Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted Pixels to Pavements(University College London, 2024) Hababi, Abdullah; Selby, EllyThe convergence of machine learning (ML) and the built environment is redefining traditional design decision-making processes. This report explores the integration of ML within architecture, urban design, and urban planning, emphasizing its transformative potential as a design decision making tool. The report delves into the historical context of digital tools in architecture and examines how ML is currently utilized in the built environment. Through a detailed methodology, the report analyzes ML’s role as a computational design aid, as a design facilitator or augmenter, and as a co-designer. This report aims to connect the idea of machine learning’s use in design decision-making processes in the built Environment to my design project. The impact of a literature review and case studies has helped extract and implement different key methods of machine learning in various stages of my design project, such as the data manipulation stage, form finding stage, design intervention placement stage, and simulation analysis of and for design decisions stage. Critical analyses focus on the role of data quality, human agency, and the limitations of ML, such as algorithmic bias and the potential erosion of human creativity. This report contends that ML can profoundly influence and effectively dictate design decision making in both an architectural and urban design context, through its aid as a computational design tool, design facilitator, and co-designer. The discussion emphasizes the necessity of human expertise in interpreting ML outputs and proposes a collaborative approach between human intuition and ML capabilities. The report concludes by advocating for a continuous dialogue between technology and human creativity to ensure ML serves as a valuable tool in shaping the built environment rather than a replacement for human ingenuity.10 0Item Restricted “Humanising Cities Initiative: Evaluating Social Sustainability with a Focus on Well-Being through Quality-of-Life Programme Efforts - A Case Study of Madinah, Saudi Arabia: A Comprehensive Analysis(Univerity of Sheffiled, 2024-08) Moafa, Mona Mohammed; Williams, GlynThis dissertation evaluates the "Humanising Cities" initiative in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, as one of the vital components of the Quality of Life Programme, derived from Saudi Vision 2030. The initiative focuses on enhancing social sustainability and residents' well-being through improvements in urban design, public spaces, and infrastructure. The research explores four broad themes: Urban Design and Public Spaces, Social Sustainability, Residents' Well-being and Economic Growth, and Alignment with Vision 2030. Data was collected using a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative responses from 78 residents of Madinah through a survey. Thematic analysis highlights the programme's successes and areas for improvement, with particular focus on walkability, the expansion of green spaces, and community engagement. While significant successes were identified—such as positive impacts on physical health and local economic development—regional disparities and gaps in public awareness were also noted. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to ensure equitable access to the benefits of urban development and point to future research and policy considerations. Ultimately, this study provides valuable insights into the role of urban humanisation initiatives in fostering sustainable, inclusive, and liveable cities within the broader framework of Vision 2030.36 0Item Restricted The Complexity of The System & Decisions Through A Digital Participatory Approach(UCL, 2024-07) Khayat, Abdulaziz; Philippe, MorelThis report explores the potential of using computational tools to reinterpret the legal text of the city and trace its impact. It discusses the laws, regulations, and decision-making processes to construct cities drifting away from bureaucratic arbitrary existing city governance and decision-making models. To develop such a system for governing and making urban decisions in cities, first, we must understand the nature of cities. Analyzing the city will shed light on the complexity of its components and its nature being a multi-faceted organism. Hence, the first section contains literature reviews of prominent works of major architectural figures to uncover the bureaucratic narrative of architecture. In the second section, multiple approaches to understanding cities are discussed. The third section explores the computational potential of participatory planning. The fourth section explores the concept of text similarity in machine learning and the urban environment. Finally, the last section demonstrates the application of the discussed tools and concepts.7 0Item Restricted GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN HOT CLIMATE AREAS: CASE STUDY OF KUWAIT(University of Manchester, 2023-08-28) Almousa, Shahad; Ravetz, JoeGreen infrastructure is a challenge for cities in hot climate areas due to the heat, climate change, policy, nature of existing GI, and deficiency of resources. Kuwait is one of many countries that suffers from several challenges due to its desert-type climate. It lacks natural greenery and does not have adequate built green infrastructure yet. Due to it being a relatively new country compared to others in the same region it won’t be difficult to re-establish its urban design layers. The current response to urban heat island effects push designers towards indoor green infrastructure. This study aims to investigate the effects of increased outdoor GI, to show that outdoor green infrastructure is preferred in Kuwait and proposes changes in city planning. Variables of success are dynamic and in the context of Kuwait don’t look the same as variables of success elsewhere, namely where green infrastructure has been a core part of urban design. Architects and planners in Kuwait advocate for greener urban areas and cities. Their claim is that green infrastructure is, in fact, applicable in hot climate areas if the investment was put towards the correct resources. This study aims to push