Challenge:
 In 2023, NEOM sought to use the Venice Architectural Biennale as a platform to showcase THE LINE, its flagship urban project redefining sustainable, human-centric urbanism. The challenge was to create a compelling exhibition, featuring thought leadership from world-renowned architects, city scientists, and science fiction futurists. With tight deadlines and the logistical complexity of managing a global production, the project required seamless coordination across continents and disciplines.

Solution:
Putting an exhibition about the city of the future in the Abbazia di San Gregorio, a 9th century monastery on the Grand Canal in Venice was no small feat. As one of the producers for the NEOM exhibition, I directed a high-stakes production that involved flying to multiple international locations to interview visionaries and manage film crews in North America and Europe. The project included:

• Global Interviews: Conducting 18 in-depth interviews across 12 cities in 40 days with architectural and urban design luminaries such as Sir Peter Cook, Jean Nouvel, Thom Mayne, Ben van Berkel, Wolf Prix, Massimilano and Doriana Fuksas, Alex McDowell, Olivier Pron, Dr. Kent Larson, and others. These discussions explored the concept of emerging cities as laboratories for tackling global challenges like climate resilience, urban density, and technological integration.

• Tight Timeline Execution: Coordinating a global production schedule to capture high-quality content within an accelerated timeframe, ensuring that interviews, visuals, and narratives aligned with NEOM’s vision.

• Film Crew Management: Overseeing teams in North America and Europe to produce dynamic video content, blending cinematic storytelling with architectural previsualizations to bring THE LINE to life for Biennale attendees.

• Compelling Narrative Development: Curating the interviews and visual material into a cohesive story that highlighted THE LINE’s revolutionary design principles and NEOM’s broader ambitions as a model for future cities.

Outcome: The NEOM exhibition was a standout feature of the 2023 Venice Architectural Biennale, garnering significant attention and critical acclaim. Key results included:

• Engagement with Industry Leaders: Showcasing the insights of globally renowned architects and city scientists to emphasize NEOM’s role as a hub for visionary urban innovation.

• Streamlined Production: Successfully delivering a high-quality, impactful exhibition video under tight deadlines, positioning THE LINE as a benchmark for sustainable urban design.

• Elevated Brand Presence: Reinforcing NEOM’s reputation as a global leader in pioneering urban solutions, driving interest and dialogue among architects, urbanists, and media outlets.

This project exemplified NEOM’s ability to catalyze meaningful global discussions around the future of cities while demonstrating my expertise in managing complex, fast-paced productions. By integrating strategic vision with operational precision, the exhibition successfully communicated THE LINE’s transformative potential on the world stage.