Reimagining Saudi Cityscape

R E I M A G I N I N G

T H E

A TRAINING PROGRAM TO ENHANCE THE URBAN VISUAL LANDSCAPE, REDUCE VISUAL POLLUTION & CREATE LIVEABLE URBAN SPACES \

SUBMITTED TO THE MINISTRY OF MUNICIPAL & RURAL AFFAIRS (MOMRA) Proposal submitted by:

4 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

TABLE OF CONTENTS DEFINITIONS 2 INTRODUCTION 4 Background 4 Project Scope & Objectives 6 GUIDING PRINCIPLES 7 Complying with the Urban Development Process 8 Considerations at the City Planning Scale 8 Urban Form to Lubricate Aesthetics 9 Harmony in Architectural Design 9 Improved Quality of Construction 10 Effective Maintenance & Operations 11 Humanizing Urban Spaces 11 City Scale 12 Public Space Scale 13 Governance 13 TRAINING APPROACH 14 TRAINING METHODS 17 TRAINING OUTLINE PROCESS 19 PRELIMINARY TRAINING OUTLINE 22 Target Audience 22 Phase 1: Introductory Level Training 23 Phase 2: Intermediate-Level Training 24 Module A: Transforming City Spaces through Innovative Urban Design 24 Training Course 1: Principle Guidelines & Standards for Good Quality Urban Design 24 Training Course 2: Urban Design and the Visual Quality 25 Training Course 3: Expressing Urban Identities through Design 26 Training Course 4: Placemaking – People-centered Design of Public Spaces 27 Module B: Urban Visual Pollution Challenges and Responsive Tools 28 Training Course 1: Typology of Urban Visual Pollution in Saudi Cities & Their Impacts 28 Training Course 2: Solutions to Mitigate Visual Pollution in Saudi Cities 29

Seminar 1: Revitalizing Urban Spaces through Creative Arts 29 Seminar 2: Facades’ Rehabilitation for Reviving Visual Environs 30 Seminar 3: Enhancing the Visual Character through Reshaping Streetscapes and Open Spaces 30 Seminar 4: Promoting Natural Landscape and Green Spaces to Enhance the Visual Environment 30 Seminar 5: Reassessing Protocols for Signage and Outdoor Advertisements (OAs) 30 Seminar 6: Strategic Solutions to Parking Problems in Congested Neighborhoods 30 Seminar 7: Effective Strategies for Municipal Waste Management 31 Seminar 7: Upgrading Slums for Enhancing Cityscape and Livability 31 Seminar 8: Policy/Traditions Compliance 31 Module C: Governance & Management for Enhancing the Urban Visual Landscape 32 Training Course 1: Local Financing Tools & the Role of the Private Sector 32 Training Course 2: Public Procurement & Contracts 32 Training Course 3: Citizen Engagement 33 Training Course 4: Project Management, Monitoring & Evaluation 33 Training Course 5: Inter-institutional Cooperation 34 Phase 3: Advanced Learning Program 34 Training Course: Landscape Impact Assessment (LIA) 34 Training Course: Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) 34 Special Module for Field Inspectors 34 SCHEDULE 35 TRAINING DELIVERY PLAN 36 INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS & STRATEGIC PARTNERS 38 ABOUT THE CENTER 41

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 1

Definitions Urban definitions may have a different meaning from an individual to another, a school of thought to another and an organization to another. Therefore, it is crucial to specify what this proposal means by each concept. The following are definitions for some urban terminology that will be used throughout this document:

2 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

• URBAN VISUAL LANDSCAPE is visual perception about an area by the people, whose aesthetic character is defined by the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors.

• URBAN VISUAL POLLUTION is an aesthetic phenomenon that refers to the impacts of

pollution that impair one’s ability to enjoy a vista or view. Visual pollution disturbs the visual areas of people by creating harmful changes in the people’s built environment.

• URBAN BRANDING is a process through which distinct physical features of the city are defined and combined to capture the essence of the place

• SLUMS AREAS an area within the city where group of individuals living under the same roof

lack one or more of these: durable permanent housing, sufficient living space, easy access to safe water, access to sanitation, and the security of tenure (UN Habitat).

• UNSAFE URBAN AREAS

are areas of the city that have a lack of surveillance and monitoring by law enforcement, resulting in a high number of crimes.

