Support for Courtyard Houses: Riyad, Saudi Arabia

The objective of this report is to explore the application of the support concept in the Saudi Arabian context, as a result of the author’s interest in the concept of user participation. To do so, the following steps were followed.

First; an analysis and observations were made for both traditional and contemporary houses.

Second, twenty-four patterns were developed to explain the possible relationship between various patterns in the Saudi culture, and in order to clarify the capacity of the courtyard house.

Third, a support for courtyard house type was designed by using the S.A.R. methodology.

This report deals only with design aspects on the level of the individual dwelling.