Purpose: Traditional houses in the Historic District of Jeddah exhibit architectural characteristics that reflect an important aspect of the social practices of the area in various historical contexts. This study aimed to clarify the link between the principles and characteristics of material cultural heritage (architectural characteristics) and a set of social practices, such as celebrations, that took place in the houses of the historical region of Jeddah. Furthermore, the study provided design guidelines for contemporary homes to support the social practices of celebrations in a modern context. These guidelines hope to preserve cultural stock and protect the traditional homes in the historical region of Jeddah from destruction. Design/methodology/approach:The study used the descriptiveanalytical method to characterize and analyse the architectural characteristics and social practices of well-known occasions in the region. Moreover, tangible and intangible heritage was investigated by employing the principles of design to elements of contemporary homes.