Reviving and developing of urban spaces to establish smart child-friendly environment: An application of vision 2030 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

A decrease in direct interaction between children and their surroundings world, which is conducive to both learning and play, has resulted from the rapid development of technology. Children have a preference for remaining indoors and utilizing smart applications to avoid interacting with the outside world. Furthermore, an observation made by the researcher during the rehabilitation of outdoor open spaces reveals a dearth of appealing outdoor educational entertainment choices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study investigates how, by incorporating the nine types of intelligence and using artificial intelligence applications and geographic information systems software, it may develop public open spaces places for children based on David Sobel's principles with the goal of achieving the objectives specified in Vision 2030, in addition to in addition to highlight the relevance of urban development in the management of urban growth, its role in ensuring that cities are sustainable, efficient, and liveable, and the impact of this process, Through Studying the previous studies in this field and Analysing the current situation of parks in eastern region of Saudi Arabia and compare it to the best practice examples and gathering information and needs from children through questionnaire and workshops to propose smart urban Applications to implement in public open spaces in Saudi Arabia.The Research mainly aim to to improve and enhance public urban spaces for children by incorporating smart elements that contribute to improving the quality of life, in line with the 2030 vision in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the study aims to identify sustainable urban development principles for creating child-friendly open public spaces in Saudi Arabia, while also addressing the adverse effects of urbanisation on children's mental and physical development. The research methodology involves analysing theoretical studies related to the research topic, using data from academic journals, scientific publications, books, and websites that focus on the child-friendly cities initiative, urban development, and Smart sustainable cities. By utilising data gathered from previous studies, both national and international case studies, analysing the current situation of public open spaces in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia, questionnaires, and workshops specifically designed for children aged 6 to 12, this research aims to address the research problem and related hypotheses and establishing a omprehensive assessment method for analysing child-friendly public open spaces in the Saudi Arabia. The Study Found that reviving and enhancing public open spaces in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia contributes to the creation of a smart and child-friendly environment, aligning with the goals of Vision 2030. This initiative aims to improve the quality of life in urban areas in Saudi Arabia, in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal 11, which focuses on creating sustainable cities and communities. Also, The Study Found that Urban development and urbanisation are essential for fostering economic growth, promoting innovation, and enhancing the quality of life. Sustainable smart cities encompass the integration of technology, environmental care, and social equality. These cities employ data-driven decision-making and innovative solutions to optimise resource utilisation, increase public services, and promote the well-being of their citizens. Finally, the research recommends utilising the criteria for evaluating cities that are suitable for children, to examine the quality of public open spaces in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Additionally, a comprehensive development plan should be produced based on the principles of Universal design, Also, using Smart Application and virtual reality technology to create inclusive spaces for children in alignment with the ongoing initiative to develop eco-friendly smart cities, Implementing the principle of community participation through the establishment of memorandums of understanding to provide training for Eastern Region Municipality employees responsible for enhancing the city's urban landscape, in partnership with relevant stakeholders, with the aim of creating suitable designs for children in public urban areas and Revising the existing urban code to incorporate the requirements of children in public areas, therefore promoting the growth of an aware and well-being-oriented generation.