‘Upside-down skyscraper’ hidden in mountain that will offer ‘futuristic living’

Saudi Arabia has revealed plans to further its NEOM construction project.

The latest addition to the enormous and ambitious project of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is made up of an 'upside-down skyscraper'.

Previous elements of the project have included a 75-mile-long pair of skyscrapers cutting through the desert.

NEOM was named as a portmanteau of Neo for 'new' and M for 'madina', the Arabic word for 'city'.

It has also been suggested that the M could be a tribute to Mohammed, both the Prophet, and perhaps also the Crown Prince.

The latest part of the project is called 'Aquellum', and moves underground rather than through the desert.

An announcement from NEOM on the project's website states: "Aquellum will be a subterranean digitalized community of the future. Invisible from the outside, this hidden world will be driven by boundless imagination, inverting architectural principles to integrate with nature.

NEOM

"It will seamlessly connect hotel accommodation, apartments, retail spaces, leisure and entertainment zones and innovative hubs."

The NEOM project comes as Saudi Arabia makes efforts to change public perceptions of it as an oil-dependant state, particularly after the country's commitments to the goals of the Paris Agreement.

And the project is certainly ambitious.

The description continues: "Once inside, visitors will be treated to an exhilarating, 100-meter-high vertical experience with an impressive courtyard space stretching from the water to the sky. ​

"This subterranean digitalized community creates vibrancy and interconnectivity through seamlessly blending hotel accommodation, apartments, retail spaces, leisure and entertainment zones and innovative hubs."

It adds: "A dynamic boulevard winds through the courtyard, connecting diverse social spaces, world-class hospitality, immersive arts, events, shopping and dining.

NEOM

"A signature space, dubbed ‘The Generator’, houses unique research labs for disruptors, innovators, and creative thinkers, offering a platform where the future is reimagined."

NEOM is not the only project being undertaken by Saudi Arabia.

Another is the oil demand sustainability programme (ODSP).

A description on the project's website explains: "The OSP’s ambition is to create opportunities and applications for Hydrocarbons globally as a competitive source of energy, both from an economic and an environmental point of view, while ensuring Hydrocarbons remain part of the global energy mix in the most efficient and sustainable way.

"The program enables and supports the transition by removing barriers to energy access in developing markets, accelerating technological advancements, and increasing sustainability."

Following an undercover investigation, critics of the project have claimed it aims to get poorer nations 'hooked' on oil as richer countries move towards greener energy.