Rehumanize the Streets and Make Them More Smart and Livable in Arab Cities: Case Study: Tahlia Street; Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

An urban revolution has brought a qualitative change related to the globalization of technologies and the economy. This, in turn, leads to changes in the city’s “human face”. Riyadh is the capital city of Saudi Arabia, which has been impacted by rapid population growth. The significant urban expansion negatively impacted various human characteristics as streets became more devoted to transportation than urban space. Various efforts have been made to re-establish the human aspects of streets by creating built environments and urban spaces. This study aims to determine the physical street features that impact Riyadh city streets’ livability. The study also determines people’s perception of the physical quality of Riyadh’s city streets. An exploratory sequential mixed research method has been adopted. Two separate qualitative and quantitative research approaches have been used to answer the research questions. Through a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews, the physical aspects of the case study street were assessed, and physical issues were identified. The finding of this study showed that physical issues such as scarce planting, lack of services for disabled people, traffic congestion, inadequate seating, and inadequate canopies and shelter are deteriorating the Riyadh city street livability. Responding to these physical problems will require measures to be built in municipalities to make Saudi cities more livable. The first practical measure is the provision of facilities such as seating and street furniture, adequate parking spaces, adequate shelter, and services for disabled people. The second is improving the quality of existing facilities, such as planting and landscaping. Lastly, traffic congestion can be controlled by changing Tahlia Street to a transit street that allows only public transport. Overall, the findings of this study will help planners and decision-makers create a livable environment within the framework of the re-humanization of the cities. A collaborative system to support the rehumanization of urban spaces should be adopted by encouraging smart design and improving the open spaces functions to fulfil the community need through a participative method, including the involvement of citizens.