Over the past decade, transit-oriented development (TOD) has been advocated as an applicable urban regeneration planning model to promote the sustainability of cities along with city dwellers’ standards of urban living. On a regional scale, under the directives of the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV-2030), the Qatar National Development Framework (QNDF-2032), and the strategies for planned mega events, such as the FIFA World Cup 2022, the State of Qatar launched the construction of the Doha Metro, which consists of four lines. This transport system, linking the center of Doha to several transit villages around approximately 100 metro stations, aims at reducing the number of vehicles on the road networks while providing an integrated transportation and land use strategy through the urban regeneration of transit-oriented developments (TODs), providing both social and environmental economic benefits. Among the most significant transit sites within the Doha Metro lines is the Souq Waqif station. This station is a historical–heritage spot that represents a potential socio-cultural site for the creation of a distinctive urban environment. This research study investigates an approach suitable for an urban regeneration planning scheme for the Souq Waqif TOD, aiming at (i) preserving and consolidating the deeply rooted cultural heritage of the historical site and (ii) enhancing the city dwellers’ and/or the community’s standards of urban living. This study aims to explore the applicability of a TOD planning scheme for the new metro station through urban regeneration and land infill in the existing built environment of the Souq. This study contends that the efficient integration of land use with transport systems contributes to shaping an environment with enhanced standards of living for users while supporting social, economic, and environmental factors. The present research design comprises qualitative data based on theoretical studies and site-based analysis to assess (i) the principles of TODs and (ii) the extent to which their application can be employed for the Souq Waqif to become a sustainable TOD.

Architecture and urbanism in the Arabian Gulf region, and specifically in the State of Qatar, offer many scenes to observe the loss of urban identity and cultural heritage in the various components of the built environment, including residential architecture. Many people attribute this to rapid development in globalization and the adoption of Western standardization in planning and design practice. Conversely, in the field of architectural sociology, scholars argue that socio-cultural factors such as privacy, gender segregation, and hospitality are the important variables for determining the spatial form of Islamic residential architecture. This research study aims to investigate the degree to which the shaping of the spatial form in a sample of Qatari vernacular courtyard houses embeds socio-cultural factors based on morphological analysis of human behavior and activities in domestic space. The study utilizes space syntax analysis to explore the spatial connectivity of four Qatari vernacular courtyard houses related to domestic functions as a realization of inhabitants’ system of activities and a manifestation of culture as a way of life. The study’s findings shed light on the spatial formation of Qatari vernacular courtyard houses as a realization of socio-cultural imperatives, thus reflecting the essence of societal formation in the domestic architecture of old Qatari settlements. The insights from this research study can help to contribute to a cultural heritage-framework for the preservation of distinctive Qatari Vernacular Residential Architecture based on the analytical criteria of housing spatial form, socio-cultural factors, and the interrelation between both.

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This research study explores the Arabian Gulf region’s practice of city planning and design in response to the active forces of globalization. The focused scope of analysis is justified by the commonalities that unite the Arabian Gulf region, among them is the active response to globalization and the rapid urbanization process. Following the coverage of the regional context, an investigation of the city planning and design is presented in the study as a case study approach. Three coastal Arabian Gulf capitals -Abu Dhabi, Doha and Manama- are selected as primary units of analysis, investigating their urban evolution, the recent planning practice and urban development vision. The aim of the research study is to establish a theoretical connection between Gulf cities relying on their commonalities. The hypothesis assumes globalization to create a common urban planning practice based on (A) geopolitical facts, (B) historical evolution of urbanism and (C) the recent urban development trends that shape Gulf capital cities. The findings reveal that the urban practice in the Gulf region has been constantly altered in response to global challenges. New trends of megaprojects and international planning are dominating the urban development and growth of Gulf capital cities, where the knowledge of international expertise is flowing into the local planning practice. Therefore, the future of the urbanism is expected to focus on comprehensiveness, master-planning in the national scale, as well as establishing a regional interconnection as a strategic development vision unifying the whole Arabian Gulf region.

PurposeThis research study aims to explore sociocultural factors such as privacy and gender segregation as they relate to the spatial perception of women's spaces within the vernacular Qatari household, and the activities, habits and practiced culture of its inhabitants.Design/methodology/approachThis analysis utilizes the Space Syntax methodology to examine a sample of vernacular courtyard houses with respect to space connectivity, conducting an analytical exploration of the role of women based on the system of activities.FindingsThe findings shed light on the spatial complexity and sensitivity of the Qatari household as it reflects the prevailing sociocultural imperatives in Qatari urbanities, including the country's capital, Doha.Research limitations/implicationsThis research study thus reinforces the importance of traditional residential architecture in conserving Qatar's distinctive architectural identity, rooted in its sociocultural attributes.Social implicationsSociocultural features such as privacy and gender segregation are among the most prominent factors influencing the spatial form of vernacular courtyard houses in the Arabian Gulf country of Qatar.Originality/valueIt is argued that within a typical vernacular Qatari household, women's spaces are the least connected (most segregated) areas, due mainly to the influence of privacy norms and gender segregation on the spatial configuration of the house.