'This might be what our future looks like. We are busying ourselves making our planet unlivable and the mega-rich are already dreaming of colonising outer space. The Saudi city of Neom is a practice run in making an extreme environment safe for humans', writes Edwin Heathcote.⁠ ⁠ 'The first renderings of Neom were released last week. Flitting between the kind of imagery that evokes a dystopian Death Star evil empire, the apartheid architecture of a post-apocalyptic security-city and a rendering of a glamorised and unlikely central business district seeking gullible investors, Neom carries a dizzying dash of techno-optimism. The designs are so visually seductive they passed effortlessly into the cultural imagination, their dystopian origins transformed into a utopian fetish.⁠ ⁠ Despite claiming to be a solution to environmental crises, it assumes the endless free energy of the Saudi oil glut and disregards the consequences. The biggest question though is who, exactly, is it for? Who is clamouring for this city?⁠' ⁠ Tap the link in our bio to read the full opinion piece.⁠ ⁠ 📷️: NEOM/AFP via Getty Images⁠ ⁠ #FT #financialtimes #saudi #neom #city #futuristic #saudiarabia #architecture #theline