Urban Design Archives - edESTESdesign

nordic office of architecture delivers phase one of oslo’s new government quarter

Nordic Office of Architecture with Haptic Architects, Scenario, and I-d. Interiørarkitektur & Design completes the first phase of Norway’s New Government Quarter in Oslo, on the site of the July 22nd, 2011, terrorist attacks, reopening the political center of the country as a reconfigured civic landscape. The masterplanconsolidates nearly all Norwegian ministries into a compact campus for around 4,100 employees. Framed as a ‘design for democracy,’ the project brings government functions together while restoring pedestrian routes, public plazas, and daily urban life to an area long defined by trauma and security barriers.

The masterplan arranges five new and two restored buildings as a ring of ministries around interconnected public spaces, stitching the quarter back into Oslo’s historic center. Phase 1 includes the restored Høyblokken alongside the new A- and D-blocks, forming what the architects describe as a public ‘front line’ facing the city. The retained G-block and future phases complete a walkable campus that balances visibility and discretion. ‘The New Government Quarter is now part of Oslo’s everyday life rather than an isolated enclave,’ says Knut Hovland, Partner and Head of Design at Nordic Office of Architecture.

all images by Hufton + Crow

New Government Quarter phase one opens to the public

Previously, the former Y-block and surrounding road infrastructure had created a car-centric enclave. In its place, the Norway-, Denmark- and Iceland-based architectslink Hammersborg, the city center, and the fjord through reopened streets, refreshed plazas at Johan Nygaardsvolds plass and Einar Gerhardsens plass, and new pedestrian and cycling connections. A future public park, Regjeringsparken, designed with SLA and Bjørbekk & Lindheim, will introduce open lawns, native planting, and clear sightlines that maintain both accessibility and security.

At the center of Phase 1 stands the A-block and its 51-meter-high Pyramid Hall, a timber-lined atrium that functions as both lobby and symbolic heart. The space is animated by Outi Pieski’s AAhkA (Mother Earth), a vertically rising artwork that addresses Sámi history and indigenous futurism. Generous glazing, visible circulation, and open ground floors position the building as a permeable threshold between state and citizen. ‘From day one, the question was how to create a place that symbolizes Norwegian democracy and identity. We were asked to design a secure government district, but also a place where people feel welcome to walk, sit, protest and remember – a government quarter that belongs to the whole of Norway,’ reflects Gudmund Stokke, founding partner and head of design at Nordic Office of Architecture.

Bridges and shared social zones form what the team calls the Collaboration District, connecting ministries at the first-floor level and encouraging cross-departmental exchange. Internally, modular floor plates and flexible office layouts are designed to adapt to evolving political structures and digital work practices over decades.

the first phase of Norway’s New Government Quarter in Oslo is completed

embedding security in landscape and long-term sustainability

The architecture responds directly to the post-2011 dilemma of reconciling security with public trust. Protective measures are integrated into landscape design, building envelopes, and controlled vehicle access. Clear sightlines, active ground levels, cafés, and accessible gardens invite everyday use.

Material choices root the complex in Norwegian geology and craft traditions. Larvikite stone clads facades and public surfaces, selected for durability and long-term patina. Locally sourced timber from Nordmarka brings warmth to interiors, while boatbuilders Risør Båtbyggeri, in collaboration with Biko, contributed to the double-curved wooden surfaces and sculpted stair elements. The buildings are designed to meet BREEAM-NOR Excellent standards, incorporating seawater-based heating and cooling, low-carbon concrete, and detailed envelopes to reduce operational energy demand. Approximately 20 percent of the 15,800 furniture items in Phase 1 are reused from previous government buildings, aligning circularity with continuity.

reopening the political center of the country as a reconfigured civic landscape

art as memory and continuity

Curated and produced by KORO, the quarter hosts Norway’s largest public art program, comprising around 300 new and re-sited works. Artworks bearing visible traces of the 2011 attack have been conserved and relocated, forming a distributed memorial embedded in daily use.

