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Editorial: Evolving Urbanism of Cities on the Arabian Peninsula

Prof. Ashraf M. Salama (Professor of Architecture and Urbanism, Head, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qatar University)
Dr. Florian Wiedmann (Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qatar University)

Open House International

ISSN: 0168-2601

Article publication date: 1 December 2013

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Abstract

Covering about three million square kilometres, the Arabian Peninsula is mainly a diverse landscape of hot humid sandy coasts, arid desert, sparse scrubland, stone-strewn plains, and lush oases, as well as rocky and sometimes fertile mountain highlands and valleys. In addition to the indigenous local populace, the population is composed of large groups of expatriate Arabs and Asians, in addition to smaller groups of Europeans and North Americans; these expatriate groups represent a major workforce community of skilled professionals and semi-skilled or unskilled labourers from over sixty countries. The region's contemporary economy, dominated by the production of oil and natural gas has created unprecedented wealth, which in turn has led to a momentous surge in intensive infrastructural development and the construction of new environments (Wiedmann, 2012). The ensuing impact of this fast track development on the built environment, in conjunction with the continuous and seemingly frantic quest for establishing unique urban identities (Salama, 2012), is seen as a trigger for introducing this special edition of Open House International.

Citation

Salama, A.M. and Wiedmann, F. (2013), "Editorial: Evolving Urbanism of Cities on the Arabian Peninsula", Open House International, Vol. 38 No. 4, pp. 4-5. https://doi.org/10.1108/OHI-04-2013-B0001

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Open House International

Copyright © 2013 Open House International

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