Chinese contracting firm Powerchina has commenced piling works for the foundation of the super-tall towers in Saudi Arabia’s SR1.9tn ($500bn) Neom development.

The package awarded to Powerchina entails the drilling of cast-in-place piles with diameters of 1.5 and 2.5 metres, fabrication and installation of steel cages, concrete pouring, excavation and chiseling of pile heads, and inspection of cast-in-place piles.

Neom is considering plans for a 500-metre-tall tower that will be built on an offshore island 3km away from the start of The Line, as MEED reported in November.

A building over 300 metres in height is considered super tall.

Neom is understood to be planning a series of connected high-rise mirrored towers along The Line development that runs inland from the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia towards Tabuk.

The plans involve building two lines of towers on either side of the 170-kilometre-long infrastructure corridor that forms the backbone of The Line development.

The first towers at sea level on the coast will be 500 metres tall. The building heights will then decrease in direct correlation with the rise in topography, which means all the building roofs will be 500 metres above sea level. The ultimate plan is for the towers to continue for about 100km until the land reaches 500 metres above sea level.

The buildings will have mirrored facades similar in appearance to the Maraya concert hall at Al-Ula. While the buildings will be separate structures, the building facades will be connected, giving the appearance of one continuous form.

Construction works at Neom are under way. Work has started with blasting and excavation work on-site for the adits and portals package for the tunnels at The Line. Beijing-based China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) was awarded the contract in June 2021.

The local Nesma has also been awarded a contract to build a mountain basecamp at Neom.

In July, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman revealed designs for The Line, a 200-metre-wide building that will act as a vertical city extending 170km.

The Line will be built across an area of 34 square kilometres. It is designed to ultimately house 9 million residents, who will have access to the development’s facilities within a five-minute walk, in addition to a high-speed rail system with an end-to-end journey time of 20 minutes.

Related reads:

• Firms compete for Neom infrastructure work
• Saudi crown prince announces designs for The Line

Photo: Seetao/Powerchina