The Line: A Zero Gravity Theory for Urban Design

Abstract

Investigating The Line, Saudi Arabia's newest megacity, through the lenses of the Cartesian and Relativity paradigms appears paradoxical, but it is critical to our understanding of future cities. Most cities worldwide have been experimenting with various concepts to connect people to nature but have yet to succeed. The Line pioneered a zero-gravity approach to balancing people's relationships with nature and people with themselves. This paper examines the essential urban design concepts and theories during the last century's quantum leaps in their development. The goal is to provide a framework for future cities by uncovering concepts for future cities regarding layout, density, urban space, and urban ecology through a comparative analysis with The Line.