a sustainable alternative to traditional cities?

[Adsibob]

What will they think of next?

https://www.dezeen.com/2022/07/26/neon-170-kilometre-long-skyscraper-city-saudi-arabia/

 

 

[markc]

So they are building a wall disguised as a city

[SimonD]

10 minutes ago, markc said:

So they are building a wall disguised as a city

 

Yes, it does rather look like that. I wondered whether it was a disguised whole population jailhouse or a massive extension of foreigner compounds. One of the image mockups in particular looked like they'd taken a scene from Bladerunner and plonked a load of trees on the balconies and bridges. I also like how imaginative the architects must have been when making sure the project "will contain residential, retail and leisure areas as well as schools and parks." You'd hope so wouldn't you.

Edited July 29, 2022 by SimonD

[Adsibob]

Looks like it will be two 170km rows of 500m high sky scrapers, 200m apart, clad in mirrors., with Gardens in between. Quite a feat of engineering. The Saudis are only putting in £500 billion. I wonder where the rest of the money will come from. Surely something of this scale will cost much more.

[Ralph]

I'm trying to sell software to NEOM at the moment so have had a few meetings with them, everything they tell me just sounds insane. As the £500 billion from the wealth fund they are looking at a flotation and about £1 trillion

[Radian]

Over 40^oC there quite often. Perhaps this project is a pilot for how humans are going to have to turn to technology to remain on this planet.

[SteamyTea]

Does have only half the population density of London, which is a low density city.

Good place to go if you are a window cleaner.

[Ralph]

16 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

Good place to go if you are a window cleaner.

But not if you are a bird. Just this morning I picked up a Mistle Thrush off the deck after it smacked into the window. That's two birds this year and a pipistrelle bat (although it survived).

 

Can you imagine the carnage caused by building a 170km by 500m mirror in a country that 500 million birds migrate through every year.

[SteamyTea]

6 minutes ago, Ralph said:

Can you imagine the carnage caused by building a 170km by 500m mirror in a country that 500 million birds migrate through every year.

Yes, and not one of them will shit on my car.

[andyscotland]

I'm also confused why it is entirely mirrors rather than PV. I guess mirrors looks more fancy in the renderings, but surely it would be worth having at least some of the wall surface generating power?

[SteamyTea]

Just now, andyscotland said:

I'm also confused why it is entirely mirrors rather than PV.

Because it is on one of the worlds largest oil producing countries.

[Modernista]

A cynic might say that if Mohammed bin Salman wants  " a civilizational revolution that puts humans first" (as quoted in the article) there might be other aspects of life in the country they could start rather than this.......but politics aside it is mightily impressive. I just know that if I lived at one end of the building the shop I'd need to get to would end up being at the other.......

[markc]

No corner shops 🤔

[andyscotland]

34 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

Because it is on one of the worlds largest oil producing countries.

 

Well indeed. But given this is quite a future-looking project, & a major investment, I'd have thought it was a good opportunity to start positioning themselves as a major solar energy exporter as well. Sooner or later the oil will run out and/or be less valuable.

[SteamyTea]

4 minutes ago, andyscotland said:

 

Well indeed. But given this is quite a future-looking project, & a major investment, I'd have thought it was a good opportunity to start positioning themselves as a major solar energy exporter as well. Sooner or later the oil will run out and/or be less valuable.

Not going to happen it its current form.

I can see no justification of having only 200 m between the walls, why not a 1000, 5000?

[SimonD]

1 hour ago, Ralph said:

Can you imagine the carnage caused by building a 170km by 500m mirror in a country that 500 million birds migrate through every year.

 

Oh dear, bang goes the sustainability claims on that one then!

[Adsibob]

13 hours ago, Ralph said:

Can you imagine the carnage caused by building a 170km by 500m mirror in a country that 500 million birds migrate through every year.

I don’t think you get that many birds in the Saudi Arabian desert

[Adsibob]

13 hours ago, Modernista said:

I just know that if I lived at one end of the building the shop I'd need to get to would end up being at the other.......

That’s okay, there is a train that will get you there in 20 minutes.