This city concept breaks architecture (THE LINE)

#theline #neom #architecture #saudiarabia
00:00 Intro
00:58 Background
1:47 Concept
12:25 Ethics
Procreate Brush Sets Bundle
ko-fi.com/s/e5e2eb0de9
Join the Discord Server
/ discord
Membership tiers
ko-fi.com/damilee/tiers
JOIN MY NEWSLETTER:
www.damilee.com/newsletter
Where Good Ideas Come From
amzn.to/3e0erDM
MY FAVOURITE TOOLS:
My KZbin Camera Gear: kit.co/damilee/my-filming-kit
My Studio Essentials: kit.co/damilee/dami-s-studio-...
Book Recommendations: www.damilee.com/book-recommen...
INSTAGRAM - / damileearch
TWITTER - / damileearch
LINKEDIN (plz send me a msg first!) -
WHO AM I:
I'm Dami, a licensed Architect living in Vancouver, BC. I make videos about architecture, career, and creativity.
WEBSITE - www.damilee.com
A NOLLIMEDIA PRODUCTION
www.nollimedia.com
GET IN TOUCH:
If you’d like to talk, I’d love to hear from you! Commenting on a video or tweeting @damileearch will be the quickest way to get a response from me, but if your question is very long, feel free to email me at [e-mail]. I try my best to respond to the emails, but unfortunately, there just aren't enough hours in the day!
All non-licensed clips are used for fair use commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

[@tokyo7815]

This city looks like where the rich and powerful would live in a post apocalyptic film, while other survivors would live outside the walls

[@thekatephillips]

Lol, I was thinking it was where the rich would put all of the “common people” and they would live wherever they wanted to with huge estates!

[@tonemoreno763]

Bingo!

[@davidelvion1331]

No this a smart camp for their slaves

[@justteathankyou]

The mirror walls are obviously there to create a zone of death around the line to keep the riff raff out

[@yomommashaus]

honestly, does the government know something about the apocalypse lol??

[@Tea07090]

there are so many issues with the concept, i am kinda surprised that people are even talking about it seriously.. it really seems like a first semester project you did inspired by futuristic movies

[@williamdainese]

LOL

[@BodohYono]

What issues, tell me then . This project done by hundred of scientist and engineer.

[@database3.338]

@@BodohYono You obviously didn't watch the video.

[@brnne]

Exactly

[@hakunamatata324]

To be fair, people used to see many issues with EVs and yet look at where we are heading towards to. People used to see many issues with SpaceX and yet look at where we are heading towards to.

[@s7ippy]

You are sooo good at saying that this is a stupid idea without saying its a stupid idea

[@peppersaltman1805]

I like that. It's so classy.

[@StallionStudios1234]

Her videos are awesome.

[@VicodinElmo]

I like how the House of Saud’s progress thus far has been a seaside resort, a development for the royal family and a convenient airport with which they can now visit those places. Sounds like a con for them to get a nice beachside resort.

[@AwesomeAdmirak]

They don't need a con to spend money however they please, it's an abosolute monarchy

[@decibel333]

Perhaps but I don't think that's how dictatorships work

[@nomoresunforever3695]

Dunno. The monarchies of the middle east do waaay better than all the other middle eastern countries. Maybe don't wish them away too hard.

[@janedoe4471]

Their princesses are doing great in their various lobotomised states @@nomoresunforever3695

[@decibel333]

@@nomoresunforever3695 The monarchies of the middle East have easy access to oil or they would cease to exist

[@osohista]

I don't understand why these concepts always have to have this supremely oppressive, dystopic atmosphere. That's the immediate thing that struck me.

[@imxd9698]

cause they're terrorists?

[@ahmedessa1364]

It's Saudi Arabia, that's why.

[@oh0stv]

@@ahmedessa1364 lol yeah, its just their vibe

[@DianteEx]

totally looks like a setting for a game set on another world. Those who are left behind have to live on the 2ND level, while the rich live on the 3rd level where they can see the sun.

[@realtimestatic]

It doesn’t seem dystopian to me but it doesn’t seem that efficient. Building a normal city with good public transport, layers and walkable streets with many kinds of plants still seems very good

[@Mynamewashere]

It's also worth mentioning that the train system has a single point of failure because of the city is a line. Something stops working in one place, and the whole city's transportation stops working. This project is genuinely an urban nightmare and a giant money pit.

[@jamaljames1598]

How are the ambulances and fire trucks supposed to get around?

[@wolvessgaming6819]

@@jamaljames1598 that's a good question??

[@ThePixel1983]

And assuming all the water comes from desalination plants at one end, that will be another single point of failure.

[@ronchappel4812]

I think that's not so terrible.Normal cities shut down entire geographies when a single rail line has issues. That's not a big difference from this. That said it would be smart to have several lines,not just the two

[@Sokrabiades]

@@laylalayla8030 妳在講什麼？不要講廢話

[@JordanRobots]

I really appreciate that you address things seriously and rationally without immediately dismissing them as ridiculous (even when they are). It seems more fair and it's refreshing

[@eliplayz22]

I agree

[@RawbeardX]

Not everything needs to be treated seriously, it gives ridiculous ideas legitimacy.

[@JordanRobots]

Ok then your argument is irrelevant and in fact pretty ridiculous so I'm going to ignore it.

[@kayniki1745]

I mean it's being built it's not fake And the country has morality laws that'd a big thing that was missed here

[@evansuarez5432]

Nah this is a ridiculous idea and needs to be laughed at relentlessly

[@Mechanicalmadman]

I find it so weird that this project can be accurately summed up as "Kowloon city but for the ultra-rich" and it still somehow got greenlit.

[@Arigator2]

You would almost think that the Saudis aren't actually smart and just happen to have oil.

[@P3dotme]

What I love about this concept is that it's so unbelievably insane that you can talk about it for hours and not run out of criticisms.

[@certaindeath7776]

yeah, imagine 1 train which is stuck for an hour. the whole city will be stuck for an hour :D :D and what about maintenance?

[@user-ze1hh2oo1p]

@@certaindeath7776 Did you see the pictures? there are 4 trains

[@Unknown-jb4tr]

@@user-ze1hh2oo1p having 4 train doesn't make this stupid concept a genius concept

[@scfog90]

@@user-ze1hh2oo1p even a standard European city with 500.000 people has at least 10-12 platforms. 4 is just a drop of water in the hot sand

[@ahmadkidwai3141]

Genius four trains stupid. Only four trains for million people

[@m.f.3347]

"Encourages walking" LMAO. A line is literally the mathematically least efficient way to organize this city. There's a reason most cities have a central hub with a sort of "circular web" going outwards - it maximises the number of destinations from a given point with the least amount of travel necessary

[@m.f.3347]

I have so much to say about how dumb this whole idea is, but I'll leave with this: it's far easier to make a 3D render look good than, you know, actual architectural plans and engineering documents

[@main1608]

@@m.f.3347 Not to mention they didn't consider the psychological effects. People take walks to explore to feel free and have a sense of adventure. Why would you walk in a line where you know exactly what you will expect. The like is like one big mall. Nice to visit but if you live there you'll kill yourself.

[@markstewart1986]

Most walkable cities also tend to have good public transit systems. In theory its still possible to have a walkable city based on a series of neighbourhoods concected by railway/metro/monorail stations.

[@skidadling6864]

🤓 OH MY GOD LOOK AT ME IM SO SMART 🤓

[@Totallyfine29_]

U missed the point, that’s the whole concept it’s not like any other city

[@aok5298]

My new #1 fave channel, so informative, expertly scripted, narrated, edited - you and your small team can be very proud Dami! On this topic, so many valid points highlighting the insured wealth and misguided ego driven priorities. The potential death toll of migrant workers on The Line will put Qatar stadium builds in the shade. Grotesque. Keep up the great work, you’re a true YT star 😄

[@Tanukieats]

I have a feeling Dami and her "small team" won't be so small anymore :) Next YT star for sure! SUBSCRIBED!

[@astromandomine14]

If the train breaks, you use the Rail Replacement Bus Service!! As the trains break, the other trains run from the ends up to thee point of failure and then back. As the main point of this place is to live 5 minutes walk from work and shops etc there isnt much need to travel all the way along

[@StallionStudios1234]

Yes and she is hot too.

[@lisakilmer2667]

Glad to see a critique that addresses the mirrored walls, the (lack of) daylight, and the ecological and human disasters associated with this vanity project.