• UNPLANNED URBAN AREAS are areas either lacking or non-complying with development standards, zoning regulations and spatial plans by the local authorities, therefore resulting in haphazard growth and sub-standard quality living

• URBAN IDENTITY is formed by the entire values and characteristics of a city. These values

and characteristics are what make the city unique and can be used to motivate people to take care of the city.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 3

INTRODUCTION

Since the late 1960’s, Saudi Arabia has witnessed a rapid and uncontrollable population growth and urban expansion that accompanied a growing economy.

However, due to the at times insufficient institutions, infrastructure, services, and overall planning framework and their inability to cope at the time, a new urban visual landscape emerged. Uncoordinated urbanization led to, in many cases, a replacement of local urban identity with commercialized western fragmented design patterns at best and slums at worst. In essence, the elements of the modern Saudi urban form are often inharmonious with one another and with the existing local culture. As a result, Saudi cities today face amounting urban challenges to enhance the overall quality of life, which includes redefining urban identities and eliminating visual pollution.

Aesthetic consideration in contemporary urban design is essential in not only improving development, but also users’ well-being and life quality. As cities compete globally to attract investment, talent and tourism, offering a distinct positive city brand is key. However, aesthetic

4 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

concerns can affect urban identity and local economic components such as property value. Moreover, numerous studies have shown that the visual environment impacts an individual’s psychological and emotional state. In that, spatial representation influences users’ identification, function, and enjoyment with the surrounding urban space. Therefore, irregular and offensive sights such as waste or cell towers, are considered polluting elements to the environment and landscape due to their unwanted and harming appearance.

Tackling visual pollution in all its forms aligns with Vision 2030 goals in preserving Saudi’s national heritage, strengthening Islamic and national identity, enhancing economic growth and quality of life. In this realm, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MOMRA), local and regional municipalities, and affiliated entities are at the forefront, assuming an important role in making Saudi cities more liveable and aesthetically pleasing. MOMRA has already taken great steps to improve urban scenery in Saudi cities.

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

THE CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE IS HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ASKED BY MOMRA TO DEVELOP AND DELIVER A COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM ON URBAN VISUAL LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL POLLUTION.

Under MOMRA’s mission in“Enhancing Visual Landscape and Functional Performance of Saudi cities”, the Ministry recently launched a number of impressive initiatives, projects and supporting programs that include “Development of Municipal Solid Waste Management System” and “Development of Municipal oversight mechanisms and procedures”.

The Center for Local Governance is honored to have been asked by MOMRA to develop and deliver a comprehensive training program on urban visual landscape and visual pollution. This program is another major step by the Ministry to tackle disruptive visual elements that affect health, economic vitality, civic-sense and overall quality of life. The basic premise is to have the above institutions expand their understanding of the factors affecting cityscapes and develop real-time knowledge and tools to implement a systematic transformation based on local assessments. The Center looks forward to working with the Ministry on this pioneering initiative with the engagement from all levels of management and technical teams in MOMRA. It is the Center’s conviction that a lasting, sustainable impact on the urban fabric of Saudi cities can be achieved through this training program.

This document represents the road map for a training program that is designed by the Center in close coordination with the Ministry and implemented through the Center’s international network of like-minded think tanks, design studios, universities, and training centers as well as the Ministry’s top management. The Center looks forward to a long-term, fruitful partnership with MOMRA.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 5

INTRODUCTION

Project Scope & Objectives MOMRA has asked CLG to design and implement a training program for ministerial and municipal staff focused on enhancing the urban visual landscape and reducing visual pollution in Saudi cities, keeping in mind that these topics need to be approached from diverse angles and fall within broader themes such as the humanization and liveability of Saudi cities.

The main objective of this training program is to educate the participants about how to resolve complex urban problems in the areas of urban visual landscapes and visual pollution, some of which originate on the policy level; others are a result of lack of good management; and a third group could be due to lack of adequate design. In particular, the training program aims to:

1 2 3 4 5

Enable the participants to understand and analyze the reasons behind existing problems with urban space design, management, and resulting visual pollution

Allow the trainees to draw concrete lessons from both international and local case studies and best practices in these fields and teach them how to apply them to their own cities.

Equip the participants with the skills to solve existing problems with urban visual landscapes and visual pollution and proactively prevent future ones by developing a solid understanding of the issues at hand and the ability to analyze them through various disciplinary lenses as well as to apply a variety of tools and techniques to deal with them

Develop and strengthen MOMRA’s capacity, productivity and innovation in forming and implementing new strategies and projects to tackle urban challenges related to the visual landscape and pollution of Saudi cities. Exposure and training, across all levels, in efficient and sustainable methods and processes, ensures the Ministry’s visual pollution initiatives’ success

As a result of the training program, cities across the Kingdom are expected to be well equipped to implement successful and lasting projects to improve the visual landscape of their cities. This is going to enhance the aesthetic features, vitality and functionality of those cities and citizens’ comfort, thereby giving Saudi cities a competitive edge.

