Cities of the future in Egypt and Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabian government is planning to build a new city called “The Line,” which will be a long, linear city made of glass in the desert. It was initially planned to be 170 km long, but by 2030, it will only be 2.4 km long. The city will ultimately be home to about 9 million people and will cover almost 34 km2. However, there have been some issues with the project, including at least one contractor laying off workers and ongoing turnover in decision-making positions. Additionally, the cost of the project, which is estimated to be $1.5 trillion, may require more funding.

Egypt is also building a new city and tourist resort on the Ras el-Hekma peninsula on the Mediterranean coast. The city will be 170 km2, include an airport, and be capable of accommodating up to 8 million tourists per year. The United Arab Emirates’ ADQ sovereign wealth fund is financing the project. Egypt is also planning to construct 38 “smart cities” by 2050, including The New Administrative Capital (NAC), which will feature the tallest skyscrapers in Africa and a Ministry of Defense building seven times larger than the US Pentagon.

British design studio Layer Joyn has developed a project for the future of urban transportation: an autonomous ridesharing platform for ridesharing companies. The vehicle features eight S-shaped seats that divide the car into two rows facing different directions. The headrests serve as privacy screens, and the app allocates free space.