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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.67.07.13
How to Cite:
Amuqabel, T., & Golkarian, Sh. (2023). Socio-economic sustainability approaches applied within the conservation strategies of the
historical city of Jeddah “The case study of Al-Balad”. Amazonia Investiga, 12(67), 139-151.
https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.67.07.13
Socio-economic sustainability approaches applied within the
conservation strategies of the historical city of Jeddah “The case study
of Al-Balad”
Received: May 16, 2023 Accepted: July 17, 2023
Written by:
T. Bamuqabel1
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6894-0559
Sh. Golkarian2
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1858-0133
Abstract
Sustainability has gained significant attention in
recent years due to the critical circumstances of
global crises. The historical city of Al-Balad has
been the center of attention given to the
conservation field aiming to preserve the city's
identity while considering its historical role, unique
buildings, the past of the city, and its people. Socio-
economic sustainability in conserving the old
district of Al-Balad is achieved through multiple
strategies including the economic opportunities
offered for the locals in terms of business
development, as well as attracting tourists,
increasing property value, and adaptive reuse. The
aim of the research is to detail the socio-economic
heritage preservation techniques and analyze the
efforts made by the Saudi government and civil
organizations to create a series of recommendations
based on the recent research and literature review to
evaluate its effectiveness in protection. The
research methodology used is a qualitative
approach, with field visits to take a closer look at
current activities and progress in the field, as well
as peer literature reviews and official sources. The
findings of the research show a development in the
social and economic aspects of the community as a
result of the efforts related to the conservation of the
heritage place.
Keywords: Conservation, Al-Balad District, Old
Jeddah, Socio-economic, Sustainability, Adaptive
Re-use.
.
.
1
Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, Near East University, Near East University, Near East Boulevard, Nicosia,
Turkey. Researcher ID: JCO-6863-2023
2
Department of Architecture, Near East University, Near East University, Near East Boulevard, Nicosia, Turkey.
Researcher ID: GZA-9671-2022
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Introduction
The rapid evolution of cities around the world
contributed to the deteriorating state of its
heritage fabric (Fig. 01) caused by the neglect of
preserving the old buildings in the interest of the
new districts within the expansion (Badawy,
2018). Though the development played a vital
role in coping with the increasing demand for
new suburbs to be formed to accommodate the
population of the city, the downside was later
realized in losing the identity of the nation with
the development momentum represented by the
neglect of preserving the heritage buildings and
its surrounding (Heba, 2022).
Fig. 01. The deteriorating state of Al-Balad’s urban fabric.
Socio-economic sustainability intertwines with
heritage conservation in response to the needs of
the local community, preserving its precious
history and identity while ensuring the prosperity
of future generations (Waheeb, 2022). Thus, a
balance with all those factors should be met and
carefully analyzed to minimize the faulty
measures that could lead to harming one of those
elements in the interest of pursuing the other.
One of the methods in achieving socio-economic
sustainability with heritage conservation is
community-based tourism (Gena, 2022),
Through engaging the local residents in
periodically organized events and ceremonies
that will reflect in benefiting the participants with
economic returns while promoting the heritage
conservation of the area, the participation will
enhance the economic status of the residents
through creating more jobs and ultimately
improving the quality of life of those residents.
The other important aspect of socio-economic
heritage conservation is allowing the
accessibility to the site to tourists as well as all
members of society including people with
disabilities and special needs. Such measures will
raise the feeling of belonging in the heritage
areas and create an emotional connection that
will attach the present and future generations to
their roots (Calogero, 2022). The other factor that
should be considered is the participation of the
local residents in the decision-making to preserve
those sites and taking into account all the
different views and opinions which will
eliminate the risk of going in the wrong direction
in terms of conservation strategies and
techniques. The development of the communities
and its heritage site requires the authority and
decision-making comities to have a holistic view
of the rightful and best-suited conservational
approaches to meet the aim set for such an act.
