A New Chapter From An Old Page: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Mushaikh, Mohammed L.

Savannah, Georgia: Savannah College of Art and Design

2017-08

Thesis (M.Arch.) -- Architecture

Savannah College of Art and Design -- Department of Architecture

Bibliography: pages 162-163

"Culture is a divisive concept. It differentiates some social groups, and merges others. Like time, it is ever changing though anchored by its core principles in what we call history. Middle Eastern culture as a broader perspective and Saudi Arabian as a narrower, represent an intriguing study for cultural evolution. From related architecture to culture, factors such as: education, economy, politics, technology, art, and society must be investigated. Globalization – the successor of modernism - attempts to tie groups, societies, businesses, and governments together through information technology. At its best, it aims to construct vantage points for cultural interaction. Movements for women rights, higher education, and technology carved out their own pockets for expression - a pocket within the Saudi Arabian society that focuses on creatively incorporating culture, social media, talent, and art to break local boundaries in accepting change, and the global perception of Saudi culture and heritage. These elements initiated the Saudi cultural evolution, but recent economic and political positions of the Saudi Arabian government administered the velocity required to stimulate a rapid rate of change; one they had not anticipated. Architecture as groundwork has historically adhered to provide social needs through physical depiction. Here, architecture must function in creating flexible spaces to interlace the various social and cultural layers of Saudi Arabia, whilst incorporating heritage and tradition in its structure. Does architecture play the same role a brush on canvas did for cultural evolution? Should it? This thesis seeks to explore such questions, allowing them the space to play within the context of Saudi Arabia and its architectural history."

Keywords: culture, art, vantage points, education, globalization, cultural interaction, structure, economy, architecture, evolution, society, technology, flexible space, change

CHAIR: Varland, Julie Rogers

Ngo, Huy Sinh

Cubillos, Carlos

English

Architecture

Text

PDF : 163 pages, color maps, plans

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