Evaluating public spaces in Hail, Saudi Arabia: A reflection on cultural changes and user perceptions
Mohammed Mashary Alnaim, Emad Noaime
Abstract
Public spaces are an essential part of the urban environment as they support a wide variety of public activity. Within the City of Hail, Saudi Arabia, public spaces have undergone a cultural shift, making them more vibrant and highly attractive, serving as much needed breathing spaces for the city and popular gathering places. The culture of Hail and its surrounding region strives to accept change while preserving the customs and traditions of previous generations. The aim of the study is to first examine public spaces through six dimensions to identify and understand the differences in space quality. The presence of these six dimensions is further refined into eighteen. These dimensions and attributes will be used to evaluate the various public spaces within Hail, and the results of this study are intended to inform both citizens and city officials of the quality of public spaces throughout the city. Second, the study intends to correlate quantitative and qualitative data to develop a better understanding of specific space qualities by utilizing fieldwork observations and user perception. The study concludes by identifying several specific challenges concerning the planning and design of public spaces in Hail, as well as several recommendations for increasing the value of Hail's public spaces in accordance with Saudi Arabia's National Transformation Program.