Saudi Arabia has unveiled plans for a stadium 350 metres above the ground on top of The Line mega city, which is being built as part of Neom.
Revealed as part of Saudi Arabia’s official bid submission to FIFA for the 2034 World Cup, the 46,000-seat stadium will host games at the tournament including a quarter final.
“Neom Stadium will be the most unique stadium in the world,” the official bid submission states.
“With a pitch situated more than 350 meters above ground, stunning vistas, and a roof created from the city itself, the stadium will be an experience like no other.”
Neom Stadium will host games at the 2034 World Cup
Few details are available about the design of the Neom Stadium and its architect has not been made public.
This section, known as the Hidden Marina, will include a man-made marina and with a large arch for boats to pass through.
Along with the stadium, several supporting facilities will be built within The Line, including a “fan festival site”, training pitches and five hotels.
It will be embedded in The Line
Construction of the stadium is planned to begin in 2027, with completion expected in 2032. Following the World Cup, the stadium will become the home of a newly formed Saudi professional football team.
Although the Paris 2024 Olympic Games have taken an exemplary approach to construction, reusing venues is not enough to make the games truly sustainable, argues Carbon Market Watch’s Benja Faecks as part of our Olympic Impact series.
By relying mainly on existing infrastructure and setting ambitious carbon budgets for any new builds, this year’s Olympics have dramatically reduced construction-related emissions compared to previous editions.
But this doesn’t address the fundamental issue with the games according to Faecks, who is an expert on global carbon markets at non-profit watchdog Carbon Market Watch.
“The things they did well, they really did well – but it’s not enough to really make the Olympic Games as sustainable as they could be,” she told Dezeen. “The elephant in the room is still the size of the event and the spectators.”
“It’s the hardest thing to solve,” she added. “And that probably will never be tackled if you keep having the games in one single location.”
Event surpasses national green building codes
Paris 2024 is working to cut its emissions by 50 per cent compared to London 2012 and Rio 2016, as it strives to become the first Olympic Games in line with the Paris Agreement goal of halving global emissions by 2030.
And the organisers have made construction the primary tool in their carbon-slashing arsenal.
In previous editions, new buildings generally accounted for a major chunk of emissions, generating 60 per cent of London’s 3.3 million-tonne carbon footprint, equivalent to 1.98 million tonnes CO2e.
“If you look at the five different emission sources, construction normally does make up for a lot of the emissions,” Faecks said. “And that’s also mostly what’s been scrutinised in the media.”
Top image: Benja Faecks is an expert for Carbon Market Watch. Above: most of the Paris 2024 events are being hosted in temporary and existing venues such as the newly renovated Grand Palais. Photo by Laurent Kronental
For Paris, the organisers are working to reduce this to 450,000 tonnes CO2e – 30 per cent of the event’s 1.58 million-tonne carbon budget – by relying on 95 per cent temporary or existing infrastructure.
And in the new athletes’ village, which will be converted into housing in the wake of the games, the aim is to reduce emissions per square metre by 30 per cent through using recycled and biobased materials – a more ambitious target than required under France’s green building regulations.
“That’s a way in which Paris does lead by example,” Faecks said.
“Focus should have been on spectator travel”
However, a report penned by Faecks for Carbon Market Watch found that the event’s climate strategy disproportionately prioritises construction as a flagship category alongside food, which accounts for less than one per cent of the footprint but 20 per cent of the strategy.
“From my perspective, the real focus should have been on spectator travel,” she said. “But they say at several points: this is not fully our responsibility and we can’t impact the choices people make and how they come here.”
Despite the fact that spectator transport to and from Paris accounts for the largest chunk of the event’s carbon budget, Faecks said organisers have remained “relatively silent” on the issue.
This disregard for the massive carbon impact of air travel is further underlined by the fact that AirFrance is one of the key sponsors of this year’s Olympics, she claimed.
