Protected: THE LINE: Zero Gravity Urbanism

Squint are used to translating complex architectural ideas into beautiful visualisations. Our challenge on this project would be to achieve that, at an enormous scale, in a short time frame, in the 9th-century Abbazia di San Gregorio, situated on the central Venitian canal, during the biggest art show in the world. 

The historical building presented unique architectural and logistical challenges. We had to transport materials via the Grand Canal, get permits for pontoons, and manage logistics within the limited building space, often disrupted by rain. We used lightweight materials to avoid floor damage and couldn’t attach anything to the building due to its fragility, especially on the first floor.

Upon entering the exhibit, visitors are greeted with an enormous digital installation, the Flying Landscape, which demonstrates the expansiveness of the land and the contrastingly small portion that NEOM’s THE LINE occupies. The screen’s vastness exemplifies the project’s scale and serves as an impactful start to the exhibition.

As visitors continue into the cloisters of the courtyard, they find detailed information about NEOM. The space is filled with freestanding models that represent different zones conceptualised by Sir Peter Cook, Jean Nouvel and Massimiliano Fuksas, among others.

Another notable feature of the ground floor is the list of principles that underpin NEOM, displayed on a 9×1 LED screen beneath the Flying Landscape. Each principle is defined and explained, emphasising their contribution to the line’s development and contextualising the immense Flying Landscape. 

The upper floor offers a more experiential journey, starting with a room dedicated to the Hidden Marina. Visitors can walk through a large model, viewing a cross-section of the marina, while accompanying screens provide additional details about its construction. 

Other rooms are dedicated to the different regions of NEOM, such as Trojena and OXAGON, providing visitors with a comprehensive understanding of the urban landscape they envisage.

A dedicated virtual experience room offers a first look at the Squint-produced virtual twin of THE LINE. Visitors can fly through the futuristic city, exploring portions we created in fine detail via the Unreal 5 engine. 

The virtual twin is a truly powerful way for NEOM to communicate their plans for the city; it extradites decision-making processes at all stages of design and is especially useful for a complex, high-concept master plan such as THE LINE.

The final corridor features nine screens, each showing distinct CGI moments of the line. The setup enables visitors to weave in and out of these screens, simulating a journey through the different spaces represented.

Despite the complex artistic and logistical challenges Squint faced, we were able to execute this visually captivating and engaging exhibition on time and within budget, showcasing our team’s technical prowess and innovative spirit. The team’s ability to deliver under such challenging conditions spoke volumes about their adaptability, creativity, and technical acumen.

“Communicating the principles surrounding Zero Gravity Urbanism in such a beautiful and historic setting presented us with numerous challenges but also creative opportunities. The scale of the exhibits and the depth of insight they provide have captured the essence of the project in a way that other exhibitions have been unable to do. I’m really proud of our team for making this happen.” – Ollie Alsop, Project Director, Squint/Opera.

Exhibit runs | 20th May – 24th September, 2023 | Abbazia di San Gregorio, Venice, Italy