Extreme Urban Heat

Abstract

Extreme heat events have significant impacts on urban environments and their residents. They can shape the physical form of cities, influence urban planning and design, and even mold the cultural identity of urban communities. This thesis aims to investigate the interplay between extreme heat events, city formation, and cultural identity that happened in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Working methods for this study will be the development of a historical narrative through the lens of extreme heat and its impacts on urban form and patterns of urban behavior. The aim of this work is to understand Jeddah's history of responding to extreme heat over time, comprehend the factors exacerbating urban heat, and assess their impacts on society and the environment in order to design an ideal residential model tailored to Jeddah's climate and meeting housing needs. This model will be derived from lessons learned from literature review and precedent analysis that are tailored to Jeddah's climate with the ambition of producing a model that can mitigate the impact of climate change on the city and other urban areas facing extreme urban heat due to climate change.