Back in 2005, the Saudi government announced plans to create a new city (from scratch) on its western coast that will be the size of Washington D.C. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat reports that construction is already under way.
The city is named after the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who died in January 2015. Its formal name is the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC).
Having a city on the peninsular country’s western coast will give it access to the Suez Canal, reflecting the government’s attempt to diversify its oil-dependent economy by focusing more in its shipping industry.
According to the CTBUH, Saudi Arabia hopes the port will be part of a new Silk Road that will connect with Mediterranean countries and Southern Europe.
Eric Reguly, a journalist of Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper, who visited the under-construction city a few months ago, said the site looks more like a movie set.
“The rest of the city is pretty much an expanse of nothing, save for a suburb of villas, an international school and, a dozen kilometers to the north, a container-ship port, and a few factories in an area that could double as a stage set for a Mad Max film,” Reguly writes.
During a recent interview with Public Radio International, Reguly said that the city’s reliance on cars is an obvious flaw. “"It's going to be very much dependent on cheap oil," he adds, which was the very thing the city was designed to avoid.
For more information on the project, visit The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat and Globe and Mail.
Related Stories
Mixed-Use | Dec 23, 2015
'Tree-covered mountains' planned for urban Shanghai
Heatherwick Studio unveiled a 300,000-sm mixed-use project in the Chinese city’s main arts district.
Mixed-Use | Nov 16, 2015
Italian architect designs vertical forest with prefab units by BuroHappold
Cantilevered planters will host cedar trees and other plants hundreds of feet above ground.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 7, 2015
BIG designs lush, terraced mixed-use building in Sweden
Cascading glass and wooden cubes create a form similar to Northern Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway rock formation.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 1, 2015
Wiel Arets unveils twin, 558-foot mixed-use towers in Bahrain’s capital
The development, Bahrain Bay Tower, will consist of two residential towers connected “by a plinth of retail, office, parking, and public park space.”
Cultural Facilities | Sep 24, 2015
Bakpak Architects' 'pottery courtyard' concept in Poland incorporates local heritage
The multifunctional building proposed for Rzeszow, Poland, looks like it was handcrafted on a potter’s wheel.
Mixed-Use | Aug 26, 2015
Innovation districts + tech clusters: How the ‘open innovation’ era is revitalizing urban cores
In the race for highly coveted tech companies and startups, cities, institutions, and developers are teaming to form innovation hot pockets.
High-rise Construction | Aug 7, 2015
Tribute tower to cricket world champs will be Sri Lanka’s tallest
The 1996 Iconic Tower will be a tribute to the country’s cricket team, which won the World Cup in 1996.
High-rise Construction | Aug 4, 2015
Construction of Vietnam’s tallest building commences in Ho Chi Minh City
A 1,509-foot skyscraper broke ground on the banks of the Saigon River in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
High-rise Construction | Jul 29, 2015
Jerusalem to get a high-rise pyramid by Daniel Libeskind
Are pyramids making a comeback? The city of Paris recently approved a triangle-shaped building that stirred controversy from residents. Now, the city of Jerusalem gave Libeskind's pyramid tower the go-ahead.
Mixed-Use | Jul 22, 2015
Despite China's 'ghost cities,' the country continues construction boom
Cities continue to spring up in the heart of China. Designed to accommodate millions, many are still nearly empty.