6 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

Principles Enhancing the urban visual landscape of a city and tackling visual pollution cannot be accomplished through a single approach.

Both concepts are complex, multi-faceted and touch upon various disciplines, such as urban design, planning, architecture, public policy, governance, civil engineering, project management and social sciences. Clearly, a training program on the urban visual landscape and urban pollution needs to be designed based on a solid understanding of the urban development process, including city planning, urban design, architecture, construction, and maintenance.

However, enhancing the visual urban landscape and tackling visual pollution requires training that goes beyond the direct, spatial aspects of these issues.

This is why this proposal suggests placing these spatial, design-focused concepts into a broader context of humanization/livability of cities. Such an approach will allow the participants, first, to approach any spatial and design issues from a people-centered approach, and second, to understand and gain invaluable skills in areas such as governance, citizen engagement, participatory design, inter-institutional cooperation, project management and financing, without which an effective transition towards improved visual urban landscapes for the Kingdom is highly unlikely.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 7

GUIDING PRINCIPLES Complying with the Urban Development Process While city users are often critical of specific urban visual pollution problems, deterioration of the urban fabric, and the loss of local identity, they pay little attention to the process in which these urban challenges are formulated. In developing and designing the training program, the team will map the entire process that leads to such urban problems and identify areas where training, improvements and capacity building are most needed. Although these urban problems manifest on the local scale, they often originate on the macro level on the urban policy and planning scale.

The following diagram illustrate the process that will be used as a framework to address the issues of visual landscape and pollution from the source.

City Planning Zoning Land use Mixed Uses

Urban Design

Architecture

Mass formation Building envelop Public Space Landscape

Building Facades Orientation Architecture Style Openings Color

Construction

Building Material Buisling Structure Local Identity

Maintenance

Clealiness Safety Aesthetic Qualties Energy Efficiency

Urban Development Chart Process

Considerations at the City Planning Scale At this scale, the parameters seem to be far from impacting the individual building or urban visual pollution. But in fact, inadequate planning can lead to conflicting land uses, inappropriate zoning regulations and planning that ignores the needs of the local residents. Zoning is a tool used by governments at the state and local level to attempt to guide the development of a city to achieve specific goals and objectives. These goals and objectives sometimes does not take into account the operational aspects of planning and therefore produce visual pollution. Land use is a strategy that is part of the zoning process that allows a municipality to control what types of uses can occur in certain areas. These guidelines can be very strict to create a character in a district, or they can be more lax and encourage a variety of different uses within a development.

8 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

Urban Form to Lubricate Aesthetics The urban form plays a crucial role in the aesthetics and functionality of the final urban fabric. Some of these characteristics can be influenced by zoning, while others are up to the designers. A big part of the urban mass formation process depends on the sites’ existing context, hence there should be an effort made to fit the design with the existing style, height, and design quality of the buildings around it. Shaping the urban mass (solid) also shapes the public space (void), which is the outdoor space between the buildings that is dedicated to the people.

Harmony in Architectural Design Factors such as the building facade, orientation, openings, color, style, all contribute to the urban identity and influence the aesthetic qualities of the built environment. The facade of a building or the materials and patterns used on the exterior of the building allow the designer to influence the aesthetic quality of the building. In addition, the way that the building faces, and the openings in the building face can cause problems with the sun if there is too much exposure.

Moreover, the color of the building also impacts the perception of the building, and how it fits into its larger context.

Lastly, the openings (windows & doors) of the building can be beneficial and allow light to get in and create nice views of the city; but they can also be distracting and take away from the architectural quality of the building. The process of obtaining building permits and the codes and regulations play a huge role in the final shape and form of the built environment that we experience when using public spaces, therefore influencing these codes and making them represent the local identity and adopting aesthetically pleasing parameters will enhance the overall visual quality of the built environment

Figure 1: Different Examples of Local Architecture in Saudi Arabia

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 9

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Enhance the Quality of Buildings Building material can affect the color and architectural style of the building, but they also needs to serve their functional purpose, because if the building material is not structurally sound it can lead to rapid deterioration. It is crucial that the building structure can support the building for a long period of time because if it is not structurally sound it can lead to stresses and eventually failure or become part of urban visual pollution.

