INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure has been a buzzword in global government and commerce in recent years for several key reasons, but the most important is the limitations legacy structures impinge on modern nationstates. This is a particular problem is the countries that boomed in the 19th and 20th centuries, specifically those in Europe and North America, as cities and regions were planned with 19th and 20th century structures, technology, and populations in mind.

In the present day, many Western nations are delving into the promising future of infrastructural developments in order to try and rework the jigsaw of their aging city geographies, however, the Middle East is in the exact opposite scenario. The Middle East region has the huge advantage of being able to learn from the Western world’s mistakes, as well as having vast swathes of land to build upon, with the financial backing to realise brave and innovative new projects.

Henceforth, infrastructure in the Middle East region is truly exciting in what we could witness in the coming years. Below are several projects to keep an eye on that will change the way human beings live, work, and think about our existence.

NEOM – Saudi Arabia

NEOM is the flagship project of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. It is a US$500 billion high-tech city on the country’s northwest coast. Situated at the “crossroads of the world,” the city will span 26,500km² and is strategically placed east of Egypt, South of Jordan, and extends 460 km along the coast of the Red Sea. Dedicated to future technologies across 16 sectors— including food, manufacturing, and technology—NEOM will introduce a new model for living. Focusing on nature and creating a sustainable, liveable, and walkable city, NEOM will be powered by 100% renewable energy and become a tourist and innovation hub. At the centre of the city’s design is The Line—a 170km belt of hyperconnected future communities without cars and roads and built around nature. This revolution in urban living at NEOM is desired to become a blueprint for how people and the planet can co-exist in harmony.

Guggenheim – Abu Dhabi

Designed by legendary architect Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Museum in Abu Dhabi will open in 2025. Located in the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural District, the museum is a collaboration between the Department of Culture and Tourism—Abu Dhabi (DCT) and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. The 42,000sqm building will become the largest of the four Guggenheim museums globally. The design of the building is “an experiment in inventive 21st-century museum design” and will comprise a cluster of galleries of varying heights, shapes, and characters. The final building will also contain a centre for art and technology, a children's education facility, archives, a library, and a conservation laboratory.

Etihad Rail

Etihad Rail is the UAE’s new national rail network. With the goal of connecting the UAE to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—a political and economic union of six Arab states bordering the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain— the state-of-the-art network will form a vital part of the planned railway network across the GCC. Built in several stages, the railway will eventually stretch for 1,000km across the UAE. Stage One connecting Shah and Habshan to Ruwais was completed in January 2016. Stage Two will connect Ruwais with Ghuweifat on the UAE border with Saudi Arabia is underway. The railway will redefine logistics and transport in the region, providing a modern, safe, efficient, and sustainable network and will act as a catalyst for economic growth and sustained social development.