The collection includes Pablo Picasso’s sandblasted concrete mural. The Fishermen, relocated from the former Y-block to the southwest facade of the A-block; Do Ho Suh’s Grass Roots Square, a field of approximately 50,000 small bronze figures supporting stone slabs at Einar Gerhardsen’s plass; and Jumana Manna’s 800-square-meter mosaic Sebastia at Johan Nygaardsvolds plass, composed of stone offcuts donated by municipalities across Norway, turning the plaza into a literal ‘city floor.’ The project also incorporates the public 22 July Centre, dedicated to the events of July 22nd, 2011, and anticipates the unveiling of the new National 22 July Memorial in summer 2026, marking 15 years since the attacks.

the masterplan consolidates nearly all Norwegian ministries into a compact campus for around 4,100 employees

a national commission

Commissioned by the Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Administration with Statsbygg as developer, the project was awarded in 2017 to the Team Urbis consortium led by Nordic Office of Architecture. Phase 1 was delivered on time and within the parliamentary budget frame of NOK 24.7 billion and is expected to be completed for more than NOK 2 billion under this ceiling.

‘The New Government Quarter is a once-in-a-generation commission that demonstrates how architecture, landscape, engineering and art can come together on one of the most sensitive sites in Norway,’ says Eskild Andersen, CEO and Partner at Nordic Office of Architecture. ‘It transforms a closed government district into an open civic heart for Oslo and the country, where everyday government and everyday life converge.’ With Phase 2 set to begin in 2026 and complete by 2030, the quarter remains a long-term national project.

framed as a ‘design for democracy’

the project brings government functions together

the space is animated by Outi Pieski’s AAhkA (Mother Earth)

Phase 1 includes the restored Høyblokken alongside the new A- and D-blocks

a public ‘front line’ facing the city

the masterplan arranges five new and two restored buildings as a ring of ministries

the architecture responds directly to the post-2011 dilemma of reconciling security with public trust

clear sightlines, active ground levels, cafés, and accessible gardens invite everyday use

1/5

historic terrazzo column and vertical timber paneling highlight material continuity across old and new

a sculpted timber staircase spirals through the atrium

a large-scale mural animates the collaboration district

the prime minister’s meeting room combines stone, timber ceilings, and curated norwegian design pieces

timber-lined informal meeting area in høyblokken

Washington Commanders share new stadium renderings by HKS

Daniel Jonas Roche |

The new renderings give a sense of what the fan experience will look like on the ground.

Visuals reveal the stadium’s perimeter shrouded in vegetation and a new spherocylindrical, capsule-shaped grass lawn for tailgating, concerts, etc. The lawn feeds into a plaza that fronts the main entry.

aerial view of Washington Commanders stadium — New renderings show the perimeter shrouded in vegetation. (Courtesy Washington Commanders)

Updated renderings also show how the stadium will appear from three major access points: East Capitol Street Northeast, the Whitney Young Memorial Bridge, and East Capitol Street Southeast.

The stadium’s concave profile will maintain sight lines from East Capitol Street Southeast of the Capital Building and Washington Monument, according to the renderings.

Architecturally speaking, the new renderings also show subtle changes in the columns.

lawn in front of washington commanders stadium — A large grass lawn will host tailgates and concerts. (Courtesy Washington Commanders)

road and view of stadium — View from East Capitol Street Southeast shows the roof of the U.S. Capitol Building and Washington Monument towering up over the roof of the stadium. (Courtesy Washington Commanders)

The last batch of renderings by HKS was issued in January; the tranche showed the stadium’s form and how it will axially respond to the U.S. Capitol Building and the Washington Monument, in alignment with the L’Enfant Plan.

Conceptual drawings by HKS were subsequently submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) for consideration on February 5. NCPC chairman Will Scharf called the design by HKS “a really incredible stadium,” while others said there was room for improvement.

Paul Ingrassia, General Services Administration acting general counsel, noted he appreciated “the references to classical architecture,” by HKS but said the columns could be redesigned to “convey a sense of heft and gravity for when people enter.”

As per Ingrassia’s direction, this latest cache shows the profile intact, albeit with perhaps more Greco-Roman influence in the columns, which seem to be different in plan.

A tall, vertical void is located at the outset of the columns, per the new renderings, creating a sense of depth and shadows.

road and view of washington commanders stadium — View from Whitney Young Memorial Bridge (Courtesy Washington Commanders)

The roofed stadium will ultimately be able to host 70,000 people and serve as an anchor of a mixed-use development. HKS noted 30 percent of the 180-acre site will be open space.