The old city of Jeddah, Al-Balad (Fig. 02),
carries the rich history of the city’s past with its
traditional unique architectural buildings,
compact urban planning, and narrow streets. It is
a clear representation of civilizations blending in
terms of Hijazi architectural style (Fig. 03) due to
the emigrated people from distinct parts of the
world residing in the city and influencing its
architecture and culture. Due to its rich heritage
which spans thousands of years, the government
as well as the civil organizations of Saudi Arabia
have spent a lot of effort to preserve and maintain
its valuable heritage (El-belkasy, 2022)
represented by the unique architectural buildings
and its civic surroundings with various
techniques and methods across all country and
especially in the ancient district of Al-Balad-
Jeddah, which its formation goes back to the 7th
century (AL-BAN, 2016) and was considered
one of the utmost trading center and trading route
from different continents back in its time when it
was a gated city, and now it acts as a tourism
attraction spot due to its unique Hijazi
architectural buildings and its representation of
the living style of the past (AL-BAN, 2016).
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Fig. 02. The historical area of Al-Balad.
It was later realized the historic significance and
value of the area resulted in the declaration of the
city as conservation area by the Ministry of
Municipal and Rural Affairs in 1975 with laws
that restricted the alteration and demolition of
certain zones within the district (Alzahrani,
2016).
Fig. 03. Hijazi architecture style of Al-Balad.
Another step which was taken by the government
was the funding of the restoration of many of its
buildings (El-belkasy, 2022) which carry
historical significance as well as the financial
support of the owners to repair and maintain their
buildings within the area. In the academic field,
tours and seminars were organized to raise
awareness of this area’s importance and value.
The past, current, and planned efforts to preserve
the components of the heritage area have cast its
shadow on the social and economic fabric of the
district. Balancing all those factors was necessary
to be carefully considered and analyzed to
minimize the negative effects within the process
of preserving the tangible objects within the area.
The aim of the research is to elaborate on the
socio-economic heritage conservational
techniques and strategies, analyze the efforts
executed by the Saudi government and civil
organizations to pursue this goal, and lastly
propose a set of recommendations based on the
conducted research and literature review to
enhance the measures taken in order to assure its
effectiveness and longevity.
The research will answer the following questions
in order to conclude the objectives of the
research: the type of conservation methods
adopted by the authority to preserve the old
district, the measures taken to enhance the socio-
economic fabric of the district, and the effect of
the approaches applied to achieve this target.
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The objective of the research is to assess the
efficacy of the adapted urban and architectural
conservation policies and methods for Al-Balad
District in conserving the area's historical site of
Al-Balad. There are a number of limitations in
conducting the research intended, one of them is
the restriction of access to multiple heritage
buildings, and the other is the limited academic
resources of the contemporary conservation
resolution and techniques as the organized efforts
and the contribution of the academic entities are
relatively new. The research methodology used
is a qualitative approach with peer literature
reviews and findings of the published articles and
official resources along with site visits to get a
closer glimpse of the current activities and
progress at the site.
Theoretical Framework
Heritage conservation and sustainability
The heritage conservation and sustainability of
heritage sites have gained a lot of attention and
care in recent years. Heritage conservation
evolves around preserving the historical sites and
buildings that carry significant and important
value due to their unique architecture, the story
they can tell about the past, or their connection to
notable people, along with others. On the other
hand, sustainability is the ability to meet the
needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own
needs. Considering both concepts ensures the
longevity and sustainable preservation of those
areas.
Applied strategies is often challenging for
various reasons, one of which is the lack of
funding as the preservation of heritage buildings
is expensive due to the sensitivity of its
conditions and the urban fabric that is usually
compacted which limits the usage of the required
heavy equipment and tools, and the deteriorating
state of the old buildings and the possibility of its
collapse if not dealt with carefully, on the other
hand, many of those buildings are privately
owned and resources might not be available for
the owners to renovate and maintain those
buildings, thus the government decided to assist
in funding the restoration of some of those
buildings regarding certain criteria. The other
challenge is the environmental impact that results
in the waste that is produced throughout the
renovation process which might include some
hazardous materials, the conventional
construction and renovation techniques which
are not generally environmentally friendly due to
the consumption of a large amount of energy, and
last is the required use of heavy machinery which
could potentially have a negative impact on the
surrounding fabric of the heritage site.