Effective Maintenance & Operations One of the common problems in many cities is to keep the buildings, streets, and public areas cleaned and maintained. Keeping these areas clean and free of trash and graffiti can go a long way in making sure that the area is perceived in a positive light and aesthetically inviting. In addition to being clean, regular monitoring of the structural integrity and replacement of week elements will ensure that the building stays intact, and avoids urban visual pollution that impacts the users’ experience. Lastly, designing for energy efficiency will make maintaining the building considerably cheaper and sustain its long-term visual and aesthetic value.

10 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

Figure 2: Examples of maintenance and operations

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

Considerations at the City Planning Scale At this scale, the parameters seem to be far from impacting the individual building or urban visual pollution.

But in fact, inadequate planning can lead to conflicting land uses, inappropriate zoning regulations and planning that ignores the needs of the local residents. Zoning is a tool used by governments at the state and local level to attempt to guide the development of a city to achieve specific goals and objectives. These goals and objectives sometimes does not take into account the operational aspects of planning and therefore produce visual pollution. Land use is a strategy that is part of the zoning process that allows a municipality to control what types of uses can occur in certain areas. These guidelines can be very strict to create a character in a district, or they can be more lax and encourage a variety of different uses within a development.

Humanizing Urban Spaces Cities have been subject to globalization and capital flow that serves business and supports economic growth.

In the last century, cities evolved to focus increasingly on the individual and develop to serve the needs of their residents. More societal factors are considered such as participatory design, public space accessibility, microclimate within areas the people use, pedestrian paths, creating shared streets, supporting mass-transit, increasing landscaped spaces and adding public amenities to the public realm. Making cities more suited to serve humans is a very achievable goal when the citizens are involved in shaping their cities in a participatory manner. To achieve this, city managers as well as the technical teams need to work on three scales, (i) the planning scale which deals with land use, zoning, policy, (ii) the urban space scale that deals with the design of the public squares and streets in the city and making them user friendly, and (iii) the governance scale which looks at the various processes, institutions and societal actors involved in creating and managing humanized cities.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 11

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

City Scale Planning cities with people in mind Making cities a place where people are the priority, rather than cars or buildings is an easy way to make people more comfortable. Simple interventions can make this possible, adding bike lanes, creating more noticeable pedestrian crossings with bulb outs and medians that shorten the distance that people have to cross, and adding trees and other natural elements that bring life into urban spaces the right of way. In addition, designing streetscapes and creating a uniform system of labeling and signage will help people to find their way around the city which increases its humanization extent. The incorporation of landmarks within the city that can serve as wayfinding devices also helps increase a sense of place.

Planning cities with nature in mind

T6

SD SPECIAL DISTRICT

T5 URBAN CENTER ZONE

T4 GENERAL URBAN CENTER

T3 SUB-URBAN ZONE

T2 RURAL ZONE

NATURAL ZONE

T1

URBAN CORE

There are numerous benefits that come from exposure to nature, which is why it is important that it is incorporated into cities and states at many scales. There should be nature in the form of streetscapes and private gardens, to provide citizens with daily contact with nature. Public spaces and parks within the city can provide contact on a weekly or daily basis, while open desert reserves and natural desert ecosystems outside of the city can provide monthly or yearly access. It is important to human health that everyone can experience all of these levels of nature interaction. It improves the air quality, quality of life, provides awareness for recreation and integrates nature in city, which serves the overall goal of humanizing cities and improving the quality of life. The diagram in figure (3) shows the urban rural continuum and how nature starts to be integrated towards the rural end of it. The importance of integrating nature within the urban (the right end of the diagram) is crucial to achieve humanization and quality of life. A good example lies in many Scandinavian cities that succeeded in making their cities more geared towards people than towards vehicles and massbuildings

Figure 3: Urban-Rural continuum 12 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

Public Space Scale Placemaking is a people-driven approach to public space planning that allows people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of the community. Placemaking intends to foster collaborative work which evokes community development. It goes beyond urban design and becomes a means of connectivity between people on the physical, cultural and social level. Being inclusive and community driven, placemaking utilizes the assets and capabilities of a community through creating a public space that is not merely focused on urban design but rather on people. At the end of the placemaking process stand quality public spaces that contribute directly to the wellbeing of their communities.

Figure 4: Examples of urban public space in Saudi Arabia

Social Benefits: Placemaking develops communities by allowing different social groups to co-exist in and enjoy the same place at the same time. This contributes to diminishing the social gaps and creating an opportunity for different parts of society classes to cooperate. It also provides children with boundless recreational spaces to explore.

