Riyadh the City & the Life

iyadh is a city with a contemporary face that rejuvenates and gets a

facelift overnight, studdedwith the traces of the ancient past, rich in

languages andethnicities fromall cornersof theglobe set inan intimateArabic

ambiance - amiscellany of social tastes and a contemporary urban lifemarked

andunifiedbyacultural azimuthandtranquilityofbehaviour.

ThejuxtapositionthatRiyadhlivesthrough,thatis,betweentheancient

and the modern, the originality and the modernity, the private and the

universal,makesitacityofheritageinacontemporarymould,redolentwith

themixedscentsoforiginalityandhistory.

ThecornerstonetoRiyadh’sauthenticityisitsinhabitants,forurbanism,

events and activities are nothing but assorted demonstrations and features

of an intellectual originality and upbringing. Values that colour the ethos

of the society in its engagement in contemporary business pursuits,

advancementofmodernappliedandtheoretical sciences, the tell-talesignsofwell-beingandupright livingwhich

arevisible inthebuildings, restaurants andactivities.

These values which guided the lifestyle of the community had a great role in the sustained prosperity

of cultural and educational activities for which Riyadh was famous in the past and continue to drive

forwardmanyof themanifestationsofmodernculture and thought.Despite the frenetic rhythmof life in

Riyadh, its inhabitants still findtime toenjoycultural andsocial events suchas JanadriyahFestival andthe

celebrationsofEidAl-Fitr, the festivalmarking theendof themonthofRamadan.

Riyadh’sheritagearchitecture isanembodimentof itscultural andsocialdistinctness.TheoldimageofRiyadh

was formed frommud houses of uniform architectural model that combines the design of the usual old Islamic

cities, surroundedbyhighwalls toppedwithtowers andbehindthewalls are surroundedbygreenpalmgroves.

To a large extent the features of this unique architectural identity have been obliterated with the onslaught

of the urbanization that Riyadh has experienced over the past decades. Some prominent monuments and

neighbourhoods in themiddle of the cityhave survived andwith the passage of time these have acquired a highly

symbolicvalue, in termsof their architectural, historical and sentimental value as tangible andconcrete remnants

of historical Riyadh. Al–Masmak Citadel and the Government Palace (Qasr

al-Hukm) evoke the early foundationandunification stages of theKingdom,

while Al–Murabba’ Palace and the historical structures of King Abdulaziz

Historical Centre are symbols of the Kingdom’s subsequent administrative

andurbanconstructionstages.

The urban regeneration and development of the city’s archaeological

monuments have made them into cultural institutions that the public can

relate to, andcontribute tothecultural identityof futuregenerations. These

ancient buildings have also played a key role as a source of inspiration for

modernarchitects,withthe result thatnewbuildings inboththeprivateand

public sector have design elements which clearly are drawn from the city’s

heritage architecture. In this way Riyadh is constantly regenerating and

reinforcing itsownuniquearchitectural identityandheritage.