forth and encourage the addition of green infrastructure in hot climate areas and more importantly encourage future and current planners and designers to act towards greener cities.31 0Item Restricted USERS' PERCEPTIONS OF HOLY PUBLIC SPACES IN THE HOLY CITY OF MAKKAH(Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 2024-07-01) Nabhan, Yahya Muhammed; Bin Lamit, Hasanuddin; Bin Azizui, Muhammad FaridFrom the first human settlements, public spaces were connected to the people and dominated their activities and the urban lifestyle. Recently, many studies have been undertaken to enhance the public spaces in modern city, and placemaking is the most used method to enhance the public spaces that align with the users’ needs. The public spaces around the Grand Mosque in Makkah have worked in multiple ways to enhance the profile of the Grand Mosque and the Sacred Places in the Holy City of Makkah since the time of rebuilding the Kaabah until the present day. Also, the Holy City of Makkah has become one of the most important religious, economic, commercial, and social cities and the estimated number of visitors to the Holy City of Makkah will be around 30 million by the year 2030. Moreover, recently the disappearance of public open places in the Holy City of Makkah, especially in the urban center and around the Grand Mosque, led to the disappearance of activities by visitors-and residents, turning the open spaces into generally transit areas. The study considered two types of activities, holiness activity and public activity. This research is aimed at creating parameters to enhance the Holy Public Spaces around the Grand Mosque by considering the users ‘needs in public spaces while addressing the Sense of Holiness. This study adopted an exploratory and explanatory approach to better comprehend the historical development of these areas and to investigate the user's perception of the Holy Public Spaces. The first step in the process of study is to identify the existing conditions of the public spaces and the issues that exist within it. A Holy Space Making framework was later developed through a systematic literature review to evaluate the public spaces in the holy city by taking into account the possible influential factors that might affect the users in the public spaces through readapted place-making factors and the Sense of Holiness. This is followed by the use of a quantitative approach, collecting data from 433 people of various nationalities by simple random sampling method who had been to the Holy City of Makkah to either do Umrah or Hajj. This research used social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Twitter, and Facebook together with emails to disseminate this questionnaire. SPSS was used to do the statistical analysis of the data based on the Likert scale. Based on the results, it is evident that the quality of public spaces in the Holy City of Makkah significantly impacts its users’ public attitude and productivity. This research highlights the meaning and the factors that may enhance these public spaces. The findings indicates that users relate faithfulness, holiness, privacy with sanctity while identity attachment, sense of place, peace and character to place attachment. The findings of this research have wide implications for fields where the concept of a holy public place is significant. This research is a crucial milestone in gathering empirical information on the creation of Holy Public Space-Making that takes into account the physical, psychological, and spiritual needs and perceptions of users to improve the quality of life in these spaces. It is recommended that further emphasis be given to understanding the functions of open spaces in places in Islamic countries which are identified and recognized as Holy.17 0Item Restricted The Sanctuary of Energy Trade: Collective Solar Microgrid for Energy Resilience and Security(University of Virginia, 2023) Alharbi, Shaima; Elkhafif, MonaThe Thesis argues that we need to re-think the structure and control of our aging electrical grid system by activating alternatives and one of the most important of which is solar microgrid plants that have the ability to reshape the environment. Energy Production should become a significant urban design element that can be integrated withing our neighborhoods to enhance the stewardship of energy use and energy security through collective participatory ownership19 0Item Restricted The effects of urban design on people's experiences and satisfaction in Taif city: A cross sectional study(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-08-04) Halawani, Raghad; Porta, SergioCities play a central role in shaping positive and negative human experiences. In particular, urban design has a profound impact on people's lives, affecting their sense of place, well-being, and overall quality of life. It is a complex and dynamic field that encompasses physical, social, and environmental aspects of urban environments. In Saudi Arabia, the urban form has rapidly evolved in recent years; however, little is known about its effects on the experiences of people living and working in these urban spaces. This study examines the effects of urban design on people's experiences in Saudi Arabia from a city-life perspective. This study investigated the effect of design of the urban environment on people and filled the gap in the literature by examining the connection between the design of a city and the subjective experiences of the urban residents of a city in Saudi Arabia. There is a new vision for 2030 for big cities in Saudi Arabia that plans to enhance the quality of life of its residents. Taif city is one of these cities, therefore, it is important to study the effects on the residents there. This research provides valuable insights into the development of more liveable and sustainable urban environments in Saudi Arabian cities. This study adopted quantitative data collected through a survey which included questions measuring multiple aspects of urban life. The results predicted that people in Taif would face a jeopardised level of satisfaction as not all elements of the urban form met the desired standards. Therefore, their experiences will be negative if the noted concerns are not improved.34 0