Vertical construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2027, and full completion is scheduled for 2030.

The Washington Commanders noted the design process is ongoing; the franchise is still seeking input from stakeholders, city officials, and community members.

The jury is still out on whether or not the stadium will be named after President Trump.

Who is a woman who’s made an impact on your career?

by Edward Mitchell Estes

For me, the answer is my mother, Emellen Mitchell Estes. Long before I was designing urban spaces or serving as Mayor, she was the one who gave me the “zoning permits” to build imaginary cities in our backyard in Atlanta.

An educator at heart, Emellen was a graduate of two iconic HBCUs—Morris Brown College and Atlanta University, now known as Clark-Atlanta University. She served as a teacher and Principal in the Atlanta Public Schools during the segregated 50s, 60s, and 70s. Despite the challenges of the era, she and my father fostered my passion for art, architecture, and the performing arts.

A tribute to Emellen Mitchell Estes, a dedicated educator and mother, whose influence shaped a legacy in architecture and education.

She didn’t just teach me how to build; she taught me who I was. She shared our rich ancestral history and kept me grounded in faith at the historic Big Bethel AME Church on Auburn Avenue.

I am the architectural designer, urban planner, and graphic & web designer I am today because she believed in the blueprints of my imagination.

Hassell and SOM set the benchmark for Bradfield City’s foundational precinct

The Bradfield Development Authority has revealed the next major milestone in the creation of Australia’s first new city in more than a century, unveiling the master plan and concept design for Bradfield City’s First Land Release, known as Superlot 1.

by Clémence Carayol

Designed by Hassell and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), in collaboration with cultural design partners Djinjama and COLA Studio, the ambitious reference design establishes a new benchmark for sustainable, inclusive and future-focused urban development.

The precinct will serve as the physical and symbolic gateway to Bradfield City, setting the tone for its evolution as Western Sydney’s new urban heart.

“We set out to create a precinct where nature and urban life are intertwined, ensuring Bradfield City feels welcoming, sustainable and uniquely of its place,” says Kevin Lloyd, Principal, Hassell.

Bradfield City First Land Release - Hotel and Commercial.jpg

Delivered by the NSW Government alongside developer and investor Plenary, the First Land Release is envisioned as a vibrant, 24/7 mixed-use precinct that will catalyse investment, innovation and community life.

More than 1,400 new homes will be delivered, including 10 per cent dedicated to affordable housing, alongside commercial, retail and community spaces.

The precinct is strategically positioned within minutes of the new Metro station and the expansive Central Park, reinforcing Bradfield City’s role as a highly connected metropolitan centre.

At the core of the master plan is an ambition to create a place where transport connectivity, urban density and deep respect for Country coexist.

This vision is expressed through the ‘Green Loop’, a 15-metre-wide landscape spine that weaves Moore Gully’s natural systems through the built environment. Shaped by extensive First Nations engagement and informed by Country through cultural design partner Djinjama, the landscape and architecture feel intrinsically connected to place from the outset.

Bradfield City First Land Release - Green Loop View.jpg

Anchoring the Green Loop is the Community Gathering Space, an intergenerational hub housed within a striking timber pavilion. Its woven canopy of interlocking timber reflects the Aboriginal principle of “Enoughness”, taking only what is needed, offering a sustainable prototype for learning, gathering and connection that exists in harmony with the loop’s water and biodiversity systems.

The precinct’s design prioritises permeability and movement. A fine-grained network of active streets and mid-block pathways promotes walkability, safety and vibrant street life. At ground level, public spaces, retail, lobbies and shared amenities activate street frontages, encouraging daily interaction and participation in community life.

As an economic and cultural anchor for the new city, the First Land Release will integrate a major education campus, a hotel and commercial office spaces, strategically clustered near the Metro to foster a thriving innovation hub.

A diverse housing mix — including student accommodation, affordable housing and market-rate apartments — ensures a truly intergenerational community from day one.

Bradfield City’s First Land Release represents a confident new model for city-making: one that celebrates Country, champions sustainability and innovation, and places community at its core, setting a powerful precedent for Sydney’s newest city.

“To design a new city is both a rare opportunity and a profound responsibility. Bradfield City is a chance to shape a vision with Country and community, embedding resilience, sustainability, and innovation into every layer of the city,” says Michael Powell, Senior Associate Principal, SOM.

