Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted The role of inhabitants practices in energy use the kingdom of Saudi Arabia as case study(University of Sheffield, 2024-01-19) Alzahrani, Rawdah; Watson, MattSaudi Arabia is considered to be one of the highest consumers of energy per capita because around 70% of its dwellings are uninsulated, which contributed to an increase in its energy demand. Some research has been undertaken about energy consumption in Saudi houses, which has focused on the technical and simulation aspects as a mean to reduce energy demand. This research was undertaken to understand the inhabitants’ practices and how they may affect the energy demand in Saudi homes. It worked in identical regulated homes in Saudi Arabia to advance understanding of the role of inhabitants’ practices in overall residential energy demand. The research was conducted by using a mixed methods approach and with the use of a practice theory. Longitudinal and cross-sectional time horizons were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The results of this research suggest that the technological and social aspects of energy use have at least an equality of importance, and both aspects affect the energy demand of Saudi dwellings. The improvement in the building envelope helped to achieve lower energy consumption compared to the actual average energy consumption for a conventional house. However, exploration of the causes of wide variations presented in energy demand between identical homes provides deep understanding on how inhabitants’ practices influence the energy demand in Saudi homes through the investigation four elements of practices (e.g. technology, engagement, institutionalised knowledge and rules, know-how and embodied habits) and how they are brought together in the conduct of everyday life. Recommendations based on the thesis results are presented for the Saudi Royal Commission. Finally, some insights from social practices are provided for domestic policy to be considered for future housings.20 0Item Restricted ENABLING THIRD PLACES OF HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTS IN THE POST PANDEMIC ERA(University of Florida, 2024-05-12) Alfowzan, Nurah; Valipoor, Shabboo; Portillo, MargaretThird places refer to communal venues that facilitate social engagement and community cohesion, bridging the gap between home and work environments. These locales encompass diverse settings like coffee shops, libraries, and parks. Today, third places have evolved to accommodate various contexts, offering advantages to specific user groups. Within healthcare environments, merged third places (e.g., lobbies; gardens; cafes; staff lounges; and staff breakrooms) are distinct from psychologically hard clinical settings. Research shows that these in-between spaces are vital in enhancing social support, reducing stress, and promoting the overall well-being of healthcare workers. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these in-between spaces became significantly restricted to mitigate virus transmission. This research aimed to redefine third places in healthcare design, and advance interior design approaches that can balance social interaction and infection-prevention requirements. The study adopted a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design. The initial phase involved a comprehensive scoping review, mapping key design concepts that shape our built environments and human experiences through times of disease outbreaks. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were conducted with design experts specializing in healthcare projects, exploring the challenges they faced, and the strategies employed to adapt healthcare spaces, particularly third places, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings from the scoping review and interviews yielded multiple design approaches with the potential to enhance the resilience of third places within healthcare environments. Three of these approaches aligned with attributes of flexibility. To delve deeper into these attributes, the following phase of the research involved a design charrette. This collaborative session engaged senior interior design students to generate innovative ideas for social spaces within healthcare environments. Design scenarios incorporating flexibility attributes were developed, refined, and integrated into the final research phase: a survey. The survey aimed to assess the perceived social support of healthcare workers in the design scenarios informed by prior phases. Results showed an inclination of users towards versatile third places that feature indoor-outdoor options. The outcomes can inform the creation of safe third places within healthcare facilities. Facilitating social support while ensuring safety in these environments can contribute to the overall well-being of individuals in healthcare settings.9 0Item Restricted A Sensorial Glimpse at the Islamic Aljafería: Through the Lenses of Architecture and Culture(2023) Domyati, Haneen; Carrero Santamaría, EduardoThis research study delves into the captivating correlation between the architectural design of palaces and courtyards of Islamic Iberia and the cultural ceremonial activities of their royal court life. The Aljafería palace of the Taifa of Banu Hud, which stands as the best preserved among the small group of Taifa palaces that survived, was chosen as the center of the study. The Aljafería offers an exceptional opportunity to investigate the role of architectural space in a Taifa state. Drawing on a fundamental realization starts from the initial idea of viewing architecture as a reflection of the Andalusian historical and cultural reality. The dissertation aims to explore the relationship between the palatial architecture of the Islamic Aljafería and the court life practices assumed by its rulers, the Banu Hud Taifa kings, and how this relationship shaped the perceptual experience of the palace. To achieve this aim, a comprehensive analysis of the Islamic Aljafería was conducted through three approaches, architectural, cultural, and sensorial, with each approach uncovering an exciting layer of the complex rich history of the palace. Arabic literature was utilized as a core instrument to comprehend the cultural and religious ideologies imbued in the palace. By analyzing the architecture of the Taifa Palace in relation to the cultural beliefs and practices of the time, the dissertation has assumed a multisensorial journey of the perceptual experience of the eleventh-century beholder throughout the Taifa Palace of the Aljafería.10 0