Symbolism Knowledge and City Perception in Saudi Social Life: Architecture and Environmental Studies

Architecture is the mirror of people and nations, It is also an historic document narrating the developments and changes that have occurred in the society. Saudi cities have been affected by a cultural revolution created by tremendous social changes that have taken place during the third decade of the 20th century due to the economic boom triggered by the discovery of oil. These changes have brought about the rejection of the Saudi social, architectural and technical heritage. In addition, the adopted modern architecture fails to respond to the symbolic values of today's Saudi society, which should be vigorously supported by the built environment. This book intends to find out how people respond to these changes. It also aims at demonstrating the role of symbolism and the methods people use in order to express and appreciate the aesthetics of their indigenous environment. By doing this it seeks to develop a needs-centred architectural framework which will be offered to architects, planners and decision makers.