Images: Bradfield City First Land Release / supplied

Populous launches Atlanta office as stadium business booms

By Henry Queen – Staff Reporter, Atlanta Business Chronicle

Populous is setting up shop in Atlanta after 30 years of local projects dating back to the 1996 Olympic Games.

The global design firm recently debuted here with five employees but could rapidly grow, said Jonathan Mallie, managing director of the Americas at Populous. The office is at 505 North Angier Ave. NE, where the Industrious at Old Fourth Ward coworking space is located.

Industry veterans Rob Svedberg and Lee Pollock were recruited from TVS and Jacobs, respectively, to lead the office.

“We’ve always had an eye on the Southeast,” Maillie told Atlanta Business Chronicle in a phone interview. “But for one reason or another, we never opened an office in the Southeast despite the number of projects we had. Taking a look at the amount of work, Atlanta makes the most sense in the world. You’re talking about an international hub; an incredible, vibrant city; and a place that we’re extremely excited to be a part of.”

The company’s portfolio of work includes Truist Park; Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion; Nashville, Tennessee’s Geodis Park soccer stadium; and the renovation of Synovus Park, the new home of the Atlanta Braves’ minor-league affiliate in Columbus. Then known as HOK Sport, the company was also instrumental in planning out the venues and temporary infrastructure for the ’96 Olympics.

Ongoing stadium projects in the Southeast are Mobile Arena in Alabama and the University of South Carolina’s Williams-Brice Stadium, which is benefiting from approximately $350 million in upgrades.

Kansas City, Missouri-based Populous is also active at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport through its subsidiary Fentress Studios, which it acquired for an undisclosed sum in June 2025. That Denver-based architecture firm is working to create a more efficient lobby and security checkpoint at the north terminal.

Airports are similar to stadiums, Maillie said, in that they draw large crowds of people and are ripe for improving the customer experience.

The people that Populous recruited to head the Atlanta office are notable. Svedberg was involved in the initial design work at LaGrange Cricket Stadium, the 10,500-seat project that broke ground late last year. Other projects of his include the expansion of New York City’s Javits Center, Mumbai’s Jio World Centre, Nashville’s new Nissan Stadium and the rooftop expansion of the Colorado Convention Center in Downtown Denver.

Pollock brings 30 years of design experience, with projects located in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.

Other team members include Jonathan Bartlett, Matt Friesen and Meredith Mejia.

Just last month, Populous opened an office in Austin, Texas. Headcount at its Los Angeles office, meanwhile, grew about tenfold since its opening, Maille said.

“We have every intention of growing the Atlanta office,” Maille said. “It can move quickly if things are going well.”

Populous has 35 offices across the world, employing more than 1,600 people.

Last year, the firm relocated its Kansas City headquarters in the Country Club Plaza area to Downtown’s 1400KC building, also home to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.

Populous also recently launched a new real estate service focused on designing mixed-use districts around sports, entertainment and civic venues. Atlanta is a hotbed for that activity, as evidenced by The Battery Atlanta surrounding Truist Park and Centennial Yards rising in the shadows of Downtown’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena.

“We refer to them as experiential districts that are developing around venues,” Maillie said. “And those venues could be sports facilities, they could be purely concert venues. They could be airports, or they could be convention centers. [It’s] almost a movement right now.”

thomas phifer’s arched wagner pavilion signals flood-resiliency for lower manhattan

wagner park and pavilion opens in battery park city

Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park and Pavilion is a new waterfront landscape and civic structure in New York‘s Battery Park City designed by Thomas Phifer and Partnerswith AECOM.

Set along the southern edge of Lower Manhattan, the project reimagines a familiar public space as an elevated terrain shaped by coastal protection and long views across the harbor.