[@privaterizk4936]

In engineering communities, there's a saying that keeps going around: "An architect's dream is engineer's nightmare". Which is not always true as literal meaning. It usually for design or project that just want to look cool and innovative without actually designing it to be workable. But, looking at this project, I can say this could be a nightmare for engineer, architect, and city planner.

[@rexxbailey2764]

WELL THEN THAT MEANS IT IS VERY MUCH KEEPING IN LINE WITH THE CRUEL REPTILIAN OPPRESSIVE NATURE OF THE ISLAMIC KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA. 😂😂😂😆😂😂👍👌👌 THATS HOW HUMANS SUPPOSED TO LIVE! 😏👌👍

[@martinv.1949]

as my professor(engineer himself) in university once said: the best architect is the dead architect😆.....I myself have a degree in architecture and I have to say, that sometimes this statement is accurate. Some ideas are just plain stupid.

[@maxien101]

and the people living in it by the jist of it lol

[@maikilreategui1271]

And tenant's

[@MarcillaSmith]

Don't worry, guys, it's got vibes.

[@gino7lord]

A 170km long linear city is one thing but the 500m tall mirror walls make this completly insane

[@OneofInfinity.]

They don't want people to escape.

[@ayayousef601]

ههههههه يضحكني ذا🤣🤣

[@bigpot]

Preferably a 500m see through glass wall

[@just_a_curious_thinker]

If they would have used Solar panels, it would be much better

[@bhante1345]

This is ground zero for the world's first zombie outbreak.

[@propheticintervention]

Your channel and B1M have probably the most informative channels on construction and architecture. Love that I stumbled across this.

[@kronosaurelius]

I watched this video a while back. Recently, CNBC posted a video explaining in very nice detail how cruese ships work. And I think it is a good watch in relation to this video because the lines would be like a super long cruise ship. Including having the laber class in the lower decks.

[@jamesraup4011]

You should link that video

[@moroc333]

The bigger advantage of the line is that it will make giving directions so much more efficient "just go straight"

[@zairac2564]

"Oh, stupid me! I turned right into the death ray zone!"

[@schiacciatrollo]

don't forget .. there is an outside there to approach when you live in the habitat .. biking .. the sea .. the mountains ...

[@pranav3848]

Actually, it'll be more complicated because you have to give directions both horizontally and vertically. For example, "go straight for a mile, then go 20 stories up until you see the library, then turn right and walk for 20 meters."

[@schiacciatrollo]

@@pranav3848 shut up!!

[@HotPromptHub]

Touche! 😅

[@gunsunnuva8346]

I am not sure that I could possibly think up a more excellent scenario for a horror/dystopian film or video game. When the infrastructure fails and the electricity starts to falter, when the disease begins to spread, when the upper class hides and attacks the lower levels (and vice versa), when the authoritarian regime locks things down and lies for international appearances, when the policy is "no one in and no one out," when the protagonist needs to get from one end of the city to the other on foot passing through every stratified danger along the way, when the only way out is a fatal drop over a wall into harsh desert, when countless herds of wild disoriented beasts congregate on either side of the wall ready to rip you to shreds, when the whole thing is a mirror so that a low flying rescue vehicle accidentally crashes into it, when light itself is unreliable and the whole place is periodically cast into darkness, when the whole population is a global blend of languages and conflicting cultural expectations all starving together and freaking out and largely raised in luxury so that most of them have no basic idea of how to survive, when the food is gone and the human hunting begins, and finally, when all the bleeding edge tech goes haywire with malware so that delivery drones and infrastructure robots are repurposed by a central A.I. operating system to Purify the Line for the Synthetics... ...boooooooooy howdy do you now have the most excellent concentrated blend of intrigue, battle, survival, exploration, hope and tragedy and horror subgenres colliding. _(I mean, I'd play it.)_

[@jagmo]

@Gun Sunnuva: Awesome. If you code it, they will play :)

[@callumross6290]

you need to go into screenwriting. this would be an incredible film if they covered half the things you mentioned

[@rdf4315]

That was a pretty good story with a mixture of Dead space and escape from New York with a little bit of resident evil, if done right it'll make a good game.

[@dan_swann]

J.G. Ballard would have had a field day with this - check out the film High-Rise based on his 1975 novel.

[@codyhughes1147]

Get this script to hollywood! Haha. I can see it.

[@k.warner2423]

What a great channel! I didn't realize how invested I was in architecture until watching Dami. New favorite!

[@kb3dow]

I am very impressed by the quality of this video, not just the presentation material but also the critical opinion on this project from an engineering, archiectural, and political point of view.

[@kalebbruwer]

It's amazing what you can design when you just ignore all the glaring problems with your ideas

[@anything4660]

Give me enough money and I will just go blind for you

[@lindadavies3281]

Yes, like cartoons. 🙄

[@jacobh9487]

M. Bin Salman: My ding-a-ling is 170km looooong!

[@nomaray2020]

Thank you so much @DemiLeeArch humans must be aware of these Private Construction Sites killing our Mother Earth for their own selfish needs. Material things (matter that does not matter) everything we need is given by Mother Earth and Father Creator of Creations. Put your trust in our Mother & Father; do not put your trust in man's words. We must unite the universe by unifying with one another. We are all equal organisms. That goes for all living organisms. Humans are not as intelligent as they assume. Example they kill the very planet that keeps them alive and make no real effort to stopping it. They just propse ideas to keep the material things around and everyone slaving ... I mean working...All continue to their weekly routines sadly.

[@rantsreviews3573]

I love that you've seriously tried to address the logical issues here while most of us just looked at the idea and laughed and rolled our eyes.

[@valentinoleynik1255]

Well, if you want listen explanation of the Architects behind the Line, Thom Mayne, Peter Cook etc. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZLQdWyHpLl7b68

[@kennethrollo7891]

It's not new and it won't work

[@Deviiie]

Isn't this close to the Red Sea fault line too? So seismic activity will have a huge impact.

[@myghkl]

In addition to the issues you outlined so well is the east-west axis. Residents on the north side of Neom will never receive direct sunlight (so they can grow moss in their window planters?) while those on the south side will have no relief from the sun. Wouldn't it be an improvement if the city were rotated 90 degrees.

[@1370802]

The southern side will be shielded by the wall of mirrors though, so really only the upper levels of the north side will receive sunlight, and only for a couple hours around noon.

[@inkilling3467]

I think you summarized it well by calling it a "Metaverse" project

[@onetwothree4148]

Only half through this video, but I'm surprised to see how far she is getting with such empty rhetoric. Obviously the line is a weird idea, but so far she has not made a single rationale argument. Worried about natural habit? Like have any of you ever been in a city ever? There is no natural habit. They raze it for miles in every direction. Building on a line would be a lot less disruptive, especially because it makes building up more economical. Really building on a line solves the problem of extraordinarily expensive and patchy public transport. Build all the bike trails you want outside the perimeter of the line. You can do trails through natural habit, because bikes won't destroy that. This is a childish critique of a very interesting idea. Like no shit it's an odd idea, so what? Does it make sense. For construction and running utilities and destroying less of the environment and wasting less money it makes a lot of sense.

[@arccv]

@@onetwothree4148 oh shit never thought i'd come across a The Line stan

[@general_gimleh]

@@onetwothree4148 Apparently you missed nearly all the arguments she brought up in the video. Let me recap for you. 1) Heat from outside the wall. More $$$ to fix. 2) Lack of natural lighting on lower levels. More $$$ to fix. 3) Verticle travel restrictions. More $$$ to fix. 4) Living standards between the upper and lower levels. Assuming The Line is completed, almost none of us can afford to live there. The subsidized money to sustain the place is in the billions. Investors won't let the poor anywhere close to the city. The entire project's existence relies on the revenue of oil. No natural city would form like this.

[@general_gimleh]

@@onetwothree4148 On your point of "destroying less of the environment and wasting less money", The Line worsens that argument. Having the city in a circle and near the coast would save money on transportation. A 170km long city cutting through a dessert is ruining the environment more than a dense urban area concentrated on the coast.

[@fifervonpiper6707]

@@general_gimleh Lmao, bro, building a square city like, idk, *how normal people have done so for the past four thousand fucking years* would be more logical than any city shape. You get nice grids that make it easy to move around. City superblocks would make pedestrian-friendly zones. Like, why do people make things more complicated than they need to be? Beauty? The ancient city of Rome was designed in a similar way to New York's grid city and it worked wonders for them for 1,000+ years straight and it still looks beautiful today.