Social sustainability in heritage conservation
Social sustainability in the process of preserving
heritage buildings is vital as it ensures the social
returns to the community in various aspects to
thrive the social involvement and social return
through the conservation of those areas (Heba,
2022). Involving the community in the decision-
making process and determining the significant
value of what to preserve is one aspect to be
considered. Another is the economic value in
terms of business creating and creating an
economic cycle within the heritage sites. The
cultural enrichment and the public perception of
the history and customs of the area and its people
are another element (El-belkasy, 2022). Lastly is
the accessibility of all different groups, genders,
cultural backgrounds, and physical abilities to
strengthen the bond between the people and their
rich history.
Economical sustainability in heritage
conservation
Economic sustainability is one of the four pillars
that can be incorporated within the process of
preserving the heritage area to turn the area into
an economic generating source to benefit the
local economy and its people. There are different
aspects to consider in achieving this goal,
tourism attractions bring tourists to explore and
know more about the history of the place and
generate revenue. Another is the job creation in
terms of temporary kiosks, restaurants, cafes,
museums, and galleries. The last aspect is the
local cultural industries such as arts, crafts, and
traditional skills to elevate the handy crafts of the
people and become a source of income.
Methodology
Study area
Background about Al-Balad
Al-Balad district is located in the heart of Jeddah
which was once a gated city before its scattered
development to the current districts of the city
(Fig. 04). Many of the historical district’s
buildings were inscribed by UNESCO after
multiple attempts from the government to shed
light on the importance and value of the area for
a global recognition (Adas, 2013). The district
consists of many buildings that are distinct for
their architectural unique style which is a blend
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of multiple styles from different Islamic
countries introduced by the Muslims migrants
who came in to fulfill their religious duty of Hajj
and Umra and then resided in the city (Ghazzeh,
2020). The main characteristics of the city are its
narrow alleys, traditional coral stone buildings,
architectural elements such as intricate
latticework windows and balconies, Mashrabia,
and engraved wooden doors. Restoring and
preserving the heritage value of the district and
its buildings and fabric has been one of the goals
within the development process and strategies of
the government.
Fig. 04. Jeddah City growth progression, a set of maps shows the rapid growth of the metropolitan area of
modern Jeddah city through the last fifty years. From “Sustainable urban heritage conservation strategies—
a case study of historic Jeddah districts” by Badawy, 2018, Taylor & Francis Group.
Significance and value
Al-Balad heritage district carries historical
significance and value that is persistent to date,
such role and importance contributed to the
massive attention and care the area has had over
the past years. Understanding those values will
justify the means and methods the government
takes in terms of cost and time spent to preserve
its buildings and fabrics. The area carries
historical importance as being in the city which
is considered the economic capital of the country
due to its location as the main gate to Makkah
and Madina, the two holy cities for Muslims, and
having the port which is access to the majority of
the goods and shipments received from
worldwide. The other aspect is its architectural
style uniqueness within its buildings, Hijazi
architecture style is a mixture of multiple
international styles from different civilizations
(Heba, 2022) that’s been brought by the pilgrims
who came to fulfill their religious duty in Hajj
and Umra and then ended up residing in the gated
city within the heritage district and reflecting
their origin’s style in the buildings they
constructed. The cultural significance the area
carries is another aspect, the mixed cultures of
the people who resided in the area (Table 01)
have created a diversity of different backgrounds
and merged them into a unique cultural
characteristic. The district is considered one of
the tourist attraction spots in the region which
help generate income for the country as well as
the people and at the same time reflect and
educate the visitors about the rich heritage and
culture of the city. Lastly, it is considered
valuable for the local community identity, as
many of the renowned families of the region
originated from this area (Table 02) and their
original homes still exist nowadays and they help
with the renovation and preservation measures
initiated by the government and the people find it
a source of pride as it reflects their identity,
history, and culture heritage (Waheeb, 2022).
