RIYADH, 4 May 2007 — The Higher Commission for the Development of Arriyadh (HCDA) is organizing a symposium to discuss various issues related to residential zoning, housing and quality of life in Riyadh beginning May 20.
As in the last two housing symposiums held by the HCDA (in 2001 and 2004 respectively) international and local experts will participate and present papers on the development of quality residential neighborhoods where people can have a sense of togetherness and get involved in matters that concern the management, maintenance and planning of their neighborhoods.
The forum is taking place under the sponsorship of Riyadh Governor Prince Salman, who is the president of the HCDA, at the King Fahd Cultural Center.
The forum will discuss the ways to create an ideal residential environment and explore the factors that improve the residential districts with residents involved in the management, maintenance and planning of their neighborhoods. The symposium will also discuss urban studies regarding revitalizing existing neighborhoods and creating responsive social and environmental urban places where aesthetics, sustainability, safety and sense of community can be bound together.
The symposium will have four sessions to discuss four major topics. The topics are the planning and designing of new residential districts, the improvement of the environment of the existing districts, residents’ participation in the improvement of their districts, and the review of the experience of successful local and international experiments in this direction.
The first topic of planning and designing will discuss the criteria for planning residential neighborhoods in city centers, the suburbs and around commercial areas. It will also discuss the systems of planning to improve the environment of residential districts with due consideration for the social and behavioral requirements of the residents. The session will also discuss the factors that contribute to asserting the identity of every residential district in such a way that it engenders a spirit of belonging among the residents.
The second session will focus on the mechanisms to revitalize deteriorating districts and the guidelines to improve their security situation, health condition and aesthetical aspects. This session will also chalk out program to make the downtown residential districts maintain their quality standards.
The second meeting will discuss the role of district centers in improving the social, economic and security condition in the residential districts besides the measures to raise the efficiency of the infrastructure services in the existing districts.
The third major topic of the seminar will be the participation of the residents in the management and maintenance of their districts. They will also have a role in the planning of their districts besides improving the social relations between the residents.
The fourth session will discuss the ideal residential districts and examine the lessons they provide for other residential neighborhoods. It will also look into various aspects of the participation of the residents in the design and administration of districts in addition to discussing the experiments in the development of deteriorating districts.
In this symposium, 200 experts from 27 countries are expected to participate. The scientific committee for the seminar has received 195 research and work papers from the intending participants. Experts from various Saudi, Arab and international universities will select the papers to be read and discussed at the forum. The language of discussions will be Arabic with arrangement for instant English translation.
The HCDA has sent invitations to experts in engineering and construction fields, architects, professional bodies and Arab and international investors to attend the forum. Invitations have also been sent to municipalities, government and private sectors and property and residential developers and contractors.
The commission has also launched a website for the seminar: www.Housing3.org to provide required information about the forum.
The HCDA recently held a design contest for residential neighborhoods in connection with the symposium.
The title of the competition was “Residential District: Home and Life.”
The participants were professionals and students learning town designing.
The competition was aimed at removing the shortcomings in the urban planning and introducing ideal environment in residential districts with due consideration for the material and moral requirements of the residents.
The urban plans presented in the competition included green areas and space for various uses with ample room for pedestrians and cars.
From 68 countries, 505 applied for the contest. Out of them 60 were selected. Fourteen of them were students while 46 were professionals.
The winners of the competition included both professionals and students. The total amount of the prizes comes to SR525, 000. Prince Salman will distribute the prizes and certifications to the winners in the symposium.
