The Impact of a Pedestrian-Oriented Environment on the Street Humanization in Riyadh City

Abstract

Urban design elements associated with streets are integral to the concept of humanization, primarily due to their direct role in facilitating and promoting walking behaviours within neighbourhoods. Walkability serves as a key indicator of streets' effectiveness in meeting human needs. This study investigates the influence of urban elements that encourage walking on the degree of humanization in residential neighbourhoods in Riyadh. Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach, the study examines and analyses residential neighbourhood layouts through Geographic Information System (GIS) software, focusing on block lengths and intersection densities as objective physical indicators of humanization. A standardized urban unit, comprising (Mafruka and the streets connected to it), was defined across neighbourhoods to facilitate comparative analysis regarding the availability and quality of street design elements. Additionally, residents’ satisfaction and perceptions regarding walking as a mode of active transportation were surveyed, with subjective emotional indicators gathered through a structured questionnaire. The study sample consisted of a random selection of 400 residents across the five sectors of Riyadh. Findings from the study highlight the need for a comprehensive development plan aimed at encouraging and enhancing pedestrian activity to reinforce the human-centred dimension within Riyadh's residential neighbourhoods.