Table 01.
Population diversity percentages in the city of Jeddah in 2020, The estimation was done through a
governmental authority. From, Statistical Yearbook by General Authority for Statistics of Saudi Arabia,
2020.
Nationality
Percentage
Saudi Arabian
77.9%
Yemeni
10.2%
Egyptian
2.7%
Indian
2.6%
Pakistani
1.9%
Syrian
1.4%
Lebanese
1.2%
Sudanese
1.1%
Bangladeshi
0.9%
Other
2.2%
(Source: Arabia, 2020)
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Table 02.
List of buildings within Al-Balad that belong to renowned families.
Building Name
Image
Bait Nassif
Bait Baashen
Bait Matbouli
Bait Saloum
Bait Noor Wali
(Source: Composed by Author)
Conservation of Al-Balad District
Due to the importance of the heritage district of
Al-Balad and with the growing concern about its
value and the need to preserve it, the government,
in cooperation with civil organizations, has
launched several initiatives to preserve the area
by adopting different strategies and methods
(Badawy, 2018). The initiatives launched include
the establishment of the Jeddah Historical
Preservation Society which focuses on the
restorations of selected buildings within the
district according to certain criteria. Another is
the incorporation of planned restoration
techniques for deteriorating buildings in order to
conserve them. On a social scale, a cultural
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center was created in the middle of the district to
showcase its heritage, history, and value to raise
awareness among the public and the visitors of
the place (El-belkasy, 2022). Lastly, the urge and
persistence to include the area within the
UNESCO World Heritage sites will put the area
on a global stage, subsequently earning it more
credibility and worth.
Conservation policies of Al-Balad
There has been a progression in the conservation
guidelines and parameters set by government
officials during the 70s and 80s until the present
to ensure the sustainability and longevity of the
conservation practices within the historical area
(Ghazzeh, 2020), Robert Matthew and Jeddah’s
municipality were commissioned subsequently
to propose and set the policies on which the
conservation will be based on.
− Robert Matthew Policy
During the 1970s, and as the first imitative from
the Saudi government to preserve historical and
cultural areas (Gena, 2022), the British architect
Robert Matthew was commissioned to develop a
plan for the conservation strategies and
guidelines (Fig. 05). The plan was based on the
following principles:
− Preservation of the historic fabric of Al-
Balad including its buildings, streets, and
open spaces which was suggested to be
achieved through the adaptation of local
materials and methods.
-Involvement of the community is one of the
essential points of the conservation process.
Public meetings and workshops were held to
hear the thoughts and opinions of the
residents.
− Sustainability incorporation in the
conservation plan. He proposed using
traditional materials and methods which will
be harmless to the environment.
His plan was implemented during the 1980s and
1990s (Maestri, 2018) which resulted in a
remarkable outcome, though the efforts were not
enough considering the scale of the heritage area
that should be included.
Fig. 05. Robert Matthew’s conservation policy for historical Jeddah. The images show the plan for the
conservation strategies and guidelines by the British Architect Robert Matthew, From “Sustainable
Conservation and Reuse of Historical City Center Applied Study on Jeddah”
(Source: El-Belkasy, 2022)
− Jeddah Municipality Policy
Jeddah Municipality has issued a set of policies
on which the conservation of the heritage area of
Al-Balad will be based (El-belkasy, 2022). It is
designed to maintain the cultural and
architectural uniqueness while thriving the
livability of the place. It was based on the Robert
Matthew Policy with some alterations (Ghazzeh,
2020). Some of the key principles include:
• Strict policy against unauthorized alteration
that includes demolishing, remodeling, or
changing the identity of the building. That
ensures the district’s unique architectural
heritage is preserved.
• Community engagement by working closely
and cooperating with the public as the
conservation is a bottom-up process, and
that ensures the support of the project and its
sustainability.
