Dissertation_Dr Faisal Almubarak

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village settlements. Until the introduction of municipal regulations, building codes and the
application of platting new land subdivisions, the forms of Saudi towns were effectively
determined by the collective will of its individuals. Early growth corresponded to
contextual imperatives; structures and buildings were built around original walking routes
and respected property lines, all with respect to topography. Under pressure of growth,
Riyadh began to endure overcrowding as more immigrants squeezed into the available
buildings. Upon arrival, some countrymen shared their homes with relatives or contracted
amateur builders to construct traditional mud houses. The quaint residential passageways,
originally built for walking traffic, were transformed into raucous streets, in which
pedestrians and cars competed for access, so that residents inhaled dust composed of
animal manure and car exhaust. Alleys, streets and empty lots served as playgrounds for
children and youth as well as places for garbage and other household refuse. This growth
was soon to be followed by small, expediency-grid residential developments interspersed
by small corner-stores, dakkakeen, as the tempo increased around the 1950s.
Like all other municipalities, Riyadh Municipality lacked political control over its own
territory and instead reflected the interests and views of the state leadership. 17 As early as
1932, the King ordered the establishment of a small office to handle perfunctory civic
tasks. In 1933, this office was elevated into the Municipality of Riyadh to oversee new
urban development, a process which amounted to little more than land subdivision, permit
processing, street cleaning, and garbage pickup. The scale of operation dramatically
expanded in the following decades. The Municipality was expanded in 1953 to the wellstaffed
Amanat Madinat Ar-Riyadh (The Trusteeship of the City of Riyadh) headed by a
royal family member, appointed by the King. The Amanah reflected the national
government's views toward development: a commitment toward the betterment of the city,
all paid for by the state, all justified as noblesse oblige on behalf of the King.
The Amanah's activities included the preparation of undeveloped land for future
growth, overseeing the implementation of building codes and issuing construction and
small business permits, sanitary ordinances and other hygienic regulations. As such, the
Amanah essentially practiced growth-control rather than planned development. At the
periphery, Municipal staff systematically subdivided residential lots into a grid system of
lots with a minimum 500 m 2 and street widths of 15 meters. The wealthier northern and
western parts of the city were zoned for concrete structures with setbacks, while poorer
southern and eastern mud communities were left to grow without such controls. Planning,