[@Piezo__]

As a Riyadh native and someone who has lived here for their whole life, taking a simple 10 minute drive around the city you will see tons of failed architecture/construction projects. And it seems every couple of weeks they come up with a different and more extravagant megaproject to focus on.

[@funstuffonthenet5573]

What's the goal here? Hope one of these projects succeeds and tourist money magically comes in?

[@AJ-xm4xc]

@@funstuffonthenet5573 It’s the global elite vision of the future. Think world economic foundation.

[@Johnny2Feathers]

This has to take the cake for dumbest project to date

[@davidc2072]

Seems like it. They currently make god-level amounts of money from oil, but have a shortening window for how long until green energy makes most needs for oil obsolete. They’re throwing ideas against the wall and hoping one sticks. Because the alternative is like the quote from the movie Syriana. They were living in tents in the desert 100 years ago, and will be back there in another 100 years.

[@vikas.sangwan]

@@Johnny2Feathers ✔️

[@chrisklugh]

I love your not afraid to ask questions about issues on public projects that generally worshiped as the best new idea that everyone has to believe is true or the best.

[@janedoe4471]

Women can drive now…… so we need to spend 1 trillion $ on a city where no cars exist.

[@Dr_Doofenshmirts]

I'm just imagining how crime would work there, also when she mentioned the lower levels of the residential box being that of workers and the upper levels being that of millionaires, it reminded me of the Netflix movie "The Platform" and the city concept reminds me of "Snowpiercer". the concept really sounded extremely oppressive and dystopic like another commenter said.

[@WunHeart]

there was a TV series called Altered Carbon with a similar concept.

[@peger]

TBH it's very comon tropes.

[@sunyaachan]

Nah believe me it's worse than platform movie 🤣

[@alim5199]

@@sunyaachan Your comment is edited and still grammatically incorrect.

[@onedustyboi6235]

straight up just coruscant

[@ambergris5705]

About the environment disturbance, I think it's also worth mentioning that a 500m high wall is going to disturb so much the wind patterns, it might actually have devastating consequences on the line itself: I wouldn't be surprised if it just creates a huge sand deposit in front of one side of the line, as well as create wind abrasion. Also, it might create microclimates on either side, and for sure disturb usual water patterns, maybe creating flooding in some areas after a desert rain.

[@Astraeus..]

That's actually a really good point too. They're basically putting this thing up in a place where it's going to be almost non-stop subjected to literal sandblasting across a huge surface area. Between that and the incalculable number of birds that will splat in that thing, structural failure in the glass panels will become a problem sooner rather than later.

[@karlbach1451]

I remember things like that happening when they made those fake islands that cut off water flow and turned everything on the coast into a bog haha

[@anastasia408]

also it would become incredibly unsafe if the sand that's picked up by wind gets INTO the wall... what if a gust or literally a sandstorm occurs and enters the wall .. you're at mercy of mother nature and you've basically created a death pit where you'd be spending millions of dollars cleaning out and extracting the build up of debris and sand every few months....i might be a bit off but it sure doesn't seem safe at all

[@ambergris5705]

@Proffessor Enigma That's not unlikely. Whether or not they care, doesn't matter, let's mount a greater body of evidence against the wall to show it is not a good idea.

[@Astraeus..]

@@anastasia408 Yet another very good point. In fact this point is probably pretty key, as not only would it become an issue if the wind carried sand inside somewhere accidentally, but that kind of place will absolutely need to have an integrated ventilation system all the way throughout pushing huge volumes of air around inside which, of course, means intake on the outside. Intake that's going to be constantly overwhelmed by the sand and dust that will be practically constant in that environment...

[@sahanasen1322]

HANDS DOWN SHE IS ONE OF THE BEST PERSONS OUT THERE TO CRITICIZE, CONSTRUCTIVELY TOO ON THIS PLATFORM ABOUT ARCHITECTURE RELATED TOPICS!!!!!🙌✨

[@omgbuffy2276]

A tower made of super stressed concrete going up and made to survive hundreds of years. Every 50 floors a city, with everything needed to survive. The land outside used for food production by those who don't want to live inside. The houses are efficient, with bedding going into the wall during the day. Schools on almost every floor, and markets can provide fresh and cooked foods.

[@Spaceghost918]

It's amazing, they solved all the problems and challenges of today's modern cities by just not thinking about them!

[@ilyeslabanda16]

tbh thats what humans always did

[@jamesgraham0906]

so true lol

[@Shuizid]

They also created new ones.

[@Gabriel-jg5wh]

forgot to remind you world's top architects and engineers will be working here. You're opinion simply don't matter

[@Spaceghost918]

@@Gabriel-jg5wh no one is going to live there it's simply not going to happen

[@whooopdeedo]

also, thank you for the "ethics" portion, which contextualizes the impact of this architecture in real life, both during the build and after the build (if it would ever get to that point); architecture does not exist in isolation, so it does not make sense to ignore its physical, social, cultural, and political surroundings

[@tomaz3401]

@@laylalayla8030 it's still a concept that someone actially made and it's totally valid to criticise it to learn new things.

[@RyanESmail]

I absolutely love architecture but I have never once look at it in a fashion as which just describe and I just to thank you for giving me this eye-opening perspective of just how much, and on how many levels, that an architect must consider and decide over. Absolutely awesome video. Thank you

[@matthewdenckla6567]

Another great video! I live in San Francisco, where the transit system is historically designed to focus the whole region on downtown San Francisco (though cars and highways make it easier to "metabolize" realities like San Jose rising to have double SF's population and "reverse commuting" to satellite corporate compounds throughout the region). What the Saudi Prince should be briefed upon is that San Francisco is ALREADY a case study in the problems of over-emphasizing a tiny version of "Neom" with it's existing transit system today, right now, and observable maintenance and usage. That's the four stops of overlapping "MUNI" and "BART" systems in a small corridor just around 2 (not 170!) kilometers long as the "heart" of the transit plan for the whole area. There are TWO tracks for MUNI and TWO tracks for BART passing through this section of the entire area.. and if there is a problem at any of these four stations... transit is slowed or stopped for the City and the region at subsurface and this "pinch point." IF there is an accident, such as a suicide on one track, then one system is immediately crippled to 50% capacity using a single track for reduced train traffic in both directions. An earthquake, in theory, could make both tracks disrupted or unsafe and kill the entire flow indefinitely. In my opinion, this has already shown to be a disaster, propped up by emergency deployment of surface buses (less efficient and, in the case of BART, impossible to replicate the efficiency of up to 10 packed train carriages every five minutes or so in rush hour) and then the surface buses further congest the street level and bridge pinch points so it's not an actual competitive alternate use case, it's just how you rescue people from a system that has no other redundancy which can help. Even without tragedy, how do you maintain or upgrade the system without massive inconvenience? In my thirty years of living in SF, routine maintenance has meant that evening or overnight service just goes away for months at a time, which creates not only social but economic woes for the central area.. in NEOM, there would be curfews or "just walk 40 km to see your uncle if you must" scenarios! Again, the ONLY reason this is tenable is that the foolishly unitary section of the transit system is LESS than two kilometers and we have surface level options. The contrasting example is NYC, where there are so many lines, that an entire line can be CLOSED and only the people served only by that radial line are impacted, but the majority of people can adapt immediately by moving to another subway or train line and then lesser inconvenience of surface transit in outlying, less dense areas. By building a system that emphasizes a single, unitary and unified system, when (not if, but when, as all things fail, or get compromised by crime or terrorism) that slips, people will be forced to walk MUCH more than "five minutes' to get to friends or family up to 170 km away! Thanks for reading!

[@keinaanabdi6821]

Long story short: a lot of design ideas has been put on the king’s table, he liked this one so he’s building it regardless of the cost and no one can say anything about it.

[@C4H10N4O2]

It's like they looked at all the technology and savoir faire we have today, and tried to find the most farfetched idea they could get away with by using all these tools.

[@Dead_Goat]

@@C4H10N4O2 They wanted something people would invest in but something that would be impossible. This way they can pocket all the money and never finish anything without being blamed.

[@dadeee7776]

@@Dead_Goat sounds like Dubai so many failed projects 🤣 sometimes trillions just land in the wrong hands totally not surprised, when you’ve never had to work a day in your life spending money is pretty damn easy

[@ryananggoro493]

@@dadeee7776 rich people whim

[@deusexaethera]

To quote Mel Brooks: "It's good to be the king!"

