From Pedestrian Neighborhood to Automobile Suburban Cities: The Villa-Type Model

Abstract

Saudi Arabia experienced rapid growth in its population and aggressive urbanization because of the new petroleum-based economy that played a critical role in shaping its architecture of today. The oil boom during the 1970s promoted progress through the abandonment of traditional pedestrian neighborhoods in favor of an automobile “suburban” model. The new gridiron blocks were an adoption of a whole new type of residential street layout, along with new villa-type dwellings based mainly on Western precedents. Aramco first introduced this type of detached “single-family” unit in 1938 to its privileged employee camps in Dhahran. This new “outward-looking” dwelling type abandoned the “inward-looking” quality of the traditional Saudi house. This new style established a radically different relationship between the public (streets) and private (dwelling) spaces. As a result, it changed the Saudi family’s perception of their living spaces. This urban transformation witnessed the emergence of a petro-modern middle class, who saw the new model of modern houses as a step to change their lifestyle. This meant that people moved away from their traditional houses in favor of the “prestigious” (villa-type) dwellings. Due to this change, the villa residence became a symbol for improving living standards of the petro-modern society in the Gulf.