In fact, all of the event’s official partners, including Coca-Cola and steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal, are running their operations in a way that is “incompatible with the objectives of the Paris Agreement”, Faecks argued in her report.
“All the sponsors of Paris right now are on a pathway to climate catastrophe,” she said. “The message the sponsors are sending to the world is: look at us, we’re good but we’re completely fuelling everything bad.”
“Not enough trust in the system”
Whether Paris 2024 will ultimately be in line with the Paris Agreement remains to be seen. “It is a waiting game because there are so many things that could go wrong,” Faecks said.
This could spell a “catastrophe” for the event’s carbon targets, Faecks believes.
“So much money went into this new innovation,” she explained. “But there’s not enough trust in the system for it to have the effect that it should have on the environment.”
Accommodation in the athletes’ village was designed to be cooled using a geothermal system. Photo by Stefan Tuchila
There are also questions about whether the construction standard set by the Paris Olympics can be met by other host cities, which might have less existing infrastructure.
“We don’t know if the games in general will be on a [carbon] reduction pathway – so if the next games have to be lower and the next games have to be lower than that,” Faecks said.
“We actually don’t have any declaration on what the plan is,” she added. “Imagine if the next games are in a country where there’s not so much existing infrastructure, would you also request from them to go lower than Paris?”
“It’s a fairness versus sustainability angle and the easier solution, in that sense, is to go radically rethink the games.”
“The stress on one single location is too big”
One possible solution would be to create a decentralised event, held simultaneously across multiple countries and cities to spread the burden on local infrastructure and encourage spectators to take shorter overland travel routes, Faecks argues.
This, she says, could help to slash the impact of the Olympics while also making it accessible to more people around the world.
“And that then takes away pressure from construction because you don’t have to build massive stadiums,” Faecks said.
“The stress on one single location is too big,” she added. “Incremental progress is good but it will never lead to truly sustainable games.”
This article is part of Dezeen’s Olympic Impact series examining the sustainability measures taken by the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and exploring whether major sporting events compatible with the climate challenge are possible.
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City and the Ministry of Sport have unveiled a stadium designed by architecture studio Populous in Riyadh, which will host the 2034 World Cup final.
Populous is designing the King Salman Stadium in Saudi Arabia
Scheduled for completion in 2029, the stadium will be the largest in the country and host games at the World Cup in 2034 including the final.
Designed by stadium specialist Populous, the design of the building was informed by mountains and will include large expanses of green walls. It was selected from a shortlist of six designs.
“The chosen design draws inspiration from the mountainous landscape, integrating with King Abdulaziz Park through a valley that intersects the surrounding stadium garden and green spaces,” said the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.
“The main stadium’s architectural design includes green walls and ceilings spanning over 96,500 square meters, drawing inspiration from local urban structures and aligning with environmental sustainability and green building standards,” it continued.
“This design will establish a distinctive global sports architectural icon capable of hosting major local and international entertainment events.”
The stadium is set to host the 2034 World Cup final
According to the royal commission, the stadium will have a capacity of 92,000 and will contain a “150-seat royal suite” along with 120 hospitality suites and 2,200 dignitary seats.
It will be topped with a walking track that will have views over the surrounding parkland.
Alongside the stadium, a series of other sporting facilities will be built – including an arena, Olympic-sized swimming pool, athletics track and outdoor courts for volleyball and basketball.
It will be part of a sporting complex
The King Salman Stadium is one of 15 that will host games during the 2034 World Cup. Other stadiums set to host games include the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium, which will overlook a cliff in Qiddiya.
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French-Lebanese design studio David/Nicolas has refurbished a Milan apartment from the 1920s, bringing in contemporary details while retaining features added by Italian architect Gio Ponti.
The art deco-style apartment, originally designed by Mario Borgaro in 1923, was refurbished by Ponti in 1952. Since then, much of the fit-out was torn away by the apartment’s previous owners, who auctioned off some of the furniture and wall panelling.