The work forms a central component of the South Battery Park City Resiliency Project, where flood defense is designed as civic infrastructure. The park rises nearly ten feet above its previous elevation in a calibrated shift that responds to projections for future storms and rising sea levels, all while preserving public access to the water’s edge.

images © Scott Frances

an ascending landscape as resilient infrastructure

Visitors and residents of New York’s Battery Park City approach the new Wagner Pavilion through gently sloping gardens dotted with trees and plantings. The gradual ascent creates a slow reveal of the vast waterfront, with footpaths oriented to maintain sightlines toward the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

The elevated landscape conceals a continuous flood protection system beneath lawns and planting beds. A sheet pile floodwall is driven to bedrock below the central lawn, linking to exposed segments that connect with defenses to the north and south. The team at AECOM and the architects at Thomas Phifer and Partners embed this infrastructure within the park’s topography so that public space remains at once uninterrupted and protected from rising water levels.

the Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park reshapes the southern edge of Battery Park City

design informed by stormwater strategies

The organization of Wagner Park follows the legacy layout of lawns, gardens, and pavilion spaces, translated into resilient a new section of Battery Park City. The surface reads as a vast green plane, yet its grading guides stormwater toward planted areas and filtration zones with precision. This balance between openness and performance defines much of the park’s character.

Stormwater strategies are split across wet and dry sides of the flood line. On the water-facing side, rain moves through performative gardens and into an underground infiltration gallery before releasing gradually into the soil. Landward areas channel water to a reuse cistern for irrigation and maintenance. Materials reinforce this system, with high albedo pavers, pervious surfaces, and salvaged stone and wood contributing to durability and environmental performance.

flood protection infrastructure is embedded beneath lawns to preserve open waterfront access

Ecology at the Water’s Edge

Along the harbor, the park introduces a living shoreline that supports habitat and public education. Terraced edges, habitat shelves, and tide pools create varied conditions for native plantings and marine life, while engineered pile wraps and textured concrete expand surfaces for invertebrates. A marine habitat education zone near Pier A brings these systems into view, linking ecological processes with everyday experience.

Planting across the site emphasizes seasonal change and regional ecologies, from tidal estuary to upland woodland. Path widths are kept tight to increase green coverage, and tree canopies temper summer heat with shade and filtered light. The park has earned Gold certification under the Waterfront Alliance’s Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines, reflecting an integrated approach to resilience, ecology, and access.

the Wagner Pavilion marks the transition between city, park, and water

the sculpted pavilion by thomas phifer and partners

Approaching from within the park, the Wagner Pavilion appears as a low, sculpted form aligned with the terrain. Its deep red concrete carries a warmth that resonates with nearby historic masonry, including Castle Clinton and other harbor fortifications. A sequence of arched vaults defines the entry piazza, framing the passage from garden to open harbor.

Moving through the central vault, the landscape opens toward the water, with the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island precisely framed. The pavilion acts as a threshold rather than a destination alone, marking the transition between city, park, and harbor. Access from the esplanade below is equally considered, with ramps and stairs offering multiple paths upward.

warm red concrete vaults frame views toward the Statue of Liberty

inside new york’s wagner pavilion

Inside, the Wagner Pavilion accommodates a restaurant and a classroom, extending the park’s public life into sheltered spaces. Outdoor seating spills into the piazza, encouraging overlap between interior activity and the surrounding gardens. Circulation continues upward via broad stairs and an elevator to an observation deck that offers panoramic views across New York Harbor, The Battery, and inland toward downtown Manhattan.

The roof edge is softened by planting that echoes nearby landscapes. Curved walls mirror the contours of the park, reinforcing a sense of continuity between building and landscape. Within the broader framework of Battery Park City, the pavilion reads as a carefully tuned civic room shaped by its resilient and enduring relationship with the waterfront.

HKS releases first design of colonnaded Washington Commanders Stadium

Ben Dreith

Architecture studio HKS and NFL team the Washington Commanders have revealed images of a “monumental” stadium wrapped in a colonnade, set to be built in Washington, DC.

With a capacity of more than 70,000, the Washington Commanders Stadium at the RFK Campus was designed by HKS to be monumental, both in its sheer size and impact on the Washington DC skyline.

It will be wrapped in a white colonnade that recalls the city’s civic monuments including the Lincoln Memorial.

According to the team, it was designed with respect to the layout of Washington DC – known as the L’Enfant Plan – with deference to the Capitol Building and the RFK Stadium that is currently on the site.

“Every design decision is guided by the significance of place – shaped by its local, regional and national history and generations of memories rooted in RFK Stadium,” said HKS global venues director Mark A Williams.

