The Characteristics of Livable Streets: A Study of Physical Aspects of Two Streets in Riyadh

Abstract

Riyadh is one of the major capital cities of the world, its urban fabric has been affected by rapid urbanization and population growth. Enormous urban expansion has had negative effects on the human dimension, as the streets became more devoted to transportation rather than an integrated urban space. The local municipalities in Riyadh have exerted efforts to restore the human dimension to streets by developing urban spaces and built environments. However, these efforts did not provide a strategy for creating livable streets, because they were built based on individual initiatives. This work aims to investigate the physical aspects of Riyadh streetscapes and define their influences on the livability and quality of spaces. This paper provides a descriptive analysis of two streets in Riyadh, Tahlia Street and Tabuk Street, which have been developed to make them pedestrian friendly. The research data were obtained through field surveys, interviews, and observations. Moreover, in-depth analyses of several government reports from The Royal Commission for Riyadh City and the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs were conducted. Results show that Tahlia Street has wide physical aspects compared to Tabuk Street, making the former more vital than the latter. However, both streets lack some street infrastructure to protect pedestrians from weather conditions. Finally, the paper proposes to develop the current conditions of the physical characteristics of street scenes in order to improve the quality of the streets in Riyadh and enhance the residents' quality of life.

Humanising Commercial Streets as a Tool for Social Sustainability

“…Identifying a Humanised commercial street is accomplished by "assessing the quality of architectural space in terms of Humanisation" (Pellitteri et al, 2014), this is based on the efficiency of fulfilling the needs and requirements of various users, as well as the performance of the space during usage. Alabed et al (2021) debated that for a commercial street to be considered Humanised, it must display and maintain the following possible qualities: Safe and friendly, healthy and liveable, socially encouraging, landscaping, heritage/historic value, and ".. a place to learn and play".…”

“…IOP Publishing doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1283/1/012014 10 Evidently, Humanisation may be considered an implementation of the Inclusive Design Strategy (Persson et al, 2014) and (Almahmood et al, 2018), as the main aim of this approach is establishing a public space that can be utilized by all citizens equivalently (Alabed et al, 2021). Furthermore, Alabed et al claim that human-based environments should encourage interaction with components to stimulate psychological and physical wellness.…”

“…Other studies provided recommendations for modifications to the built environment of a commercial street that would enhance the user experience. For example, a study of "traffic calming techniques" in urban streets showed their positive impact on foot traffic volume (Alabed et al, 2021). Another suggestion was implementing "public art and cultural attractions" to provide users with a sense of place and develop a connection between them and the surrounding environment to further improve their welfare (GENECON, 2011).…”

“…Humanisation is a term that was coined and debated in the urban context in the late 20th century, and it is the aspiration of making public spaces more human-centralized by adding tangible and intangible features that ameliorate the user experience while eliminating those that negatively impact the space's performance (GENECON, 2011). Alabed concluded that the Humanisation of urban commercial streets is the act of basing design, functions, and services on pedestrians and prioritizing them over vehicles (Alabed et al, 2021). Yet, currently, the design of many commercial streets disregards human values, rather immense consideration is given to economic aspects resulting in an alleviation of user experiences.…”

The Issue of Urban Transport Planning in Saudi Arabia: Concepts and Future Challenges

“…• Evaluate the social costs of the new solution and see if it makes sense for the administration to overlook some of the crucial variables such as the greenhouse effect, different kinds of pollution, road casualties, and even traffic-generated noise [55,64,65]. Another element that cannot be ignored when it comes to data projections and a further diagnosis related to the MTP of the city of Riyadh is the traffic forecast that has to be dependent on the employment rate, social trends, and land-use profitability.…”