Case Study: NEOM – THE LINE
Client: Neom
Location: Red Sea, Saudi Arabia
Area: 6,550,000 acres
Scope: Landscape Guidelines and Forest Strategy

Project Overview 

NEOM – THE LINE represents a bold new vision for urban living within the 26,500 km² NEOM Special Zone, stretching from the Egyptian to the Jordanian border. Envisioned as a linear city of unprecedented scale and ambition, THE LINE aims to integrate human settlement, economic opportunity, and nature in perfect harmony. Schaduf Landscape Architects, in collaboration with SWA, was retained to develop comprehensive landscape guidelines and a forest strategy to shape the project’s long-term ecological framework.

Challenges 

• Unprecedented Scale: Crafting cohesive guidelines across 6.55 million acres demanded a unifying vision that could be adapted to a range of terrain and climatic conditions.
• Ecological Integrity: THE LINE’s ambition to preserve 95% of its natural environment required a forest strategy that balances habitat restoration, water availability, and species selection at continental scale.
• Guidelines for Innovation: As a pilot for future cities, NEOM needed landscape standards that accommodate cutting-edge technologies—while remaining practical for phased development.
• Stakeholder Coordination: Aligning environmental, engineering, and urban design teams on a shared set of landscape principles across multiple international partners.

Solutions 

• Holistic Landscape Framework: We established a tiered set of guidelines defining typologies—from coastal mangrove restoration to desert wadi corridors—to ensure ecological coherence across all zones.
• Forest Strategy: Working with SWA, we identified native and climate-resilient species suitable for large-scale afforestation and urban greening, creating multi-layered canopy structures that enhance biodiversity and sequester carbon.
• Adaptive Standards: The guidelines include modular planting palettes, water-wise irrigation protocols, and maintenance best-practices, enabling local adaptation while maintaining a unified NEOM identity.
• Collaborative Workshops: Cross-disciplinary charrettes brought together planners, engineers, ecologists, and local stakeholders to refine guidelines, ensuring technical feasibility and cultural resonance.

Outcomes 

• Integrated Ecological Vision: A clear set of landscape and forest guidelines now underpins all design phases of THE LINE, guiding everything from street-edge plantings to large-scale woodland belts.
• Proof-of-Concept Afforestation: Pilot demonstration gardens and test corridors have validated species performance, informing full-scale implementation.
• Enhanced Stakeholder Alignment: Shared metrics and design tools have streamlined coordination among consultants, developers, and NEOM leadership.
• Blueprint for Future Cities: The guidelines serve as a replicable model for other high-density, low-impact urban developments worldwide.

Conclusion 

Schaduf’s landscape guidelines and forest strategy establish the ecological foundation for NEOM – THE LINE’s transformative vision. By marrying scientific rigor with visionary planning, we have equipped NEOM to realize a city that preserves nature, fosters innovation, and sets a new global standard for sustainable urban living.