Architecture and urbanism in the Arabian Gulf region, and specifically in the State of Qatar, offer many scenes to observe the loss of urban identity and cultural heritage in the various components of the built environment, including residential architecture. Many people attribute this to rapid development in globalization and the adoption of Western standardization in planning and design practice. Conversely, in the field of architectural sociology, scholars argue that socio-cultural factors such as privacy, gender segregation, and hospitality are the important variables for determining the spatial form of Islamic residential architecture. This research study aims to investigate the degree to which the shaping of the spatial form in a sample of Qatari vernacular courtyard houses embeds socio-cultural factors based on morphological analysis of human behavior and activities in domestic space. The study utilizes space syntax analysis to explore the spatial connectivity of four Qatari vernacular courtyard houses related to domestic functions as a realization of inhabitants’ system of activities and a manifestation of culture as a way of life. The study’s findings shed light on the spatial formation of Qatari vernacular courtyard houses as a realization of socio-cultural imperatives, thus reflecting the essence of societal formation in the domestic architecture of old Qatari settlements. The insights from this research study can help to contribute to a cultural heritage-framework for the preservation of distinctive Qatari Vernacular Residential Architecture based on the analytical criteria of housing spatial form, socio-cultural factors, and the interrelation between both.

In a rapidly developing nation such as Qatar, the prime aspect of growth is directed toward delivering social, economic, and environmental coherence in its neighborhood development. Qatar's current fast economic growth and the physical transformation of its built environment compromises social and environmental aspects. However, if applied suitably, these transformations can enhance these compromised aspects while increasing economic prosperity. Such transformations include major urban public transit systems currently under construction for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2030 Qatar National Vision (QNV-2030), which aims to connect the center of Doha to several megaprojects and transit villages around major metro stations. The main goal of projects such as the Doha Metro System is to reduce the number of vehicles on the road networks while providing a “stress-free” transition experience. Therefore, the pursuit of transit-oriented developments (TODs), as part of an integrated transportation and land use strategy, will aid in the revitalization of urban neighborhoods in terms of both social and environmental aspects, while allowing for economic prosperity. The main challenge for urban planners is to design the metro stations and accompanying facilities to be well integrated into the urban context of their surroundings, thus reducing traffic through the design of mixed-use, compact transit villages. This study aims to explore the extent to which the new metro station can be interconnected with the spatial form of the built environment of the Souq Waqif neighborhood. This research study argues that efficient integration of land use with balanced transportation will contribute to creating a more livable environment with reduced automobile dependence while aiding the economic context. The research design includes qualitative data based on theoretical studies to assess the principles of TODs and the extent of further implementations that can be employed for the Souq neighborhood to become a TOD.

Many people see American cities as a radical departure in the history of town planning because of their planned nature based on the geometrical division of the land. However, other cities of the world also began as planned towns with geometric layouts so American cities are not unique. Why did the regular grid come to so pervasively characterize American urbanism? Are American cities really so different? The Syntax of City Space: American Urban Grids by Mark David Major with Foreword by Ruth Conroy Dalton (co-editor of Take One Building) answers these questions and much more by exploring the urban morphology of American cities. It argues American cities do represent a radical departure in the history of town planning while, simultaneously, still being subject to the same processes linking the street network and function found in other types of cities around the world. A historical preference for regularity in town planning had a profound influence on American urbanism, which endures to this day.

This paper presents some of the findings of a study comparing the form and function of two traditional markets on the Arabian Peninsula: Souq Mutrah in Muscat, Oman, and Souq Waqif in Doha, Qatar. Globalization and rapid urbanization characterize both Doha and Muscat, which share similar historical origins as coastal settlements despite stark differences in topography; Oman is mountainous, whereas Qatar is flat. We investigate the urban morphology, land use and function of the two souqs using several representational techniques typical of morphological research, including space syntax analysis. The purpose is to develop a deeper understanding of (1) the evolution of space and form in these marketplaces over time, and (2) the possible implications for their functioning as urban places. The analysis demonstrates the critical importance of the contextual relations at the macro- and micro-scale of the urban environment for understanding the complex nature of these souqs as places today, helping to deepen our knowledge about traditional markets in the Middle East.

Purpose: This research study aims at revealing a planning method for the development of the Souq Waqif-Transit village. Design/methodology/approach: Over the past decade, transit-oriented developments (TODs) have become an international city planning model for promoting sustainable urbanism. On a regional scale, the State of Qatar launched the construction of Doha Metro. The current network consists of three lines with a central interchange station within the city's most vibrant cultural core, i.e., between Msheireb Downtown Doha and Msheireb, near to the Souq Waqif historical site and Al Corniche waterfront promenade. The Qatar National Development Framework emphasizes the importance of stimulating sustainable urban growth by linking the Doha Metro with TODs. Findings: The findings show that the benefits of a strategy for monitoring and assessing the potential benefits of the investigated TOD linked to the analysis of the indices for (1) travel behavior, (2) built environment diversity and (3) other categories specific to the site's historical-heritage preservation. Research limitations/implications: Namely, a comprehensive approach for developing a historical site is/should be grounded in a planning method for enhancing the mixed-used urban fabric, public realm and walkability, and heritage preservation. Social implications: The insights from this research study aim to guide the long-term sustainable urban growth of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) cities in the future. Originality/value: The proposed sustainable growth planning scheme for the Souq Waqif addresses gaps highlighted through design tools of investigation. The missing attributes concern three key factors: (1) mixed-used urban fabric, (2) public realm and walkability and (3) built heritage preservation. The quality of streetscape, corridors, connections and connectivity of pedestrian and walkable network: TOD is not dependent on a singular mode of transport (Doha Metro), but it includes all systems that allow for mass public mobility within the city districts. Integrating other transport systems within mixed-use areas should be reevaluated based on accessibility to such systems, including taxi services, public bus services and public shuttles.