[@SiliconeSlave]

I've watched quite a few videos on 'The Line', but you are the first person I've heard mentioning the potential impact on the surrounding wildlife. Kudos! People just assume deserts are dead zones, but they are actually teeming with life.

[@albustanmagic4036]

Nope. In this area you wont find 1000 animal species. You will find 2 birds, maybe 3 per day. There is only stone and heat. This is the reason why they build this structure there and not at the coast. But nice that you all think you are more intelligent than hundrets of pros having spend 10 thousend of hours thinking about this project 10 years ago...

[@andychow5509]

Not all deserts are the same. This one is dead, dead dead. There's no trees or moss. Not a hint of vegetation and no life at all. Check for yourself with Google maps, the location is basically the 392 road in Saudi Arabia. Some deserts have snakes and mice living there, and birds flying. This is not that. There is no life at all there. The project will obviously fail for other reasons, mostly logistics.

[@UnitedEmpire]

Animals adapt just like humans. They’ll survive

[@WindTurbineSyndrome]

Migratory species will not be able to navigate over this crazy structure.

[@WindTurbineSyndrome]

Except for the Bedouin forced to vacate their tribal land for central planners. This is not going to work.

[@videre8884]

The costs and effort for maintaining the mirror walls alone will be gigantic

[@pascalpelat5824]

Such a well done informative video: simple, concise, straight to the point ! Bravo and thank you !

[@reidshadowlegends4328]

What I find scary about "city with its own laws" is that it would create an environment where controlling the citizens would be really easy. The city's lay out would make it so much easier to force the citizens so stay in their apartments. To me this just sounds like a nightmare waiting to happen.

[@educatednegro5897]

This is exactly the goal. Look up the Great Reset and "you will own nothing".

[@oxey_]

only rich people are gonna live there anyway, people who can and will move if oppressed. There's no way they can pull that off

[@educatednegro5897]

@@oxey_ no way rich people are gonna be living there, they are building this for 9 million people, you really think it's gonna be 9M rich people living like they are stuck in a cage?? No they are building this for the mass population (ordinary people) to better control them and eventually enslave them into that small place, so that the actual billionaires who are behind this project can own the rest of the planet and use it for themselves and themselves only. This is the Great Reset predicted by Klaus Schwab in his book published in 2020.

[@gabriolinari]

yeah, basically a fancy prison in line with agenda 2030 sustainability goals. aka GR

[@MMaRsu]

Saudi Arabia really has no issues laying down their own laws and opressing people

[@aabharoocha]

if Claustrophobia was a city, it would look like the line. Just the thought of living in a city like this feels like being in a dystopian.

[@rumeat]

For sure, it is like they crossed the cities from Judge Dredd, The Fifth Element, and Blade Runner. Not to say Galactic City ( Planet Coruscant) from Star Wars.

[@nicholasmcculloch727]

Battery chickens . . . .

[@anaqatukiofficial1469]

I don't know why everyone assumes that it's like a post nuclear war city lol, everyone can go outside to the beaches and mountain climbing, they literally building 2 huge marinas for boats and yachts outside, just think of it as a very big residential complex

[@themore-you-know]

Wait until poverty kicks in... ... and tent cities prop up the walk ways, and... ...some people off themselves on the central train lines, and... ... riots transform the city's linearity into a complete deadlock.

[@hsalqahtani]

you are the type of girl that emigrated from her country and now she has an opinion on other nations.

[@MissPeppercookie]

This is a really good analysis! I really enjoyed listening tobyour points and realized I agree with everything you said, although I was at first excited about the project.

[@quinnobi42]

This concept feels to me like it would be more at home in a sci-fi movie than real life.

[@CarolineLurks]

Yup and even on screen it would look insane when given the time to think about it for 2 whole seconds.

[@friendlyfire3412]

Its just Impratical,Stupid, Do they even hired a Just a randomarse guy who's just doesnt know how to build things?

[@miguelrodriguez-kw6je]

Exactly. A progressive futuristic city in a country where homosexuals are hung and women who cheat on their husbands are stoned to death. Makes perfect sense.

[@jorgepeterbarton]

Yes and not on earth but some other flat planet with very specific needs which i currently can't imagine. It reminds me of circular ring space stations, except rolled out.

[@devilgames2217]

It'd be down for it as a video game or movie setting. IRL? It's an F NO from me.

[@zoomane]

I'm so glad you spoke about wildlife corridors and the natural impact of it, it's something far too overlooked

[@jnenet1]

The Suez Canal cleared the way

[@thetruthinwonderland]

Not to mention the glass facade and its potential impact on local bird populations. US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis Minnesota has this problem.

[@bulatuspanov4293]

Pretty sure it’s gonna harm way less then any other 15 mil population city. I mean it’s only 170 km line, imagine how many roads are in other typical cities which destroys the ecosystem of local species

[@kjmorley]

They’ll need a full-time crew just to clean up the dead birds.😂

[@ChunkyJo]

Don't worry. This will never come to fruition.

[@MatchaMelonPan]

Such an interesting project... Thank you for your video, interesting and feel smarter after watching it - as always 😊

[@cappertilge8916]

One big wave or particularly strong stormy winds and it looks it'll just topple over

[@jaybee946]

The fact that this is taken even the tiniest bit seriously is insane. The problems are just so fundamental and obvious, along with just being generally impossible to actually construct. I'm curious what is actually going to happen with this insane project. Will it just never get built and they hope everyone forgets it was proposed?

[@markcolt1114]

Probably. But the Saudis are desperate to display themselves as a paradise for the wealthy to live now that Oil is going out of fashion... so I wouldn't be surprised if a TON of money gets pissed away.

[@brandonthesteele]

Using occam's razor leads one to the idea that NEOM is the result of people around MBS selling him on an enormous monument with all these bells and whistles and will maintain Saudi Arabia's influence, and pocketing lots and lots of money with no intent on doing much with it. Along the way, they get to grab lots of land.

[@sloppynyuszi]

Construction has started already. I wonder how far they will take it. Their 1km tower has been sitting at 200m since 2018 I think

[@mosab13]

Cry more

[@specialkonacid6574]

Don't worry about it. it's sustainable and green and all that warm fuzzy stuff.

[@ChristopherDraws]

When I saw the marketing for this city, I absolutely thought it was a viral teaser for a new dystopian movie or TV show. Listening to your critique of it - and in particular about how idea creation happens within cities - it weirdly makes sense that an authoritarian regime would be behind this type of concept (fewer chances to "colour outside the lines" when all you have is one long line).

[@jhonklan3794]

Honestly, compared to the rest of Saudi that dystopia seems like heaven!

[@acelovebot905]

@@jhonklan3794 the fuck you know about Saudi Arabia? right so stfu

[@koenvandiepen7651]

I think it is way more important to realize that these kind of nonsensical concepts that er completely separate from reality only come about in authoritarian regimes. Because in any other system the idea would get shot down for being a waste of time energy and money

[@Nat3YT]

@@koenvandiepen7651 I would not say that. Yes, this project is pretty ridiculous, but I would not say that every sort of unreal concept is inherently bad. In fact, big projects with seemingly out-of-world ideas are what made China build such big and prosperous cities, and they are the reason we keep evolving. The way of seeing things only through a lens of "what we have, and if we waste it if we try" is safe, yet very counter-revolutionary. It is the same reason why Germany stopped growing, since they enforce too many regulations and thus practically prevent big projects from existing.

[@theemo874]

I'm just wondering, what will happen if an earthquake arrived. Let's assume a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 8. Since it's quite litteraly a line , how structurally supported is it?. Won't the damage of one platform or building create a domino effect and topple other things. Not to mention , the whole plan is to make it in layers. U can't really overcome nature , one strong earthquake and it's going to be extremely dangerous . Won't people get trapped too in these situations?

[@fromliamwithcare]

thank you Demi and to the team responsible for making these videos happen

[@mddell24]

Imagin living in a town where there is only one street, with very similar buildings on both sides that all go up to the same height (maybe 8 floors) and no variation of land, just some minor up or down slop. This sounds like living in a large and endless corridor. They should call it The Very Long Corridor. Sounds perfect for creating a new type of Mental Illness!

[@Shoelid]

there are lots of ideas like this: people always want to 'build something from scratch and get everything right from the very start'. There are two issues with that approach. First, the period of time when you start making a plan is always the time when you are least prepared to complete it. By the time you're halfway done, you're going to know a lot more about whats needed to complete your project. This means you should be prepared to change and pivot as you continue. Second, these kinds of grand plans always underestimate how big the little problems are. How do you get produce and products to every store in the city? How do you even get into the city? What if you want to move a new couch into your apartment, how will that work? Who will do maintenance on everything? its like... you ever watch those videos on the billionaire mansions with tons of open space and 18 bathrooms and 4 kitchens? Most of the time when I see those, all I can think about is how awful it would be to live there on a day to day basis. Sadly, real life doesn't fit inside a line.

