The UK-headquartered design, engineering, and project management consultancy and member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, Atkins, has been named the delivery partner of “THE LINE,” Saudi Arabia’s revolutionary urban project that will have no roads, cars, or carbon emissions located at the futuristic city of NEOM.
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The ground-breaking project
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 partners, 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.
A linear development which THE LINE, once completed, will be 170 kilometers long and only 200 meters wide cognitive city run on 100% clean energy.
Moreover, the city will eventually accommodate nine million residents and will be built on a land area of 34 square kilometers – 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 protected areas as 95% of the surrounding NEOM region will be protected for conservation.
THE LINE: A game-changer
“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,” remarked Philip Hoare, President, Atkins. Hoare said that as a delivery partner organisation, the firm will work closely with NEOM and its partners to 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 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.
“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,” said Campbell Gray, Chief Executive Officer, Middle East & Africa, Atkins.
Globally, SNC-Lavalin has developed the ‘Engineering Net Zero’ (ENZ) program, which focuses on leading the engineering industry to achieve net zero carbon as rapidly as possible by helping clients manage climate risks and build climate resilience. Through its consulting, advisory, and environmental services, the company is also helping clients to unlock project value and transform outcomes by adopting advanced real-time data analytics, machine learning, and AI, to enhance prioritisation of tasks, support earlier decision-making, and enhance collaboration.
Atkins has expanded its local presence in the Kingdom with regional offices in Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, and AlUla, supporting clients in buildings and places, transportation, energy, and water sectors. Some of the company’s key projects in Saudi Arabia include Diriyah Gate, Six Flags Qiddiya theme park, Riyadh Metro, and King Abdulaziz International Airport.
