The transformation of residential neighborhood: the emergence of new urbanism in Saudi Arabian culture

Many scholars and researchers agree that the traditional Islamic built environment provides a precedent for any new practice pertinent to neighborhood design in Islamic Community. This paper uses analysis of traditional and contemporary neighborhood designs in Saudi Arabia to examine how the concept of “New Urbanism” practiced in the USA since the mid-1980s was applied in Saudi Arabia. The paper argues that the physical design of space either public, semi-public, semi-private or private can hinder or enhance cultural and climatic requirements as well as improve the security of the community. Also, the traditional settlements of Saudi Arabia offer valuable insights into the interaction of human behavior and the built form.