David/Nicolas has redesigned the interiors of a 1920s Milan apartment
The current owner, investment banker Michele Marocchino, initially brought on David/Nicolas to create wainscoting for two of the rooms, The Studio and The Dressing, which sit between the living room and the bedroom.
But Marocchino later decided that the studio’s founders, David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussallem, should work on the entire space to reimagine Ponti’s recognisable style for the 21st century.
The updated interior pays homage to Gio Ponti’s refurbishment from 1952
“Our goal was to honour Gio Ponti’s design by incorporating his vision while integrating our own identity, avoiding a mere replica of the original,” the duo told Dezeen.
“The signature elements of a Gio Ponti space include intricate details, wooden joinery, distinct edges of wooden panels and a floor plan that creates engaging visual directions by redefining the way the space is lived, as well as creating specific perspectives that guide the eye.”
David/Nicolas’s design balances classic and contemporary elements
The refurbished apartment, now dubbed Casa di Fantasia, comprises a spacious kitchen, a dressing room, a primary bedroom and another bedroom with a multifunctional room at the back of the apartment.
Other distinct spaces include a large living room with a bar, plus a study and movie room.
David/Nicolas’s approach to the redesign was dictated by Ponti’s work on perspectives, recreating rooms lost during previous renovations while respecting their original proportions.
Ponti’s use of swirly radica wood in his refurbishment was referenced through decorative tiger-patterned marquetry, which was used to adorn several of the rooms.
“The tiger wall pattern is a reinterpretation of the Radica wood panelling, which has a similar movement to the tiger pattern,” the duo explained.
“We thought it was a good idea to use it, as it diverges from the original design while still maintaining a similar movement in the wood.”
Tiger-patterned walls offer a modern reinterpretation of Ponti’s use of Radica wood
Key features of Ponti’s refurbishment that David/Nicolas discovered were still in place include the panelling around the entryway as well as a pink bathtub and shower unit, which the duo refurbished.
Tiles by Italian sculptor and ceramist Fausto Melotti that originally covered the entire bathroom were also retained.
“Since many of these tiles were sold at a Philips auction, we utilised the remaining ones on the wall behind the vanities,” said David/Nicolas. “To enhance these tiles and the bathtub, we covered the rest of the walls with micro concrete.”
Ponti’s pink bathtub and shower units were retained
David/Nicolas also designed a plethora of new furniture pieces for Casa di Fantasia, such as the two main couches of the living area, the sofa in the library, a free-standing bar, the lamp above the dining table and some sconces in cast aluminium.
Both hailing from Beirut, Raffoul and Moussallem met while studying architecture at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts in 2006 before going on to found their studio in 2011.
They say you shouldn’t mess with perfection… but you could certainly give it a new paint-job and make it look even better than before. Tekto’s flagship folding knives are getting a design refresh, with variants made with forged carbon and Damascus marbling accents. The new variants will be available for enthusiasts, EDC users, and collectors as a special spin on some old favorites.
The three knives getting a refresh are the F1 Alpha, the F2 Bravo, and the F3 Charlie – all a part of Tekto’s folding knife lineup. The company is best known for their OTF knives (Out The Front Knives), but folders remain a classic part of their catalog, catering to people who love sticking to the basics. All knives are designed as collector-worthy knives that pack an absolute punch. They’re compact, deadly, and built for all sorts of outdoor and tactical scenarios.
Tekto F1 Alpha (Forged Carbon Handle with Silver Blade)
As Tekto’s most fierce folder, the F1 Alpha gets first mention. The new knife boasts the exact same crowd-pleasing design, but with a forged carbon handle and a silver-finish D2 steel blade. The F1 Alpha measures a respectable 4.5 inches when closed, opening up to reveal a 3.1-inch drop-point blade that handles everyday tasks like a breeze. A liner lock holds the blade in place, and jimping on top gives you a perfect grip as you maneuver the knife around. The reverse end of the handle also features a lanyard hole that doubles as a glass-breaker, allowing you to make a quick exit in any emergency scenarios. The entire knife weighs a mere 3.3 ounces, has an ambidextrous pocket clip design, and even comes with its own carrying pouch.
