No, not that Peter Cook.

The UK architects’ designs for the linear desert metropolis known as THE LINE – the controverisal flagship project within the wider NEOM smart city development – are among those currently being displayed in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, until 29 April.  Early visualisations show two parallel mirror-clad skyscrapers running through the desert, with high speed rail, gardens and walkways suspended between them.

The wider NEOM scheme has come in for criticism on both environmental and human rights grounds, including the eviction of the local population to make way for the development. In 2018, Norman Foster withdrew from NEOM’s advisory board following the state-sponsored killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

It is not yet known what other architects are working on NEOM, with only THE LINE and three other sections of the smart city so far announced.

Read the full story at Architects Journal