Saudi Arabia has announced plans to construct a mind-bending ‘upside down skyscraper’ as part of its rapid development of NEOM – a burgeoning construction site that the Kingdom aims to turn into a next-generation megacity on the Red Sea.
The new site, dubbed ‘Aquellum’ and billed as a ‘luxury and experiential space offering guests a taste of futuristic living’, looks like something out of a sci-fi video game and sparks both interest and skepticism upon first viewing.
Digital mockups of the planned development, set to be embedded within a 1,500ft-high mountain range along the Gulf of Aqaba coastline in northwestern Saudi Arabia, show a 330ft-high megastructure bustling with amenities, not to mention stunning views.
Its proposed concealed location means visitors will have to access the proposed development on a specially designed vessel via an underground canal.
Upon arrival, visitors would emerge into a cavernous space built within the mountain, surrounded by all manner of facilities, including decadent hotels and apartments, retail spaces, and ‘leisure and entertainment zones’.
Saudi Arabia has announced plans to construct a mind-bending ‘upside down skyscraper’ on the Red Sea
Upon arrival, visitors would emerge into a cavernous space built within the mountain, surrounded by all manner of facilities
Its proposed concealed location means visitors will have to access the proposed development on a specially-designed vessel via an underground canal
The new site, dubbed ‘Aquellum’ and billed as a ‘luxury and experiential space offering guests a taste of futuristic living’, sparks both interest and skepticism upon first viewing
These megacities will provide tens of thousands of jobs and boost Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry, with its developers hoping the futuristic, high-tech projects will attract billions in foreign investment