“Monumental in presence, grounded in the L’Enfant Plan and scaled to the urban fabric of the district, the stadium design will be a bold civic landmark that carries the city’s architectural legacy forward in a way that is confident, dynamic and unmistakably Washington, DC.”

Positioned on a roundabout interchange adjacent to the Anacostia River and the parklands of the RFK Campus, the stadium will have a cable-net, anti-clastic glass roofing system.

The shape of the roof “establishes a dynamic yet respectful profile rising to welcome visitors from the north and south while maintaining a lower presence along the east–west axis in deference to the US Capitol and monuments,” according to HKS.

The sleek column system will stand in front of large expanses of glass. Around the roofline, the columns will intersect with a massive bezel-like form that lines the rim of the bowl. The columns will be most likely be made from coloured concrete.

Renderings show a potential lantern-like effect at night, given the large amounts of glass used for the facade treatment.

At the primary entry points on the east and west side, the bowl will dip down to compress a wide glass-fronted entryway. Within the stadium, the field will be sunk meaning visitors enter at a higher plane, similar to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

This entrance will sit on a plinth, reminiscent of other civic buildings in Washington DC.

Hardscape surrounding the stadium will allow for pre-game gatherings and other public events, and the renderings show millions of square feet of development, laid out to adhere to the Perkins Eastman masterplan of the RFK campus, which connects to the river.

The stadium design has been highly anticipated. Though the Washington Commanders stopped using RFK in the late 1990s, other sports such as football, baseball and collegiate American football were played there through the 2010s, with the George Dahl-designed stadium going out of commission in 2019.

It is currently being gradually disassembled.

RFK’s site has been contentious given the multiple jurisdictions in Washington DC. However, last year, the property moved from being administered by the National Parks Service to the local government, which leased out the land to the Commanders and approved the development plans late last year.

Due to its proximity to the capital, the design has also been the subject of national debate. The Donald Trump-appointed chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the commission that oversees buildings in the Capital Region, suggested that the stadium should be “classical” at a meeting in December.

A source close to the project said that the decision to have the collonades on the stadium occurred well before these comments, and that the Washington Commanders’ management and architects will work with the NCPC, which has an advisory but not approbative say in the matter.

The renderings suggest an integration of both classical and contemporary elements in the design.

Washington Commanders president Mark Clouse emphasised the focus on football in his statement on the design release, as well as the importance of the structure to the wider community. Community engagement processes requesting feedback for the design are ongoing.

“We’re designing a stadium that amplifies the energy of football, supports year-round events and becomes a place the community can be proud of,” said Clouse. “We look forward to hearing feedback from our community as the design continues to evolve.”

Washington DC’s mayor Muriel Bowser emphasised the proximity to public transport, as well as the job creation attendant to the project.

“These renderings give DC a lot to look forward to – a beautiful and unique waterfront stadium and the return of our Commanders; year-round events that are steps away from an entertainment district and public transportation,” said Bowser.

The Washington Commanders will continue to play at their current stadium in the adjacent state of Maryland until the Washington Commanders Stadium at the RFK Campus opens around 2030.

HKS has designed other NFL stadiums, including SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and is also working with the Cleveland Browns team for its new stadium.

A New Plan For The H Street Corridor

A plan is in the works to give a boost to the struggling H Street Corridor.

DC’s Office of Planning (OP) along with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development has picked architecture firm Torti Gallas to conduct a land use and market study for the corridor that saw a huge development boom between 2010 and 2018.

The study will focus on the stretch between 3rd Street NE and 15th Street NE, examining market trends and the possibility for more development and public realm improvements. Torti Gallas will be tasked with “creating an economic development strategy that promotes a vibrant mix of retail and housing while enhancing the pedestrian experience along this significant transit corridor,” according to OP.

The H Street Corridor has encountered significant headwinds in the post-pandemic world. A 2023 article in the Washington Post outlined how increased crime in the area was resulting in a sense of unease among residents, and a number of neighborhood establishments closed as a result. The streetcar, that opened to significant fanfare in 2016, will shut down at the end of March.

Wishing You Joy and Success in 2026 from edESTESdesign

Happy New Year 2026 from edESTESdesign! We wish everyone a year filled with creativity, inspiration, and success. May this new year bring you joy and new opportunities to shine. Cheers to a fantastic year ahead!

Can Saudi Arabia still complete The LINE?

