As cities evolve to meet the demands of the 21st century, the concept of "smart cities" has gained significant traction. While much of the discourse focuses on digitalization and the role of information and communication technology (ICT), the fundamental impact of architecture and design in shaping sustainable and user-friendly environments is often overlooked. The built environment, which includes its structures, interiors, and public spaces, plays a crucial role in determining how livable and adaptable a city truly is.
Design and Architecture for Sustainable, Resilient, and User-Friendly Cities and Interiors inserts itself into this ongoing debate by shifting the focus away from technology as the primary driver of smart urban development. Instead, this volume explores how architecture and design serve as the foundation for creating cities that are not only smart but also livable, sustainable, and adaptable to future challenges. Divided into three parts, the authors of this collected edtion examine contemporary design and architectural principles, innovative approaches to sustainable product development, and case studies that highlight the intersection of design, user experience, and urban resilience. By centering infrastructure and spatial planning in discussions on smart cities, this edited collection offers a fresh and necessary perspective that redefines the role of design in urban evolution.
Bringing together scholars and practitioners from diverse disciplines, this volume is an essential resource for architects, urban planners, designers, and policymakers seeking to create cities that prioritize both technological advancement and human well-being. Addressing critical gaps in existing literature, this work provides a new framework for understanding how the built environment contributes to the future of sustainable urban living.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1. What is the Value of Architecture and Design for the Smart Cities’ Debate? An Outline of a Conversation; Anna Visvizi, Asmaa Ibrahim, and Sajid Khalifa
Part 1. Designing (Smart) User-Friendly Urban Spaces
Chapter 2. Analyzing the Impact of Spatial Organization on Human Emotion in Public Open Spaces: A Neuroarchitecture Approach; Adiba Shafique
Chapter 3. Adaptive Physical Activity as a Measure of Healthy City Transformation: The Case of Jeddah; Tarek Saad Ragab
Chapter 4. Green Spaces in Urban Design: Examining Its Influence on Quality of Life of City Residents—The Case of Jeddah; Tarek Saad Ragab, Sara Aljeshi, and Amani Mirza
Chapter 5. Challenges to Scaling Urban Farming in Saudi Cities: A Case Study of Jeddah; Tarek Saad Ragab
Part 2. User-Friendly Interior Design in Smart Cities
Chapter 6. Accounting for Neurodiverse Users in the Practice of Interior Design: A Case for User-Friendly Hotels; Ahmed M. Abdelrazik and Aseel Moustafa
Chapter 7. Requirements and Specifications of Pets Care Centers: An Interior Design Perspective; Ahmed M. Abdelrazik and Shahd Saleh
Chapter 8. Utilizing Animated Films as a Tool for Understanding the Tectonics of Architectural Works; Mohamed Ghazala
Part 3. Product Design for Users’ Safety, Creativity, and Well-Being
Chapter 9. Enhancing Swimming Safety and Experience: Development of a Smart Life Vest; Ahmed Kassab, Sajid Khalifa, Areej Alghonaim, and Doha ElMaamoun
Chapter 10. Furniture Design as a Means of Boosting Creativity and Self-Expression in a Broadly Defined City Space; Ahmed Kassab, Sajid Khalifa, Layan Alhamed, and Dena Shehadah
Chapter 11. Comparison of Furniture History: Ancient China and Ancient Japan; Sajid Khalifa, Rayya Bakhash, and Saleha Mahob
Chapter 12. A Survey Study of Design Teamwork in the Context of Professional Photography Studios; Mustafa Yousry Matbouly
Chapter 13. Arabic Calligraphy Museum: An Interior Design Perspective; Ahmed M. Abdelrazik and Nahhal Alsilani
About the Author :
Anna Visvizi, Ph.D. (dr hab.), economist and political scientist, Professor at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, and Visiting Professor at Effat University, Saudi Arabia. Seasoned editor, researcher, recognized author, and accomplished project manager, Professor Visvizi has extensive experience in academia, think-tank and government sectors in Europe and the US, including the OECD. Professor Visvizi’s expertise covers issues pertinent to the intersection of politics, economics and information and communication technology (ICT), which translates into her research and publications on applied aspects of ICT, in such domains as smart cities, knowledge & innovation management, as technology transfer, and governance. Professor Visvizi is the Editor-in-Chief of Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy (Emerald Publishing) as well as of Digital Policy, Regulation and Governance (Emerald Publishing).
Asmaa Ibrahim, Ph.D., Professor, currently serving also as the Dean of the College of Architecture & Design at Effat University, Saudi Arabia. She is originally a Professor of urban development at the Arch. Dep. Faculty of Engineering, Cairo Univ. with 18 years of academic and professional experience. She was the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow in the SPURS program at MIT, USA (2018/2019). She was the main coordinator in the Double Master Program with Cottbus University in Germany, and Alex. University. She has fourteen years of experience in strategic regional and urban planning projects in UN HABITAT, GOPP, and GIZ with a focus on community development, gender programming and regeneration policies in historic districts, and new urban expansions. She has received extensive training at the World Resource Institute in Washington DC and Oxfam America in Boston in 2018/2019. She has more than 20 international publications in the field of sustainable urbanism.
Dr. Sajid Khalifa is an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design and Chair of the Design Department at Effat University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. His expertise spans design thinking, product development, innovation, creative processes, prototyping, and user experience. Dr. Khalifa’s research explores the intersections of design, technology, and education, with recent works focusing on fabrication laboratories as innovative learning environments, the evolution of Japanese design in product development, and sustainable urban design futures. He has also examined the role of makerspaces and accreditation in shaping engineering and design education. At Effat University, he is deeply involved in advancing educational innovation through initiatives such as the FabLab, which reflects his commitment to hands-on, creative, and technology-driven approaches to learning.
