Building Problems in Saudi Arabia: the Need for Building Research, and the Development of Building Research Approaches.

This study is designed to develop an effective building and urban planning research strategy for Saudi Arabia. The structure, organization, and programs of building and planning research in a number of European, Asian, African and North American institutes were examined. In addition the specific geographic, historical, climatological, economic, governmental, educational, and cultural backgrounds of Saudi Arabia were considered as they relate to the design and construction of buildings, housing and urban planning. Based on the examination of building and planning research activities throughout the world and the study of the special requirements of Saudi Arabia, five models of building research establishments were developed. These models were tested in a survey of knowledgeable members of the government, the professions of architecture, engineering, and urban planning, and the faculties of the professional schools and universities of Saudi Arabia. On the basis of the survey results and the two other major parts of the study, the surveys of research institutes and of local conditions of Saudi Arabia, a final model is proposed which is designed to function most effectively to meet the needs of Saudi Arabia in the governmental, professional and economic context of the nation. This model which is organized under a building, housing and urban planning advisory board is conceived in order to build on the existing institutional bases within government and the universities to organize effectively a cooperative national building and urban planning research effort in order to aid Saudi Arabia in solving the problems generated by rapid growth and change.PhDArchitectureUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/158035/1/8106075.pd