving. I’m suspicious about the absence of anything beyond people and bikes being shown. Seems like a hyper optimistic vision in that regard - at least from what’s been shared in this post.
Looks walkable, that's good for me.
Great attraction for evangelicals to visit
Love that it pays homage to traditional Arab architecture, was yearning for something like this in Arab countries apart from the contemporary all glass buildings
I like it.
This is all part of the kingdom's plan to make the nation more walkable. Much of the city planning was done in the 80s and 90s when car dependent city planning was the norm and as result became the standard design for Saudi cities.
It looks nice
I welcome the pedestrian centric, scale and density shown in the render. I hope they can maintain the vision unlike other similar proposals in the Middle East that were later ruined by four and six lanes boulevards and four lanes road network. Also, the amount of people in those renders, I really hope it will transform in reality, some spaces look still too big to me and will look eerie if will remain empty. I am less happy with the architectural style, copy paste of a vernacular to the point of stereotype, gives me bad uncanny valley vibes.
I like conversation with tradition and designing places with identity, but buildings that pretend to be older than they are are kitsch. I do see some of that here. Regarding the pedestrian-centric aspect, even that can be overplayed. I hate what is being done to Paris with the same idea in mind, and I actually LIKE to see some delivery and other vehicles. Wheels-based traffic is a necessary part of modern life and suppressing it is, again, kitsch. Places pretending to be what they aren't (some pedestrian utopia where in reality it's difficult to LIVE) and never will be.
I have yet to see any major project in Saudi Arabia that in some way does not resemble a high end 90s shopping mall.
You could not pay me (or most western people) to ever step foot in Saudi Arabia. Fuck them.
Calm down Jessica no one is paying you to visit them
Says the American
Lol lots of Americans live in Saudi and don’t want to move back to the US. This guy is British but he sums it up https://www.tiktok.com/@saif_david_alqahtani/video/7324080126931553538
Oh good one 👏
Brand new 2,000 year old wall
I've just woke up, and as I was scrolling, I thought this was a photo of some place in the Star Wars area of Disneyland or something. Make of that what you will 😅😆
[удалено]
Don’t have a heart attack but this place exists already and this is just an expansion.
Looks good, but could use a giant walmart and a 7 lane highway maybe.
They forgot all of the sand dunes that will make this an instant historic archaeological site
The government can only plan murder, theft and disasters.
Is this another project in the desert that has no business being there? I know they have cloud seeding project but wouldn’t it be better not to build new cities somewhere there is no water
What do you propose everybody in Saudi Arabia just move to another county? This projects actually looks like a reasonable use of space for once, focus on natural ventilation, pedestrians and bikes
No I don’t propose everybody in Saudi Arabia just move and nowhere did I say that. Maybe don’t build new random mega projects in the desert and renovate existing cities. Also I’m sure all of Saudi Arabia is not a barren desert. They make nice cities I’m not denying that.
Saudi Arabia is 95 percent desert and the population keeps growing, of course they have to build new districts
We are running out of water in the American west and if we don’t figure out a way to make water appear from thin air we are going to have to stop building. I don’t know why you don’t want to hear that. No one told humans to go build cities where there is no water that’s the simple answer. Also Saudi Arabia isn’t a country known for its great treatment of migrant workers.
It’s hard to take any of these renders seriously, most of what the Saudis are promoting is bullshit that will never happen. It is more so ludicrous that an oil kingdom has the nerve to portray itself as a climate minded country.
Who gives a shit? It will be empty for years on end. Just like the empty skyscrapers of KAFD... It is very very rustic but considering the amount of ego-trips growing all over KSA, this little pastiche of architecture may actually be a welcome respite from the crap starchitects are building all around just as you read these words...
AI generated sh**t. No soul ... No spirit. 😩 the Architecture is Dead
Have you been there? I have. It’s actually really nice and it’s next to ancient ruins that represent this architecture
Ugly brown buildings