Reviewed by Leonard Smuts for Readers' Favorite

In a world facing rapid urbanization, factors such as climate change and the need for sustainability are posing new challenges to the city planners and architects who oversee the built environment. Older cities such as Rome and London evolved, adapting to change with varying levels of success, in part dictated by the automobile. This created a congested and polluted urban sprawl that unfolded by default. Can a future city be designed and built from the ground upward? In a bold venture, Saudi Arabia is in the process of building NEOM, a futuristic and innovative linear city, with no provision for cars or roads, spanning approximately 170 km through the desert and served by a high-speed underground railway. The new city will function with AI input to predict its needs and drive its evolution. NEOM is a hybrid name derived from “new” and “future”. Its conception and planning are the central themes of Citizen One: Our Cities, Ourselves, and Our Uncertain yet Extraordinary Future by Douglas McDaniel. The author was involved in the project from 2020 to 2024 as part of its research and development team. The book reflects his experiences and covers his global search to explore the factors that constitute a successful city. If it succeeds, NEOM will provide a blueprint that others will follow.

The NEOM project is not without controversy. It was a vision driven from above by political ideology and, at times, beset by bureaucracy. Apart from the engineering challenges and questions regarding practicability, it raises the issue as to whether automation and efficiency would create a sterile environment that could stifle autonomy, spontaneity, and creativity, at the expense of livability. Would people adapt, and could it be a home for all? Is an ideal city only for the rich? Citizen One is meticulously researched and evaluates the impact of history, religion, politics, and culture on our cities. Douglas McDaniel reflected on these and other complex philosophical issues as he searched for lessons from the past to provide guidelines for the future. He drew inspiration from cities like Barcelona, where he later settled. He became increasingly caught between conflicting ideologies. For the author, it was a voyage of self-discovery. In parallel with the project, he had to revisit long-held beliefs. In the process, he evolved from being a planner into becoming a cultural engineer. This book is far more than an account of the development of a radical new city. It delves into what defines us and makes our cities human. It is a thought-provoking and entertaining read that will appeal to a wide audience.