[@volkova6209]

This is an underrated comment, well said

[@TheStrangeBloke]

great comment.

[@bencepihe7887]

And you think they didnt consider these?? Dont be jelous lol.

[@sofiebrammer1482]

At least the last points like "how to get in/Out" and "how to make changes" might in my view something which is simply not intended by those who want to build this 😬 I mean, saudi arabia is generally not known for respecting humans rights and freedom of the individual. "The Line" also gives much power over the people who would live inside it. Maybe I am totally wrong with that, but those were the first thoughts I had in mind when I heared about this project.

[@puddingsimon2626]

@@sofiebrammer1482 you will live in the Wall and eat da bugs, you will own nothing to limited things and be maybe happy?

[@o2kala649]

This reminds me of living in the Snowpiecer. The problems with this city is that it does not make use of the inherent advantage a grid of streets gives you. The advantage is that you can get from place to place through multiple means. This is also a safety concern. Getting to a place in multiple ways helps address fires, medical emergencies, etc. Having one line of transportation is not efficient - that’s already been proven. What about the sound and vibration of the trains relative to the proximity of housing etc.. living in a box is not a good idea! You need to be out in the world, along the coast, and minimizing the impact on the landscape.

[@dragoneyeshatesg00gle76]

This entire project was initiated by WEF our unholy forth Reich Nazi Wannabe leader Schwab the one who's trying to kill off 7 out of every 8 people on the planet and make those left eat bugs while the 1% get free rain of the planet as their playground. Seriously its straight out of those movies where the peons can only look at where the rich live while they live in squalor and they are only a fraction away from pulling it off. This project is to displace the population that's left into easily controlled environments that don't interfere with the rich peoples play grounds god forbid should Schwab have to see peons at his favorite beach where he likes to parade around looking like a fairy with wings in lace and a thong!

[@KarlDMarx]

It is actually a pretty dumb idea.

[@RickieBeubie]

@@KarlDMarx yeah pretty dumb, using high end technology that doesn't exist yet but not taking advantage of a grid layout that have proven to be efficient for centuries

[@ligametis]

many cities don't have grid and to be fair grid is ugly and extremely boring.

[@KarlDMarx]

@@ligametis but a line is more exciting?

[@maythemighty5183]

I just discovered your channel from watching a ton of your shorts! I love it!!!!

[@b1laxson]

First question in my mind is how do they deal with breakdowns, blockages, suicides and so forth with that all important transit line? Stuff does and will happen to subways. When it happens what then?

[@sl8roni134]

an additional thing that I dont see many people talking about: the trains failing. if even one "pod" or whatever they decide to use fails; whether it be crashing, malfunctioning, or anything else, half of the ENTIRE transport system is down until that single unit or issue is fixed. especially if you can only go in one direction. if it happens to be the case that both lines have different or the same issues within the same time period; the entire city MUST move around on foot; maybe on bikes if they have even planned for those to be included

[@creeper7ech520]

And according to the promotional material its 170km long which means if you live in a different section from where you work you would basicly have to run a marathon just to get to work everyday

[@primaryesthethicinstincts4832]

Designing a city involves allot of tradeoffs (multi-objective optimization) and we need more in-depth information to really judge the design.

[@jokeralfeeen]

more than 1 train lines man this is a very simple issue

[@omaxshendy5732]

when an idiot try to have a big brain moment lol.

[@imienazwisko4219]

You are right but if you look at 2:20 there are multiple options for transport also people could cycle

[@jerickson_abuel]

I like the idea of it as a creative exercise. I get to imagine what would I do with the constraints presented. But as a real project it presents more problems than solutions it could offer. It also kind of reminds me of the movie "Snowpiercer". Could be a real problem for anyone living there who is not a billionaire.

[@mtell620]

It's not for the regular people of the world

[@caitlinflannery5028]

Totally reminds me of snowpiercer too. That was one of my first thoughts!

[@nl8345]

And they still need some regular people to run this. They'll just live "below The Line"

[@coffeyvideoproductions7767]

I didn't see "Snowpiercer" but it reminds me of "Elysium."

[@Bustermachine]

@@coffeyvideoproductions7767 That's basically petro states in general. The Gulf States are particularly acute examples of the resource curse in action.

[@CBGBBB]

BIG IF the city gets built…it will turn into the movie snowpiercer without the cold snow! 😅

[@lokyewming]

i wish i had lecturers like you when i was in university

[@JovanKo314]

I was part of this "Engineering Exploration" program in high school, and to expose us to a little bit of civil engineering/city planning concepts, we were tasked to design a city concept from scratch. Obviously, none of us had any experience about the possible problems of different concepts, and so most of our designs, while having a noble idea in theory to solve one problem, creates lots of other problems that we didn't know to expect. "The Line" looks like one of those high school projects that we made. An idealized concept whose only real function is to look "cool," "innovative," or "futuristic," without the foresight of being able to solve any real problems. Even as someone who's not an architect, civil engineer, or city planner, I can see so many problems with this. You hit it right on the nose in this video with your point, "They're forcing these constraints that create so many issues, and saying they'll just solve those issues with better technology.

[@grb2015]

And this is why it is not a good design

[@MouseGoat]

And in the end the "better technology." will just be to punch a hole in the side to get some fresh air in and build a actual functional city. But man im worried for the animal life, just cutting of all inland life of from the sea... yeah i have a had time not seeing that ending up creating a big problem

[@Cristian-xy4kq]

U take all the credits again, its all about ARCHITECTURE.

[@primaryesthethicinstincts4832]

I think a the 'line' design was chosen to minimize the energy and other cost associated with maintaining a habitable environment in the desert. I think heat and moisture dissipation are much more manageable with this design. Ultimately I'm pretty sure the Saudis have the resources to hire the best people to design this city. Designing a city involves allot of tradeoffs (multi-objective optimization) and we need more in-depth information to really judge the design.

[@megustaav]

@@primaryesthethicinstincts4832 yet it would be better to build a circle. Imagine you have to move from one point to another and there is some accident on the road. In this example, you got just one way. One problem causes a possible problem for whole city. It's like New York had just one line of subway and it went bust.

[@rickstahh]

When I first saw the announcement of this project, I was really surprised at all the positive media they got. Honestly being an Architect, we have always learned that organic growth always happens when things are spread across, not in a linear form. The Line according to me is a disastrous design.

[@Kloppenheimer]

How do you know that, we never had a city like this?

[@luise3989]

@@Kloppenheimer exactly, we never had a city like that hence it might be unnatural to human activities

[@Kloppenheimer]

@@luise3989 Imagine if they thought that when they started to build an aeroplane, car, phone, elevator?

[@dxfault576]

@@Kloppenheimer ur not very bright are u? u dont even need to be an architect or designer to see how these are completely different from one another

[@Kloppenheimer]

@@dxfault576 I'm not that bright, please explain me how are they different? People invented them to solve problems like transport and communication, LINE is trying to solve: "how to have a city of 7 million people with zero air polution and zero traffic problems" If LINE solves those problems it's a pretty big deal if we consider that world's best minds are all in agreement that we must stop air polution ASAP. Maybe there are better ways than this ofc, countries should start competing in their eco friendly cities all over the globe. I just can't see why is this project "bad", why wouldn't we look at it with some optimism? Maybe because it's too east for us?

[@Apvizionz]

It's hard to imagine a city design with more red flags

[@kalthamalabdouli8189]

You are amazing ❤

[@Pers0n97]

Feels like the perfect example of form over function to me.

[@jimmiestevens7581]

let's put the usual criticism for saudi arabia aside, the concept if you think about it is actually smart for a desert climate. - It's a mirror so it fits perfectly in the desert without having a noticeable impact on the landscape, it blends in perfectly. - Its a condensed line so that the urban sprawl wouldn't take over all the natural landscape, it seems they want to maximize the empty natural space and they don't want to damge it. - It is closed so that you can control the environment inside, you see, the desert is a very harsh and hot place , having condensed space will make it easier to cool it down and even spend less energy because everything is in one place. - There will be linear trains and any spot can be reached within 20 min, removing thousands of waiting hours lost in traffic jams. I think the city here is like an iphone lol, hiding all the details and concentrating them in one place for better efficiency and minimal look. So I understand where they are coming form.