IN THE south west corner of the Arabian desert, an enormous trench has been formed. It may look like it was carved out by an alien presence but it is in fact evidence that one of the most ambitious construction projects in history is steaming ahead.

The 200-metre wide trench runs from the Hejaz mountains across to the Gulf of Aqaba. As if that wasn’t enough, a small portion of it contains the start of what will be the biggest set of foundations ever built. Once that concrete has set, the first vertical structures will begin to emerge.

This incredible hive of activity is in fact the construction site of The LINE, Saudi Arabia’s wildly ambitious megacity in the desert. To put it another way, the thing everybody said would or could never be built is actually being built.

Above: Satellite imagery showing construction of The LINE Image: Google.

Or is it? Because for every sign of progress, rumours swirl of scalebacks, insurmountable budget blowouts and mass lay offs. There are even rumours swirling that the whole thing has been cancelled. But what we actually know for sure is much more limited.

2026 will be make or break for The LINE. This is where deadlines need to be met and progress will be measured in height, not hype. Regardless of what you think of this mind boggling project, there’s a country with its future invested in it and a leader whose reputation is staked on it.

So, the trillion dollar question: will it ever be built?

Let’s start with the basics. The LINE is Saudi Arabia’s plan for a 170-kilometre linear city, rising to a consistent height of 500-metres. When it’s complete, it’ll form the capital city of NEOM, a vast new region in the country’s northwest, dreamed up by the country’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. NEOM, in turn, forms a key pillar of Vision 2030, a countrywide plan to transition the Saudi economy away from oil dependency by 2030.

Above: An early render of The Line. Image: NEOM.

How is it being built? The initial challenge for any projector of this scale is geology. The LINE crosses wildly varying terrain: hard mountain rock, soft open desert, and salty coastal plains. To build anything across such varied land, you first need a uniform, stable footing.

That’s where foundations come in. The LINE will rest on a subterranean structure known as a piled raft foundation. The “piles” are sunk deep into the earth, along the Line’s footprint. These cylinders of reinforced concrete bypass soft, unstable strata of earth and rest upon the hard bedrock below. The flat concrete “raft” lays on top of these piles and creates a flat, uniform platform to build on.

To pull this off, an automated factory is churning out 32-metre long rebar cages, used to mould and reinforce each pile. Meanwhile, drilling rigs use GPS to precisely bore the holes these rebar cages will be dropped into. A biodegradable liquid is pumped into the holes to stop them from collapsing before concrete can be poured in.

But it’s not just soft earth engineers have to grapple with. Being so close to the sea, this stretch also needs protecting from the highly saline ground water. Left untreated this could rust the steel cages and over time corrode the concrete piles.

To solve this, the world’s largest de-watering system was created. 500 wells were drilled along a stretch of The LINE, each equipped with a water pump at its base. Water is pumped out at a rate of 90,000-cubic metres per hour towards a settlement pond where the quality of the liquid is checked. From there, the water is filtered and pumped out to sea in a series of discharge pipes.

Work on the foundations for phase one is nearly complete which means the project is about to enter its next milestone: going vertical.

On a typical skyscraper, that means building the core. If you’ve ever walked past a construction site, you’ll have seen these go up, they’re not very attractive, but they’re critical to how a skyscraper works. It’s essentially the backbone of the building, and it’s formed by pouring concrete into a mould that gets pushed up by hydraulic jacks.

Above: A typical skyscraper core under construction.

But with The LINE, there’s a twist. Because it’s a city, not a building, it won’t have a 170-kilometre long core that everything sits inside. Instead, it will feature thousands of cores. These will be developed features in their own right but crucially, they will also support a series of decks.

Imagine taking Manhattan’s grid, folding it up and stacking it vertically. These decks are the city’s avenues and the cores are the streets linking each one. This is where the city will come to life. On these decks you’ll find schools, housing, transport, everything you need to make a city function.

Phase one will see 4.8-million tonnes of steel outrigger beams hoisted up to support five decks running through each. Usually on skyscrapers, the steel frame and cladding start to be added before the core is finished. That’s potentially why 2026 could be a huge year for The LINE, because it’s the first stage we can expect to see fast progress.

Above: Steelwork outrigger beams are expected to be installed on The Line’s cores