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Tekto F2 Bravo (Damascus Pattern Handle with Black Blade)
Don’t let the Bravo name fool you – this one is Tekto’s slimmest, sleekest, and lightest folder of the three. At just 2.4 ounces, it’s miraculously light, making it great for quick maneuvering while cutting ropes, opening boxes, whittling wood, or slicing through leather and fabric. The knife has a 4.3-inch handle that houses a folded 3.3-inch drop-point blade made from D2 steel that’s hard enough to take on any sort of activity. Although the original did come with a speckled carbon fiber handle, this new variant gets a marbled Damascus pattern, with the same black-coated blade to give the F2 Bravo an extremely covert demeanor. Makes sense given how thin and light it is. The F2 Bravo also comes with its own carrying pouch, although the built-in pocket clip and lanyard hole should also suffice.
Tekto F3 Charlie (Forged Carbon Handle with Black Blade)
At 4.5 ounces, the F3 Charlie is the big brother of the three. It comes with a 5.2-inch handle that houses a large 3.8-inch titanium-coated D2 steel blade on the inside. Fold the blade out and its drop-point design is just as functional as its siblings, but the larger form factor gives it much more heft and power. The renewed variant sports a forged carbon handle with the same black-coated blade that gives the knife a stealthy aesthetic. Holding the F3 Charlie feels vastly different from something like the Bravo, which has a much slimmer design. The F3 Charlie is meaty, ergonomic, and is made for tactical use although it’s more than happy being used for opening boxes too. It sports a button-lock, which gives it reliability too, while simultaneously having the tactile satisfaction of being able to quickly deploy or close your knife with a flick of the wrist!
Copper plays a VERY important role in electronics, but this might be the first time copper’s been used for its aesthetic properties. Meet the Awekeys Copper Eagle Keycap set – made from actual copper alloy to give your keyboard drip like no other. Sure, people boast about customizing the RGB backlight on their keyboards, but nothing really matches having your keys be made of actual metal. The Copper Eagle set sports keycaps machined from literal metal, giving them a heft and shimmery appeal that plastic wishes it had. Compatible with Cherry MX switches and clones, these keys attach to any supporting mechanical keyboard (no matter the size or style), giving it an audiovisual makeover. The keys offer the distinctly cool feel of metal, but start typing and you realize how much of a difference they actually make. The metal keycaps offer a distinct kind of sound that feels less like a plastic clatter and more like coins clinking against each other. It also helps that the keys make your keyboard look like a million bucks.
Designer: Awekeys
Crafted from recycled cupronickel, a material known for its strength and durability, the Copper Eagle set is a testament to Awekeys’ commitment to sustainable practices without compromising on quality. Each keycap undergoes a meticulous milling process before receiving its signature satin copper plating. This finish isn’t just visually appealing; it also lends a unique tactile sensation to every keystroke. The weight of the metal keycaps contributes to a substantial feel, while the copper’s natural warmth adds a touch of elegance to any setup.
Beyond aesthetics, the Copper Eagle set offers a sonic user experience that sets it apart. Metal keycaps are renowned for their ability to produce a deeper, more resonant click compared to their plastic counterparts. The Copper Eagle does so too, delivering satisfyingly rich auditory feedback that can be customized further with the right switch and keyboard combination. Along with just the cold tactile feel of the metal against your fingertips, the satisfying metallic click just elevates the keyboard’s UX to an entirely new level, eschewing the ‘fake’ plasticity of regular mechanical keyboards and replacing it with the premium appeal of metal.