[@yinlu3610]

@@jimmiestevens7581 Even with listing the “pros” of doing this, the cons are still a pretty serious issue.

[@jimmiestevens7581]

@@yinlu3610 I have been to Saudi arabia once, people there love indoors! The go to work with their air conditned cars, spend the day at the office then go to a mall, They spend most of their time indoors away from the sun! If you walk outside in the streets you will find almost no one walking! I know it's not a perfect concept but I understand where they are coming from considering the fact that the saudi people love indoor environments away from the hot desert

[@jimmiestevens7581]

​@@CORZER0the low IQ "sand N" are 100% having a better life than you. and at least they are developing their countries away from oil and are having new ambitious ideas unlike other countries LOL

[@eliteextremophile8895]

​@@jimmiestevens7581 Looks like you didn't really watch this video, so let's take the other perspective for your comment. - It's a mirror, so how do you keep it intact? How do you make sure it doesn't wear out fast considering the sandstorms etc? - It's condensed wall reaching 170km so it will divide nature in that area and create catastrophe for the animals there. - It's so very condensed that if the life preserving system especially on the lower levels fails, everyone will have a bad time. - There comes technical problem with single part of the transportation system and all of a sudden 9 million people are all at impasse. Nobody's gonna get anywhere. I mean, have you ever seen news about train system that has never had any technical problems? With this design the whole system goes down with basically one line being out of order. Also they're kinda hinting they're gonna go for something like hyperloop. That's just not gonna work. This wall is total nightmare. Why does it even have to reach in-land deep into the desert? That's just one more engineering problem considering water. The wall is a goddamn skyscraper and we all know how problematic those are. How about terrorist attacks? You can bring the whole "town" on its knees with one small attack.

[@CaptainJacksIsland]

As someone who's lived in that country, I can see how this idea came about. It was hot and someone was like, "Wouldn't it be so much nicer if everything was inside?" It's a thought everyone has when it's 120°F or higher 🙆‍♂️

[@varunemani]

Exactly the idea is as good as a really huge long mall space, which coincidentially are the favorite meeting / shopping spots for Saudi's.

[@39Thorns]

If being inside is the goal, going underground seems way better than building a bunch of glass walls.

[@amiernahdijr]

@@39Thorns without sunlight?

[@39Thorns]

@@amiernahdijr Not at all, there are plenty of ways to introduce natural light into an underground space.

[@amiernahdijr]

@@39Thorns how?

[@sorantheman1]

very articulate view of this massive project. well done!

[@josephstone4842]

You’re absolutely right about how it feels like a student project. It seems like this idea was all about the rule of cool, and logical good designs for it were ignored in order to fit this idea.

[@psychedelicdreamer986]

The first thing I'm thinking of is the amount of birds that will be killed by these horrible mirrors. It makes me sad. I'm glad you're talking about the environmental impact of this monstrousity. I hope it doesn't get built at all.

[@HondaWyo]

the first thing i think how misrable life would be there, mainly cuz its in a desert

[@WindTurbineSyndrome]

Anyone who gets kicked out will be sent outside to die of thirst.

[@tecknodragon]

One person posted that they see one or two birds a day in that area. Not sure on the accuracy of that

[@AlejandroLZuvic]

​@@tecknodragonthis thing is going to be 170 km long (100+ miles). Assume the guy who said that was watching for birds literally 24/7, then yes, this horrible thing would bother "only" a thousand birds a day (as a low estimate of 3 birds per day * 170 km * 2 because I'm assuming the guy can see up to 250 meters into either direction). That may not be massive but there are other animals in the desert.

[@mohmmedalofee2602]

الجدران ان تكون مغلقه

[@ooojonooo]

Not only in the way that it looks in nature/where it's located, but just the way it's structured and how it feels... seems like more of a jail or a micro-managed living space rather than a city of "innovation".

[@timothypage252]

Ah, like Saudi Arabia.

[@ANPC-pi9vu]

That is what the international ruling class of elites want for us. It's why they fly in private jets all over the world on a weekly basis while telling us we need '15 minute cities' and condemning cars. Damn the globalists, the technocrats, the autocrats, and the WEF.

[@leofariasrj-dev]

I think the rulers of Saudi Arabia are watching too much snowpiercer.

[@pengu1309]

@@timothypage252 Yep , I wonder is it because Saudi Arabia doesn't support a woman with a beard ? or a man wearing a skirt ? or is it because it doesn't support western agendas ? nah I think you call it a jail because you feel free when your country allows that.

[@relacionar111]

It a kind of proyect related to religion where people used to be inside with little or nothing of freedom. There arab countries are so extreme for things that make people be dominated. They need invest money in education and transform resources into something they can get money from.

[@cathleenc6943]

I hadn't heard of this concept/project before. Your initial description of the different levels being built into it reminded me of the cityscape in a kind of dystopian sci-fi novel by Joan D. Vinge called Catspaw. In it, the city was built in layers, and over the years the lowest levels became the places where the poor and homeless lived, where all the crime was, where all the drug and other illicit trade was, and there was never any light. The only rain they ever got at the bottom was what dripped down from the upper layers, bringing with it all the dirt and grime and pollutants, washed down from the layers above.

[@bridgetmccormick6130]

Love the idea of a pedestrian zone! In the US, so much space is taken up by vehicles and storing them which only adds to the congestion.

[@peachyjoon6673]

i find it surprising that no one is talking about quality of life. the people that would live in this project would be wealthy, considering how much money would go into it and the advanced technology, meaning they already live in a pretty good position. why would they willingly move into the line? a place where you are essentially trapped in a confined space, everything looks the same, you loose touch with the real outside world, you loose the conception of size, etc. now i know that these technological inventions are supposed to improve quality of life, but i am having an insanely hard time imagining that no one will go completely mental after being trapped in this box for a considerable amount of time.

[@peterbelanger4094]

It really looks more like a hominid storage system, capable of being scaled up to full 'Matrix' capability.

[@csababobalo8692]

its a smal sacrivece to save the world, and on the briht side, when you go outside you wil actualy be in untouched nature

[@peachyjoon6673]

@@csababobalo8692 but it doesn't save anything. it actually causes more damage than good, didn't you watch the video where she listed dozens of reasons as to why this build will be detrimental to nature and wildlife in the country? it makes a line 500m tall, cutting the country into two separate pieces, with no way to cross except for animals with wings (keep in mind that most bird fly at 150m height except for during migrations), who most of will probably fly into the wall and die.

[@peachyjoon6673]

@@peterbelanger4094 it does yeah

[@marktaylor6553]

Its being built so that the people in-charge can keep everyone in-LINE. Its so blatantly obvious they are probably giggling and rubbing their hands together, old-school villain style.

[@aguynamedscott11]

The Line is the type of concept people come up with when they have never lived in the real world and know nothing about real world conditions.

[@wyskass861]

So exactly the Saudi prince MBS, murderer and absolute ruler. Of course people will take his money and he won't want to hear no.

[@schiacciatrollo]

wrong. this to me seems a jealous statement only .. just for not being creative .. my concern is the saying the city is built around the people .. when saudi arabia has its challenges with and about the human rights .. that is the ethical stand .. i would like to know what the people in there would or could produce ..

[@brockoala2994]

So AI?

[@schiacciatrollo]

@@brockoala2994 you never will live there ..

[@brockoala2994]

@@schiacciatrollo Yeah, because it will never exist.

[@Fer-by6pg]

Alot of food for thought here, alot of good points to ponder about. Enjoying the videos and topics.

[@user-rb9gy8wb8s]

One of the real goals of this project is really to prepare for the restructuring of the state from a raw material economy... through armed and forceful control over the region. A wall in the desert with a super-fast train in it is the original idea of a huge military outpost. And, interestingly, the train is hidden as much as possible from hypothetical shelling.

[@lindataylor1127]

How advantageous militarily is a train that can only zip back and forth in one area. What about the rest of the country that needs controlling

[@0PTIC5]

The sunlight reflecting off the mirror to create heat zones was the first thing that came to mind. If they have a forest there, it'll dry up fast. The water would be very very hot.

[@jorgepeterbarton]

It doesn't even have a proposal to collect such heat zones for energy does it. I would have thought it could be used

[@M__Amor]

It's in the middle of the desert so no trees

[@blackbird8837]

@@M__Amor ikr?? duuuh... makes you wonder if people actually watched the video..

