THE REFLECTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS ON THE DESIGN AND FORMATION OF OUTDOOR CIRCULATION ELEMENTS IN HERITAGE TOWNS CASE STUDY: AL-ULA HERITAGE TOWN – KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Dept.of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt

Abstract

The research discusses the possibility to benefit from heritage concepts rooted in ancient urban areas, with all its values which were a true and expressive interaction between the environment and its human, social, natural, climatic characteristics. The circulation issue in architecture and urbanism is currently referring only to functional concept, ignoring many natural, social factors of the surrounding context. Many of rich treatments that characterized the heritage urbanism are now absent. Trying to get benefit from these values and concepts; this research deals with the outdoor circulation elements in particular. The research aims to draw design concepts rooted in outdoor circulation elements in heritage urbanism, and their role as a governing element to forming and formulating both the architecture and urbanism, and as an active partner in the environmental system. The town of Al-Ula in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been chosen as a case study, where the majority of its urban elements have been preserved. Al-Ula represents the ancient heritage, it is characterized by its clear interaction with the surrounding context and the existence of a unique and unconventional circulation element only dedicated to women. The research also reviews other unconventional circulation elements in several heritage urban bodies in some similar areas also affected by surrounding context. The research is divided into five parts: the first part addresses the unique form of Al-Ula town, and how it was affected and interacted with the natural, environmental, and social context of the area, and how this form influenced the forming of the circulation elements within the town. The second part studies circulation elements in Al-Ula town, draws the factors that governed these elements through the urban and architectural content, and how it was affected by other functional, environmental, and cultural contents, human and social relationships in the town body. The third part discusses some unconventional outdoor circulation elements in similar examples in different towns and areas. The fourth part contains the most important comparisons and observations about the ancient and modern circulation elements. The research sums up a group of important points and concepts that had a reflection on formulating the outdoor circulation elements through their spontaneous interaction with environment and community.

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JES. Journal of Engineering Sciences
Volume 44, No 5
September and October 2016
Pages 603-621

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