• Sustainability consideration in the
development of Al-Balad, it’s outlined by
using traditional materials and methods to
minimize the negative impact on the
environment.
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Due to the implementation of those policies, the
heritage district of Al-Balad has become vibrant
and a thriving center of culture and commerce.
Social aspect of Al-Balad Conservation
The conservation of the heritage district of Al-
Balad has had a significant impact on the social
life of its residents as well as visitors. One of the
advantages is the preservation of its cultural
heritage as it is home to a rich variety of historical
and cultural sites and buildings including public
spaces, private residences, museums, mosques,
and others (Heba, 2022). The conservation of
those areas (Fig. 06) has enabled access to the
buildings for the public. It also helped with
increasing the quality of life and social network
within the community as it brought people from
different cultural backgrounds to interact and
increase the sense of community. This all
resulted in making the city more livable and an
attractive place to live in and visit.
Fig. 06. Renovation work for various buildings in the Al-Balad district.
It set an example of the important role that
conservation plays in regard to benefiting the
community. Conserving the district has helped to
preserve the city’s cultural heritage, boost the
economy, and improve the social fabric of the
city (Gena, 2022). Some of the social benefits
resulting from the conservation of the heritage
area are:
• Preservation of cultural heritage has made
the district a vibrant place to visit, and it’s
boosted the local economy of the residents.
• Improve the quality of life for the residents
by creating jobs, attracting tourists, and
making the district more livable.
• A sense of community is increased by
bringing people together with different
backgrounds to interact with one another.
This is a significant example of how historic
preservation benefits society by helping to
preserve the city’s cultural heritage of its people.
− Social Conservation Approaches
Post-vision era 2030 of Saudi Arabia which was
announced back in 2016 (Waheeb, 2022), has
reformed and elevated the strategies adopted by
the government and in cooperation with civil
organizations in all aspects of development, and
that includes the conservation of the heritage area
of the city.
Periodical events (Fig. 07) are being organized
and held in the heart of the heritage area with a
variety of activities (El-belkasy, 2022), shows,
and content to attract different audiences within
a wide range of age groups.
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Fig. 07. Festival gatherings in Albalad. Periodical festival gatherings included a traditional activity within
the historical area. From “Sustainable urban heritage conservation strategies—case study of historic Jeddah
districts”, (Badawy, 2018).
Examples of the events are:
• Jeddah Art Week is an annual event
consisting of performances, exhibitions, and
other shows that celebrate the art state of the
city.
• Jeddah Heritage Festival which celebrates
the city’s history and culture featuring music
and dance related to local culture.
• Jeddah International Book Fair which
features books and authors from around the
world with historical book reviews and
seminars to promote awareness of the
history of the place.
• Jeddah Film Festivals (Fig. 08) are held
annually with guests of the film industries
from all over the world which exposes the
area and its heritage components across the
globe.
• Jeddah Comedy Festival features
international as well as local stand-up
comedians which is attended by many
different age groups.
Fig. 08. International film festival in Al-Balad. Jaddah’s international film festival is held in the historical
district of Al-Balad. From Red Sea International Festival, by Screen Daily, 2022
(Source: Daily, 2022)
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In addition to other events that’s been held
periodically which makes the area vibrant and
exciting to visit and know more about, and a
chance to interact and communicate with others.
There are different measures which were taken to
ensure the experience worthy of the place for the
visitors. First is the rehabilitation of the historic
buildings, especially the ones that are being used
for the events as the condition of those buildings
was deteriorating and in need of maintenance and
renovation at different levels (Maestri, 2018).
Second by improving the infrastructure of the
area as it is expected to host large crowds
throughout the year and that includes upgrading
the sewer system, sidewalks, roads, and squares.
Third, creating a public awareness campaign to
educate the residents on the conservation
importance in order to sustain the city’s heritage
and culture. Finally, a management plan to
ensure the longevity of the conservation practices
and approaches which includes developing a
tourism strategy, creating heritage trails, and
training the locals in heritage conservation
(Gena, 2022).
