Saudi Arabia is planning the world’s largest buildings in a mostly unpopulated part of the nation as part of a completely new $500 billion development called Neom. The brainchild of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Neom, is planning to construct twin skyscrapers about 500 metres (1,640 feet) tall that stretch horizontally for dozens of miles. The skyscrapers would house a mix of residential, retail, and office space running from the Red Sea coast into the desert. The plan is a transformation from the idea declared last year of creating a string of developments linked by underground hyper-speed rail into a long continuous structure. Designers were ordered to work on a half-mile-long prototype. If it goes forward as a whole, each structure would be larger than the world’s existing biggest buildings, most of which are plants or malls rather than residential communities. Declared in 2017, Neom is Prince Mohammed’s plan to shift a remote region of the nation into a high-tech semi-autonomous state that re-imagines urban life. It’s part of his plans to attract foreign investment and aid to diversify the Saudi economy away from a reliance on oil sales. The Line, as the car-free linear city that will form the backbone of Neom is known, could cost up to $200 billion to construct, the prince said last year. The buildings would be different heights as you go, adjusting to the landscape, with their final size selected by engineering considerations and the terrain, said Al-Nasr, Neom's chief executive officer. Image Source Also read: Acwa Power inks $900 mn contract for Neom Green Hydrogen Project