The provision of school buildings in Saudi Arabia with particular reference to Jeddah.

This thesis studies the provision of school buildings in
Saudi Arabia with particular reference to the city of Jeddah. It
attempts to provide general design guidance and criteria, which
incorporate suitable educational, environmental, social,
religious and economic factors in the country.
Early investigation of population statistics and the result
of the survey held in the city of Jeddah indicated that:
intermediate schools should be given priority in this study. The
second point was that most of the existing schools which are
provided by the authorities are educationally, environmentally
and economically inadequate.
The study emphasizes and interlinks three major subject
areas: education, environment and architectural design.
Reference is made to the development of education and consequent
Implications for school buildings in developed countries. An
attempt is made to define environmental requirements for hot arid
regions such as Saudi Arabia. Traditional Islamic architecture
and school building (Madares) is examined. The outcome of this
study indicated that: two major issues should be considered in
the formation of the final brief. First, the relationship of the
existing educational situation and its future. The western
educational model is the origin, yet Islamic education can not be
disregarded and any development in the existing system will
Initially be religiously oriented. The architectural response
should on the one hand be localized and related to the
traditional Islamic values. On the other hand, it should be
modern and up to date with future needs borne in mind. The
second major decision is that, for many reasons, internal
environment should be of a high standard. This should be
generated by a natural process of ventilation and lighting.
For educational demands layouts have been suggested and
developed to meet existing and future needs with a minimum of
physical alterations. These layouts respond to environment by
blending traditional elements in such a way as to provide crossventilation by the controlled movement of cool air. This is
assisted by an original use of the stack-effect in building in a
way which reflects traditional architecture, yet provides modern
standards of light and thermal control.