NEOM launches first international exhibition in Venice
Newswire
Venice: NEOM this week launched its first international exhibition in Venice while presenting the key design principles underlying The Line.
Called “Zero Gravity Urbanism — Principles for a New Livability,” the exhibition plays host to more than 20 of the world’s leading architects and innovative designers.
Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the minister of culture, attended the inauguration ceremony before the exhibition’s official launch at the Abbazia di San Gregorio. The minister had traveled to Italy on an official visit to help strengthen cultural cooperation between the host country and the Kingdom.
The exhibition boasted a panel discussion with NEOM CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr and other experts who put the spotlight on the global importance of zero gravity urbanism.
The discussion also looked at the project’s significance in protecting nature along coastal, mountainous, and desert regions.
Tarek Qaddumi, an executive director from NEOM’s urban planning team, said the exhibition was important as it allowed the architecture community to analyze the level of creativity and innovation underpinning zero gravity urbanism. The exhibition runs until Sept. 24.
Zero Gravity Urbanism – Principles for a New Livability aims to address environmental and social challenges between nature, conservation, liveability and human progress.
The exhibition brings together leading architectural firms, which include Adjaye, DMAA, Fuksas, Morphosis, Oyler Wu, Sir Peter Cook and UNStudio. The venue will also host special events including educational programs and round tables with architects, academics and urban thinkers.
Upon completion, The Line will accommodate up to nine million people, and will have a land footprint of two per cent of cities with a similar population. Plus, the site will be fully powered by renewable energy and supported with sustainable water as well as food production.
Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of NEOM, explained, “The work undertaken by Neom in the last few years will not only be important in the context of The Line will, but will also in a proactive and meaningful way, help to engage in the ongoing development of sustainable urban design globally.”
Antoni Vives, Chief Urban Planning Officer of NEOM, added, “68% of the world’s population is expected to be living in urban areas by 2050. The current global urban model driven by the automobile is failing and must be revisited considering its impact on the environment and on people’s wellbeing.”
Neom is scheduled to open to tourists in 2024. Upon completion, it will be the size of Belgium and sits north of the Red Sea coastline. The exciting developments also range from the world’s largest floating industrial complex to Sindalah Island’s beaches. The $1.5 billion Neom Railway development will connect The Line with Oxagon.