All the efforts set are aimed at enhancing the
social gain from the conservation of the area,
some of these benefits are:
• Increased social interaction through the
events and included activities in them which
promote the social interaction between
visitors who share the same interest in the
heritage and history of the place and that will
subsequently build a social bridge between
different communities with different
backgrounds.
• Promote cultural understanding, as those
events not only enlighten the visitors from
other countries about the heritage and
culture of the locals, it even so with the
residents from different provinces within the
same country, and that increases the patriotic
feeling among residents as well as exposing
the locals to foreign cultures via mixing and
interacting with the visitors.
• Creating a sense of community by bringing
people together boosts the sense of
ownership over their city.
• Improving quality of life by offering people
the luxury of choice to attend different
events that are related to entertainment,
education, culture, or others.
Economic aspect of Al-Balad Conservation
There has been a positive economic impact due
to the conservation of the heritage district of Al-
Balad by creating jobs, attracting tourists, and
tempting investment which boosted the local
economy and improve the life of its residents
(Bagader, 2014). Some of the economic benefits
examples are:
• Job creation (Fig. 09) in the construction and
renovation of those buildings, tourism,
hospitality sector, and stores.
• Tourism attraction from all over the world
helps to boost the local economy and job
creation.
• Increased property value within the district
which benefited the homeowners and
businesses in the area, this was due to the
development and enhancement of the
buildings as well as the infrastructure of the
whole area.
• Improved quality of life via making the
district more livable with all the added
facilities and entertainment, which has
attracted new residents and businesses to the
area.
Fig. 09. Stores at Al-Balad district. The attractive traditional shops in Al-Balad create job opportunities for
the locals. From Classic Saudi Arabia, by Remote Lands, 2006, (Source: Remote Lands, 2006)
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− Economic Conservation Approaches
There are different measures that have been
implemented by the Saudi Tourism Authority to
enhance the economic return of the conservation
of the area, one of the key approaches is the
adaptive reuse of some of the key buildings
within the district by turning an old, abandoned
building into boutique hotels, museums, and
stores to showcase and sell artifacts (Bagader,
2016). Examples of the buildings are as follows:
• Bait Nassif, is a historical building, built in
1872, The government acquired the
ownership of the building in the 1980s and
turned it into a museum showcasing the
history and culture of the place as the house
hosted the founder of the country during the
early days of his rulership.
• Bait Matbouli, which was once a traditional
family house, has been turned into a center
for Arabic Language and Culture that offers
courses in Arabic language and culture.
• Altayebat International City is a complex of
historical buildings that were turned into a
museum for Islamic art and culture.
• Al-Balad Theatre, which was originally a
traditional market, and has been adopted
later on and it now serves as a cultural center
and theater hosting concerts, performances,
and other cultural events.
Those are some of the examples of buildings that
were adopted and rehabilitated to serve a
different function than their original one, and that
enhances the economic status of the area by
generating income via hosting those events and
attracting local as well as international visitors.
Findings
The strategies adopted for the heritage
conservation of Al-Balad have significantly been
elevated prior to and post the announcement of
Vision 2030 (Ghazzeh, 2020) of the country
which one aims is to preserve the city’s historic
and cultural heritage which primarily includes
Al-Balad as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the
goals include restoring and preserving its historic
buildings, rehabilitating the infrastructure,
promoting tourism, and developing a sustainable
management plan to ensure its sustainability and
longevity.
In terms of social conservation and due to the
measures adopted the following results have
been registered.
• The number of people visiting Al-Balad has
increased by 50% (Waheeb, 2022) since the
conservation of the heritage area has started,
and the average length of stay has increased
by 20% (Heba, 2022) and that’s an
indication that people spending more time in
the outdoor places within Al-Balad which
subsequently increase the social interaction
among them.
• The awareness and pride of the local
residents of Jeddah have increased as a result
of including them in the decision-making in
regard to the conservation of the old city.
