Cities for All: Urban Equity and Cultural Inclusivity in Cosmopolitan Cities: A Case Study of Wadi Hanifa, Riyadh

Abdelfattah, Dalia (2025) Cities for All: Urban Equity and Cultural Inclusivity in Cosmopolitan Cities: A Case Study of Wadi Hanifa, Riyadh. URBAN INNOVATION: TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO CITIES HAVE GONE BEFORE. Medium sized cities and towns as a major arena of global urbanisation. Proceedings of REAL CORP 2025, 30th Intl. Conference on Urban Development, Regional Planning and Information Society. pp. 211-221. ISSN 2521-3938

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Abstract

The concept of “Cities for All” has become a necessity for addressing the challenges of urbanization, multiculturalism, and social equity in the 21st century. As cities are rapidly evolving anddeveloping increasingly diverse multicultural layers, it became crucial to foster inclusive environments that promote equity, equality, and justice. Yet, challenges persist in developing truly inclusive urban spaces, thisacquires a deep understanding of the interlocking complex relationship between social community needs and urban design parameters.This research explores the dynamics of the multicultural societies in urban spaces.It highlights the challenges faced in accessing equitable public spaces. It examines the role of urban design in fostering social cohesion and reducing spatial inequalities. The research aims to studythe capacity of the outdoor public spaces to accommodate people needs with cultural diversity, including individuals of different nationalities, genders, age groups, and cultural backgrounds, enabling them to practice their activities and express themselves in public without conflict, while fostering mutual acceptance.The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative analysisof spatial data with user experiences and perceptions. The study incorporates observational research, annotated mapping techniques, photographing, and looking for traces to provide a comprehensive understanding of space utilization and cultural dynamics. The research conducts systematic observations of public behavior and space usage patterns across different times of the day. This method supported the documentation of how various cultural groups interact with the urban public space, providing insights into the effectiveness of designelements in promoting inclusivity and equity in multicultural settings.The study utilizes annotated maps to visually represent spatial data, and uses qualitative observations topresent the distribution of amenities and facilities across the urban public space to identify the patterns of use by different cultural groups. Theoverlapping between the observational data with the annotated maps creates a powerful tool for analyzing the relationship between urban design of public spaces and social equity in multicultural environments. The study proposes a robust framework for assessing and improving urban equity in diverse public spaces.The research applies its methodology to analyze a case study within the context of Riyadh city (an evolving cosmopolitan city as the capital of Saudi Arabia) with a specific focus on Wadi Hanifa as a study area. This case study concentrates on understanding the concept of urban equity in designing public spaces to promotesocial cohesion, especially in multiculture communities.The research explores the impact of Wadi Hanifa redevelopment project in promoting spatial justice and equity in public spaces, taking into account the varied requirements of the multicultural community in Riyadh. It examines the project's strategy for establishing welcoming public areas that honor local cultural practices while encouraging intercultural harmony, which provide fair access to parks and recreational areas for all groups.The case study analysis of Wadi Hanifa, demonstrates that its strategyaligns with the macro-movement towards creating “Cities for All”. It emphasizes how important it is to accommodate a comprehensive approach that considers culturally-sensitive design. The public spaces of Wadi Hanifa has a flexible design qualities that serve the whole community. The research shows that the Wadi Hanifa project successfully integrates principles of equity and urban justice, resulting in increased public use and improved quality of life for diverse multi-cultural groups. The study concludes its findings by highlighting the importance of such successful projects in promoting social cohesion in cosmopolitan cities that embrace diversity as well as harmony. This approach is aligned with the kingdom 2030’s vision for Sustainable Development, to create safe, inclusive, and resilient communities.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Multi-cultural, Equity, Inclusion, Cosmopolitan cities, Public space
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Depositing User:	The CORP Team
Date Deposited:	26 May 2025 15:21
Last Modified:	07 Jul 2025 09:04
URI:	http://repository.corp.at/id/eprint/1262

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