One’s immediate concern with copper alloys (and glossy keycaps in particular) is the issue of fingerprints and patinas. A copper keyboard only looks classy if it maintains its sheen, and to address that, Awekeys actually coated each keycap with a nanocoating that prevents the metal from oxidizing or reacting to the oil and sweat from your fingertips. The keys should remain pristine and shiny for months with regular wiping down, although the durability of the coating over time is still something to be determined.
The Copper Eagle set comes in various kits to accommodate different keyboard layouts and preferences. The base kit consists of every key required for a 100% layout keyboard, but you can grab custom caps too, including different copper grades that have slightly different hues, and a few vanity keys featuring eagle imagery for your special keys like the enter, escape, backspace, etc.
The obvious caveat here is weight – copper weighs significantly more than plastic, so this should definitely make your keyboard feel considerably heavier than usual, but that’s only really a problem if you’re carrying your keyboard around. The second caveat, and a slightly smaller one, is that these keys (just like your regular mechanical keycaps) won’t support backlights. Most keyboards come with dual-plastic keys that allow the symbols to glow so you can see them in the dark – that’s not really possible with copper, so you’ll be relying entirely on muscle-memory here. The benefit, however, is that you’ll also own the coolest-looking keyboard among your friend circuits.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is generating buzz even before its official release. Thanks to a lucky break, a YouTuber on Andro-News.com managed to get their hands on one early. While we might wonder how they pulled it off, the real excitement comes from seeing the device in action. My initial impression? The design is quite impressive.
Designer: Google
The Pixel 9 Pro XL marks a significant shift for Google in aesthetics. The flat edges, reminiscent of the iPhone, give it a sleek, modern look that sets it apart from previous models with rounded edges. This change makes the phone look more streamlined and sophisticated. The polished metal frame feels premium, although it might be prone to scratches like the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The back of the phone is made of Gorilla Glass Victus 2 with a matte finish, combining durability with a refined appearance. The phone is also IP68 certified, protecting against dust and water.
Another highlight is the 6.8-inch LTPO display on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. With a resolution of 1344×2992 pixels and a 120 Hz refresh rate, the screen offers vibrant colors and excellent contrast, perfect for watching videos and browsing photos. The flat screen, a departure from the 2.5D curved edges of earlier models, enhances the device’s sleek and modern look. HDR10+ support ensures that the visual experience is top-notch.
One of the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s most talked-about features is its camera system. The camera bump houses three lenses: a 50 MP wide-angle, a 48 MP ultra-wide with autofocus, and a 48 MP periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom and optical image stabilization. Additional elements like a temperature sensor, flash, extra microphone, and a white balance sensor enhance its photographic capabilities. The front camera has been significantly upgraded to a 42 MP sensor, promising sharper selfies and video calls.
Under the hood, the Pixel 9 Pro XL runs on Google’s Tensor G4 chip, offering a 15% performance boost over the previous generation and emphasizing energy efficiency. While it might not compete directly with the latest Snapdragon chips in sheer power, the Tensor G4 ensures smooth performance for everyday tasks. The battery is confirmed to be 5,050 mAh, improving efficiency for more prolonged use between charges.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL ships with Android 15 and will receive updates for seven years, ensuring long-term support and security. AI features like the Pixel Screenshot function use artificial intelligence to provide contextual information based on user screenshots. Additionally, the device includes a one-year subscription to Gemini Advanced, offering advanced language models, cloud storage, and document analysis tools.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL holds up well compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra. It offers a comfortable grip with dimensions similar to the iPhone 15 Pro Max but is slightly taller. The flat edges might appeal to users who prefer a less sharp-edged device compared to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The new color options — black, gray, pink, and porcelain — offer more personalized choices.
Overall, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL impresses with its sleek design, solid performance, and innovative AI features. While it might not lead in raw processing power, its focus on energy efficiency, excellent cameras, and long-term software support make it a compelling choice in the flagship smartphone market. The various memory options and colors offer a premium experience that caters to a wide range of users.
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