According to a study by Jeddah’s
Municipality, 70% of the residents
expressed pride in their culture and heritage
after the conservation (Waheeb, 2022).
• The sense of community and belonging has
increased among the residents by 70%, and
60% of the residents said they are more
likely to participate in community events
due to the readiness of the place and the
conservation measures that have been
adopted (Ghazzeh, 2020).
On the other hand, and in regard to the economic
aspect, a number of improvements and
developments have been observed and registered
in varying studies. Following are some of the
outcomes related to the economic aspect of the
conservation:
• The conservation has helped in increasing
the job opportunities which increased by
50% since the conservation project launch
(Waheeb, 2022), and the average salary
within its premises has increased by 20%
due to the increasing demand and thriving of
the economic cycle. The number of shops
and kiosks has increased by 41.7% from
1,200 stores prior to the conservation project
to 1,800 stores and kiosks currently
(Waheeb, 2022), aside from the temporary
kiosks that are set during organized events
throughout the year.
• The property value and demand have
increased as well due to the conservation of
the historic district, in a study conducted by
Jeddah Municipality, it conducted that the
property average value in Al-Balad has
increased by 50% since 2009, and the
property sold has increased by 30% since
that time which is unprecedented as the area
was considered unfit for living due to the
lack of the basic services and infrastructure
(Ghazzeh, 2020).
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Recommendations
Although efforts were made to conserve the
historical area and to enhance its livability in
terms of social and economic status, there are still
areas to improve and develop to thrive and reach
optimum results, following are set of
recommendations based on the analysis and
study of the approaches adopted and its results.
• Public social interaction can be further
enhanced by organizing interactive events
and seminars, as the current events do not
necessarily encourage and offer space for
communication between visitors, the
building spaces could be used and readapt to
host those events and activities.
• Utilize modern communication techniques
such as barcode scanning and app
development to raise the awareness and
knowledge of the visitors about the
conservation efforts and importance as well
as detailed explanations about the history
and stages of conservation that the building
has gone through.
• Engage the community in the decision-
making to decide the priority and importance
of what building to renovate, and the
methods used will elevate the sense of
community and ownership among the
residents.
• Reorganizing the urban fabric of the area in
a way to help with the navigation easiness of
the key buildings and distributing the
commercial kiosk and activities among
them, as the current spatial distribution
increased the chances of spending time in
unwanted territories as it is difficult to get to
the required destination.
• Improve the infrastructure of the area for
better services within adaptive reused
buildings such as internet connection, water
supply, sewage system, and others to
promote livelihood within those parameters
in general.
Conclusions
An interdisciplinary endeavor called
architectural conservation aims to sustain the
historical relevance, artistic value, and
functioning of existing structures. A unique
UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ethiopia, the
rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are an
exceptional example of religious construction.
However, there are serious conservation issues at
the site that demand quick action. A thorough and
multidisciplinary approach to architectural
restoration is necessary to preserve the
preservation of the historical, cultural, and
architectural relevance of the rock-hewn
churches of Lalibela. This strategy ought to
consider the difficulties these structures present.
These landmark structures can be preserved for
present and future generations to admire and
enjoy by carrying out rigorous assessments,
putting suitable conservation measures in place,
and adopting ecologically friendly activities.
Effective conservation plans should also take the
local community's socioeconomic conditions
into account. A sense of ownership and
responsibility can be fostered by involving the
community and spreading knowledge of the
value of maintaining cultural property, which
will result in more sustainable conservation
techniques. Collaboration with international
organizations and the creation of specialized
conservation funds may also be able to offer
crucial assistance for ongoing upkeep and
restoration projects. We can guarantee the long-
term survival of these important historic sites by
employing a diverse and adaptive strategy to the
conservation of the rock-hewn churches of
Lalibela and comparable architectural marvels.
We can preserve these remarkable rock-hewn
monuments' historical and cultural significance
while also preserving their breathtaking beauty
and spiritual heritage for future generations to
enjoy.
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