[@0PTIC5]

@@M__Amor Tell me you didn't watch the video without telling me you didn't watch the video.

[@Lankypng]

@@M__Amor Cool. Trees aren't the only wildlife that exists though.

[@torquilcolbo1589]

It's weird that they're committed to this solid wall all the way along. They could easily put a lot of gaps in there, you could still have walkways connecting the sections, the underground train, etc... It would still be impressive and yet create wildlife corridors, room for movement among the preexisting tribes, etc...

[@galacticcannibl1966]

Everyone has helicopters

[@biggycheese1481]

give the tribes helicopters

[@BOBBOBBOBBOBBOBBOB69]

You think the Saudis care about human life lol.

[@quentinchapelain1419]

preexisting tribe hahahahahahahaha

[@torquilcolbo1589]

@@quentinchapelain1419 I mean, yeah? It was in the video. People live in that region and you're giving them some sci-fi wall you can't walk around.

[@liammcintosh8466]

Only found this channel a couple of months ago. This is awesome stuff

[@wisdom.research1051]

Dear girl, I follow this stuff (regreening deserts, etc.) and wondered about the Saudi plans for their new straight city. Your review reminded me about need 4 ecological corridors for all flora and fauna of that area. Along w/your other constraints on the plan, I think that the Royalty gave instructions for a contingency design plan, to consider building an isolated controlled city meant specificaly for Arab populations of civil disobedient moslems who protest against the rulers (considered a sin if rulers are themselves Moslem) or simply over population for various people to migrate to, and then commune to the cities to work daily.

[@sfisabbt]

The line is the only network topography where every location is a single point of failure. This is what happens when you plan a city without involving any city planner.

[@midasredblade236]

if this city gets built....IF

[@sfisabbt]

@@midasredblade236 Well, the thing with totalitarian regime is, the desire of the leader can overthrow the common sense of the experts and lead to total disaster. Now clearly, a country with that many enemies shouldn't build the most vulnerable city design possible. You only need to cut one point to break the city in half. Also, every new section increases the load on the transit system on the side for external exchange and in the middle for internal transit. Imagine how packed the wagons will be at peak hour in the middle of the line.

[@Sauvenil]

@@sfisabbt There's a reason cities are built more like a circle than a line. The line would make a bit more sense if the ends touched instead, for obvious reasons.

[@Etrehumain123]

@@sfisabbt Absolutly, during the last steps toward nuclear power in North Korea (around 2005), Kim Jong Un invested full power to finishing the job instead of feeding the people

[@saschabaer3327]

Wouldn’t every tree (in the graph-theoretic sense, i.e. a connected network without any cycles) have this property? A failure at any point except at the ends of branches would disconnect parts of it.

[@jadou34]

Even without the proper education, I could see that The Line was more of a vanity project than an actually well-planned, well-designed city that would take its inhabitants' needs in mind while being sustainable. This video confirmed all my reservations

[@KyaneOficial]

sustainable is boring, arab countries need to shine with material things to attract people, things that can't be found elsewhere.

[@HaqimHimself]

America is a vanity country in every shape or form. So what are you talking about?

[@primaryesthethicinstincts4832]

@@KyaneOficial You are right but at the same time allot narcissist are getting butt-hurt over a design of a building

[@stanpines9011]

@@KyaneOficial so, vanity projects

[@taharka3897]

Oman 🇴🇲 is the most beautiful country in the middle east, because it has simply design cities.

[@mathedguy]

Your wise analysis makes brilliant points. Makes me think the planning is in its infancy. Just because you have a mag-lev, doesn’t mean we should all line up. In the US we have created a grassy bridge over, or under the highway. Animals use them to stay off the highway.

[@iloveplasticbottles]

That city is so gonna be a dystopia

[@aarongreen1654]

It'll never be finished. I guarentee it.

[@miguelpadeiro762]

Thankfully, as said, they'll never finish it Unfortunately, this means tons of money yet again dumped into the sea by a lousy dictator with great aspirations and a narrow mind.

[@Oscar-ep4qr]

One of my greatest concerns is that - even if many of the problems were overcome (practical, social and environmental) - renders often look more vivid than the reality, so the one great selling point - that it looks futuristic - might fail; It might end up looking and feeling claustrophobic and artificial.

[@David-js2vp]

I agree, the renders are not likely to match the final product. I'm expecting something between a modern airport and a large shopping centre, as in looks great when first opens but after five years starts to look tired as maintenance services cannot keep up with the work as components age, break or fail.

[@grzegorzdomagala9929]

Exactly - renders always look pristine. Clean white walls, lusch wegetation, invisible machinery and mirrors on the outside. Practical implementation - if ever realised - will have a lot of gray beton, a few planters with rickety trees and dirty machinery. Like the "entering Zion" scene from matrix :) This project feels like a metro station. They look very nice directly after grand opening, but after a ferw years actual use they start to smell like dust and pee...

[@attractiveguy5445]

Also this is not the first time they build a city and abandon it in Saudi Arabia, they have many many failed or abandoned projects, and they have money to make everything green tomorrow if they wanted to. All the money was in Lebanon (before the crisis and the fall of Lebanese Lira) and now mostly Switzerland banks. they are hoarding it like dragons, so why bother with the poor?

[@skaffoe_lobby]

It probably will look like that, because it is.

[@Ria.ray77257]

I can say with full honesty that i could NEVER live somewhere as cramped and crowded-looking as this place. Just the THOUGHT of living somewhere, constantly surrounded by crowds and communities, as well as all those structures packed next to each other, jutting out into the middle of the line, it genuinely makes me feel sick, not to mention the lack of sunlight and fresh air and as the the girl in the vid said- this is a LITTERAL breeding ground for DISEASE. Just think about living in a place like this makes me feel sick to my stomach, I can just imagine this image in my head of rats trapped in a cage, all crawling over one another because of a lack of space and then Muhammad Bin Salman standing above the cage watching them fight for space. Maybe that sounds extreme but thats what this entire concept makes me think of. Im very curious about what Salmon's true motives are behind this project.🤔🧐😶😒

[@nlbadguy]

The studio I'm currently working at was tasked to provide concept renderings for a segment of this project. I won't go into details (for my own safety and for keeping the job), but I will say that you can't imagine the "guidelines" we were given. And the majority of us are architects and among ourselves, we had so many questions. Me personally was concern with most of things said here in the video, and would like to add: traffic >what happens if there is an accident on the road? In cities as we know traffic disperses to the other routes. Here you have one big highway and can only go back and forward. plumbing> how in the name of Corbusier would plumbing here look like? You would basically have to treat every segment like it's "Unite de Habbitacion" itself or like one big building for itself. Foliage> It should be illegal to provide a misleading image of a full-grown tree with a canopy of 3m in diameter and only 0.5-1m growing ground depth. (Ironically this is part of my job) That "thermal diagram" is pure nonsense. The hot air rises-true, but it prevents cool air from entering the same way. Meaning cool air is supposed to be input from below so as it heats up rises and vents out. As it is fun to work on projects like this (we literary went full-on crazy with some building concepts) - It is very concerning to think that ideas like this are forced while disregarding some of the issues that are known for decades now (like negative impact on the wildlife habitat). And the thought of being part of it (by working on it) makes it even worse. As @DamiLee said here architects put their client's interest over their own, and when your client is the monarch - you can only do as he asks you to do or he will find someone else to do it as he wants it.

[@royaldecreeforthechurchofm8409]

When the train stops then 9million people are late to work. Simple! No problem there lol

[@kazazism]

The plumbing alone sounds like a nightmare to even plan. Then again Burj Khalifa have their poop trucks lined up outside, maybe they'll do the same here lol

[@heyfriday523]

It was the wildlife and foliage problem that struck me the most. I'm by no means a professional, but the amount of plants and all... Not only do they need space, they need care too that isn't given there from the natural surrounding. Also, the ventilation concept. If that means the plants must manually be kept cool too, then the cicle of wasted effort is kinda complete, isn't it? And what about the animals. It sounds like a super-clean concept that would guarantee fox-and-mouse-free streets and i can't find anything about how natural wildlife will pass trough the line. If theres even a chance. If i, as a human, would be tasked with finding one hole between 170km of mirrors, i'd pretty much give up right away. Not even talking about how desoriented wildlife can become when confronted with a huge wall of reflections. I just hope it stays a fun 3D project and never actually sees the daylight.

