Urban Transformation, Islamic Identity and Socio-Cultural Changes in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) 2005-2020

Traditional cities were developed according to Islamic principles and socio-cultural values. In such settings, urban decisions and processes were ‘bottom-up’ and co-evolved, while in modern cities decision-making has become ‘top-down’. This research explores how the concepts and ideologies of Islamic identity and socio-cultural values are physically expressed in KAEC and to identify their implications for urban development. A qualitative research design was adopted to unpack the main drivers shaping Saudi cities and the complexities of urban policies and relationships among stakeholders. The findings show that both Islamic principles and socio-cultural values are strongly interwoven and difficult to deconstruct in the structure of traditional cities. However, in modern cities the principles and values are ‘top-down’. Secondly, Islamic identity is a context-specific concept, with stakeholders holding different views, and is expressed at national and local levels. Thirdly, KAEC has been developed with little emphasis on important Islamic principles and socio-cultural values and without taking into consideration resident views. This was partly due to the adoption by the EEC of a 'top-down' planning approach containing their vision of what constitutes local and national identity. Fourthly, the physical forms in KAEC were designed without¬¬ taking account of local styles and preferences and therefore did not embody Islamic principles and socio-cultural values at the micro level. The research concludes that urban policies, processes and relationships among stakeholders was marked by tensions in relation to the expression of Islamic principles and ideologies and socio-cultural values at the micro level and in the meaning of what constitutes Islamic cities. The results generate insight into the role of modernisation and adaptation in Saudi Arabian cities.