QATAR UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TOWARDS INTEGRATED SOCIO-CULTURAL SPACE IN “FAREEJ OLD AL- HITMI” NEIGHBORHOOD IN DOHA BY SARA IBRAHIM NAFI' A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the College of Engineering in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Science in Urban Planning and Design June 2017 © 2017 Sara Nafi'. All Rights Reserved. COMMITTEE PAGE The members of the Committee approve the Thesis of Sara Nafi' defended on 25/05/2017. Dr. Anna Grichting Thesis/Dissertation Supervisor Prof. Emeritus Brian W Edwards Committee Member Dr. Djamel Ouahrani Committee Member Approved: Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Dean, College of Engineering ii ABSTRACT NAFI, SARA, I., Masters: June : 2017, Masters of Science in Urban Planning and Design Title: Towards Integrated Socio-Cultural Space in “Fareej Old Al-Hitmi” Neighborhood in Doha Supervisor ofThesis: Dr. Anna Grichting. In the face of rapid urban development, population growth, and socio-cultural changes, most historic districts in the Gulf are experiencing difficulties in making the necessary adaptation and adjustments to the present needs and changes. On the one hand, most of these districts are suffering from decay and dilapidation. On the other hand, many of them are being erased and replaced by new business districts. Consequently, historic districts are being neglected and are losing their identity. Doha, the capital of the state of Qatar, is experiencing a rapid growth in its economy and population, resulting in the transformation of its built environment. This transformation is characterized by multiple construction projects and the abandonment of old historic neighborhoods. The aim of this thesis is to examine the impact of this rapid urban development on the socio-cultural spaces in Doha‟s historic neighborhoods, focusing on „Fareej Old Al- Hitmi‟. This is an old neighborhood in Doha that contains the rich history of the Al-Hitmi family, and which has a coherent fabric with authentic old houses of different characters and types. Old Al-Hitmi neighborhood is one of the spaces that is currently being iii neglected and is losing its cultural identity. The main objective deals with the evaluation of the current socio-cultural spaces within the study area, and examining different methods to enhance the social interaction and connectivity between the neighborhood users. To achieve the aim of this research study, a mixed methods approach involving a combination of both quantitative and qualitative analyses were adopted and developed. (1) Theoretical study, by reviewing different topics and disciplines (2) Applied and analytical study, through site observation, field notes and photographs (3) Structured questioners and interviews with planners and design professionals from the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), Qatar Museum Authority (QMA), Engineering consultant companies and Qatar Rail (QR). As an outcome, this research study attempts to develop an approach to enhance the socio-cultural spaces, and promote social interaction and engagement in urban life through a set of recommendations and design guidelines. iv DEDICATION I dedicate my work to Ibrahim Nafi’ Salha Khalifa my parents who have supported me throughout my life. Their love, encouragement, and prayers empowered me to achieve such success. I also dedicate my thesis to my beloved sisters and brothers for their sincere love and encouragement Thank you, my beloved family. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. I would like to express my gratefulness to everyone who supported me throughout my Master‟s thesis. I am thankful for their aspiring guidance, invaluably constructive criticism and friendly advice. I am sincerely grateful to them for sharing their truthful and illuminating views on a number of issues related to the thesis. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my advisor Dr. Anna Grichting for her continuous support and guidance throughout my academic years, for her patience, immense knowledge, and her motivation to keep challenging myself throughout the entire process. A warm thank to my parents, sisters and brothers. I am thankful to my family that blessed me with lots of encouragement. I express gratitude to my friends, for there continued love and support. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION .................................................................................................................... v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. vi LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... xi LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... xviii ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................................... xix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 1 1.1. Research Significance .............................................................................................. 1 1.2. Research Aim and Objectives .................................................................................. 2 1.3. Research Hypothesis ................................................................................................ 4 1.4. Structure of the Research Study ............................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 2: Literature Review ........................................................................................ 6 2.1. Socio-Cultural Space ................................................................................................ 6 2.1.1. The Production of Social Space ............................................................................ 6 2.1.2. Type of Social Spaces ........................................................................................... 7 2.2. Urban Design and the Relationship between Society and Space ........................... 14 2.3. Neighborhoods and Social Interaction ............................................................... 15 2.3.1. Social Relevance and Meaning ........................................................................... 16 2.3.2. Size ...................................................................................................................... 17 vii 2.2.4. Boundaries .......................................................................................................... 18 2.2.5. Mixed Communities ............................................................................................ 18 2.4. Sense of Neighborhood Place ................................................................................. 20 2.5. Rapid Urbanization and Socio Cultural Change .................................................... 22 2.5.1. Urbanization Issues and Problems ...................................................................... 23 2.6. Case Studies ........................................................................................................... 24 2.6.1. Linden Hills Neighborhood, Minneapolis, USA ................................................. 24 2.6.2. Dubai Downtown and Business Bay, United Arab Emirates. ............................. 30 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .............................................................. 34 3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 34 3.2. Research Approach ................................................................................................ 34 3.3. Selection of the Study Area .................................................................................... 36 3.4. Data Collection Tools............................................................................................. 38 3.4.1. Site Analysis ........................................................................................................ 38 3.4.2. Site Observation .................................................................................................. 39 3.4.3. Survey Analysis................................................................................................... 41 3.4.4. Focus Group Interviews ...................................................................................... 41 CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH CONTEXT ........................................................................... 43 4.1. Doha Historical Background .................................................................................. 43 viii 4.2. Transformation of Doha‟s Historic Neighborhood ................................................ 51 4.3. Significance of the Study area, Fareej Old Al Hitmi ............................................. 54 CHAPTER 5: RESEARCH DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS ........................................ 57 5.1. Site Analysis ........................................................................................................... 58 5.1.1. Location and Context .......................................................................................... 58 5.1.2. The Evolution of Fareej Old Al-Hitmi Over Time ............................................. 59 5.1.3. Existing Land Use and Future Master Plan ......................................................... 61 5.1.4. Transportation ....................................................................................................