[@leejerrett8268]

@@Tbop3 It seems a bit self defeating to drop clients every time you think they are spending their money unwisely. Unless you are in a position to talk some sense into the idiotic Saudi Prince behind this whole folly there really isn’t much that can be done to prevent this train-wreck from happening so you may as well profit from it if you can.

[@demetter7936]

Saudi Arabia government is always right with thousands of scientists and engineers working on this you are stupid.

[@karodear]

Have you made a video on your project of the DMZ? I never considered wildlife corridors there, but that sounds really interesting!

[@Powpow078]

U have hit on some very important points a lot of which I feel are being overlooked.

[@palepicturesmedia7270]

A line shape requires the same public buildings (schools, grocery stores, sports clubs, town halls etc.) to be built more often to serve the same amount of residents compared to a classic circular layout where residents can live in the entire radius around public buildings. Just a basic thought I had immediately from playing too much Anno

[@jvdacosta1]

The city I live in (Brasilia, Brazil) was built some 60y ago like that and I can tell you it doesn't work in real life because, just to give a couple of examples, your favorite grocery store might not be the one build in your neighbourhood but another one that is far away. Your doctor might also be in another sector. And so on. It's illogical to impose humans how they have to live they everyday life and if tried it might fail. At least here in Brasilia it failed miserably

[@abdirahmanahmed3514]

In Saudi Arabia there are many people don't have homes for

[@joylox]

Honestly, a circle makes a lot more sense even from a purely mathematical standpoint. Or if they really wanted to, an oval of some sort, perhaps even a star with residential branches coming out of the centre. It's a way to use more space where a line makes me think of a really long cruise ship or something, where the things in the middle can't see out or are surrounded by other things (you can't make a space unique as easily leading to lots of the same building plans), and with a circle, you'd be able to be closer to things without having to build too high up.

[@mikeciul8599]

Interesting that they said this city is not built around machines. Seems to me like the thing that benefits most from a straight-line plan is the train line. I love trains, but is that really any closer to building around people?

[@mosab13]

What if they want to expand though

[@DevinParker]

One of the things Mohammed bin Salman shares with the techbros of Silicon Valley is how enamored they seem to be with utopian visions that require all-new, top-down construction *somewhere else* (that never *quite* deliver on the public good aspect with which they sell it) while ignoring the horrific problems that already exist right outside their own windows.

[@eavyeavy2864]

Mind your own wokeness

[@eavyeavy2864]

Had you care about it, you would protest at usa and uk bombing MENA all year round. But no. It is bad when non-western do it.

[@nosh5081]

How simple it really is to look at some pictures and generalize them..these pictures represent small areas and not the majority, just as before you look at the faults of others, fix your faults first..look at the problem of the homeless in the streets, why doesn't your government help them? Why is your crime rate much higher than ours?

[@InXLsisDeo]

@@ghost_mall The problem is it wouldn't feed Mohamed Bone Saw's huge ego and he would show some interest in his own people. While promoting this insane fantasy of his at the expense of his country, and pitching it to idiotic and naive investors while completely discarding the populace is so much more rewarding for his self gratification. This project makes no sense whatsoever and creates new problems instead of solving the existing ones. It is basically the brainchild of someone who has zero education in urban planning and architecture and zero regard whatsoever to those who will live there (if anyone does). It is absolutely certain it will be a massive failure.

[@mbg4681]

@@nosh5081 >> before you look at the faults of others, fix your faults first _Tu quoque_ fallacy

[@h2m1ify]

Love the videos from Dami!

[@joeqmix]

Great video. The transportation could work along the lines of Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll" - express in the middle, regional, commuter, local, hyperlocal as you get further outside. Anyway, thanks for the much needed splash of cold water.

[@shireenshahizad2337]

I’m not even an architect or involved in any sort of urban planning but I just know that this is possibly the dumbest idea one can think of 😂

[@akosimj9544]

True.

[@Bobsonomatic]

What’s objectively dumb about it?

[@unworthy.potato]

@@Bobsonomatic it’s a line, so what happens when one part of it is cut off? 500m tall mirrors? It’s the middle of a desert (well, they don’t have anywhere else to build I guess), oh yeah and it cuts off all animals from either side

[@MygenteTV]

@@Bobsonomatic the fact that you are even asking this question make you dumber that this whole stupid idea

[@sspectre8217]

@@Bobsonomaticby design it leaves very little room for error. I’m a regular city a rail line or mayor street gets blocked and a region of the city becomes less accessible but you can still get in through secondary roads. If a point on the line’s metro/driveable street gets blocked for some reason then transportation gets completely interrupted from either side beyond that point. Also emergencies like a fire become more dangerous since it can completely interrupt all transportation through that point including just walking

[@PeaceRallyOrg]

"At first I thought it was a Metaverse project" - What a great idea! They should create the city in VR now, as a test run, so people can really visualize what life in this city might be like.

[@mdbrewer07]

Great idea

[@name8099]

Then it's gonna cost more than the building the actual city. 3d graphics, modeling & programming aren't that cheap. That's why Christopher Nolan, the director of the movie "Tenet" crashed an actual plane in to the airport, instead of using computer graphics.

[@PeaceRallyOrg]

@@name8099 No, it won't. They are pricing this project at 1 Trillion dollars. Even if it costs 1 Billion to make it in VR, which is a completely outrageous price for a VR project, it would be one thousand times cheaper to build than the actual project.

[@name8099]

@@PeaceRallyOrg yeah You right but don't you think 1 billion for just a VR, isn't it too much? 🤔 I mean that's lotta money after all 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@plumberbummer]

@@name8099 Yes one Billion dollars is way too much, that's what he said, which means it will be thousands of times cheaper to build this in VR than in real life. You might want to try to read things more than once before you respond. Just some constructive criticism.

[@bigjump2024]

I am glad to see this video because it accurately explains the problem I have thought as since the beginning.

[@henryfong9533]

Great episode. and raise a lot of great questions as well!

[@jorjicostava2913]

this is basically me when i get into a city builder game with infinite money, the cities are beautiful but are actually a cathastrophy

[@smb123211]

Reminds me of a science fiction movie - nice but it's not reality

[@costafilh0]

SimCity 4 with infinite money. Things would never work regardless!

[@hhalnojeidi]

Your limits are fictional,, ours are the sky.

[@smb123211]

@@hhalnojeidi Sounds nice even if not based on reality. These look great in YT videos or presentations but most planned cities work out like Brasilia, Lavasa, Santander and I imagine Nusantara. As a general rule, the more detailed the plan, the greater chance of failure.

[@hhalnojeidi]

@@smb123211 who decides what's reality and what's not? Most extraordinary plans seems unreal, yet I see lots of them worldwide! Regarding your general rule, this is not General rather it is exceptional. Unleash yourself from the system bro! have a nice one :)

[@babubidi2]

This project is a hit, just like the dubai world islands project.

[@athenashah-scarborough858]

One of my standards for whether or not I would want to settle in a city is how sure I can be that it will still be healthy when my children want to have children. No city is perfectly stable, but I can think of no worse place to leave a legacy than a place with no precedent, no natural reason for existing, and single points of failure for everything. This is not a city that could recover from a disaster. Think of Mumbai, New York, London, Cairo; these are all places that have been settled, under many different names, for thousands of years. In three thousand years, there will still be people living where Mumbai is today. In three thousand years, archaeologists will puzzle over the stupidity of the line city-if they ever find it at all.

[@rezahussain5886]

Mumbai will very likely be underwater in 100 years. But yeah, in 3000 years it might be back again.

[@MrMrKeeg]

@@rezahussain5886 Membegh. DEH DEH DEH DEH DEH

[@athenashah-scarborough858]

@@rezahussain5886 Maybe it's a bad example, but substitute it with a more inland city like Delhi or Mexico City and my logic still holds.

[@user-cx9nc4pj8w]

@@athenashah-scarborough858 Mexico city is a perfect example of how change can make a city better off dead. It has so many problems that basically all came about after the Spanish used it in ways it wasn't designed for, culminating in skyscapers on slowly sinking foundations.

[@Gobbersmack]

This city is not being made for people with children.

[@sonsofthewestredwhiteblue5317]

I saw a thumbnail for some crew called ‘Top Luxury’ a few minutes back for ‘Tokyo’s breathtaking 1 million person pyramid’. Yeah… breathtaking alright. Terminally claustrophobic more like. Residents would forming factions and fighting each other to the death for the chance to glimpse the sun and breath fresh air.

[@bijanshadnia3620]

This was a deep piece. Thank you