Placemaking supplies the community with spaces for families to meet and for neighborhoods to celebrate.

Environmental Benefits: Since placemaking encourages walkability, it automatically reduces the dependence on asphalt and car use that impacts the carbon footprint. Furthermore, as placemaking incorporates people as the main design criterion, the streetscape tends to include more shaded areas and vegetation, which reduces dryness allowing public spaces to become community-gathering spaces. The design for public space and street furniture will be locally driven and therefore improves the microclimate within areas that are frequently used by local residents.

Governance Humanizing cities not only relies on integrated and visionary long-term urban planning and design, but also requires sound governance mechanisms to be successful. Governance refers to the processes, institutions and actors involved in the decision-making and steering processes of a city. It thus goes beyond traditional governmental entities and stipulates involvement of other relevant stakeholders from the private sector as well as civil society.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 13

TRAINING APPROACH

Approach Training is most effective when it provides learners with a clear statement of what they must be able to do as a result of training, and how their performance will be evaluated. The program is then designed to teach the skills through hands-on practice or performance-based instruction.

We believe that a successful training delivery includes five important stages; Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation.

Therefore, the overall process of proposed training program will roll out in those five phases:

14 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

Stage

1: Analysis

This preliminary or pre-course stage ensures that the courses will comply with and accurately fulfill the training requirements of participating entities (i.e. MOMRA and municipalities). To achieve this, it is imperative to first establish an in-depth understanding regarding development needs of training participants so the training course could be adapted accordingly.

Stage

2: Design

Based on the information collected in the previous step, the course content will be developed and the objectives may be re-defined.

Stage

3: Development

Based on the information collected in the previous step, the course content will be developed and the objectives may be re-defined.

Stage

4: Implementation

A major principle of our approach is to ensure that throughout the training process, the designed modules and courses at the previous stage are delivered as per expectations. To keep a good track we will continue to review on regular intervals.

Stage

5: Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation implies an important understanding of how we are doing and how the training could be further improved. A formal assessment will be conducted at the end of each course to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and acquired learning for each trainee. This will be primarily sourced from the feedback from participants on their acquired skills level at the end of each course and learning difficulties faced during the course. The trainees will be given a survey link to evaluate their training experience.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 15

TRAINING APPROACH

STAGE 1 ANALYSIS

STAGE 2 DESIGN

STAGE 3

STAGE 4

STAGE 5 EVALUATION

(Diagnostic and course development)

(Planning stage)

training materials & content are selected & developed based on learning objectives.

DEVELOPMENT

IMPLEMENATION The phase during which the course is taught and evaluated.

Ensuring that participants acquired both knowledge and skills

Needs, both current and future. (TNA) Training needs assessment.

Developing instructional objectives

The instructional management plan

Assessing Candidate progress.

An ongoing process of developing and improving instructional materials based on evaluations conducted during and following implementation.

Goals and objectives relative to the International Benchmarking.

Identifying the learning steps required.

Training materials (instructor guides, agendas, reading material, audiovisual aids)

Trainees profiles.

Developing tests to show mastery of tasks to be trained.

Training methods.

Delivery system.

Listing entry requirements.

Program evaluation materials (evaluation plan, checklists, tests, questionnaires)

Resources and constrains.

Developing the sequence and structure of the course.

Training documentation (trainees’ records and course documentation, such as objectives, course material, and lists of instructors).

16 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

Monitoring trainging plan for each participant.

TRAINING METHOD

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

Methods Our trainers/instructors and SMEs (subject matter experts) follow a facilitative and participatory training style in which the trainer guides the learners to discover what they need to learn which is more appropriate for adult learners. This trainer-facilitated and learner-centered environment better suits the adult learning styles.

In addition to that, the traditional instructive style does have its place in certain situations. Our trainers/instructors can intuitively understand when to apply the appropriate method. By being aware of the differences in learning and teaching styles, they can consciously apply the correct method for the learner and the situation. Following are some methods that we are planning to use in the program:

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 17

TRAINING METHOD GAMES This method employs competitive activities governed by rules that define players’ actions and determine outcomes. Games engage the participants, which is why we also use them as icebreakers.

PANELS Our instructor/ trainer organizes a moderated group of three to five subject matter experts in a specific topic, who read prepared statements, discuss them with one another, and then respond to audience questions. Panels provide different opinions, promoting better discussions.

The frequent change of speaker keeps attention from lagging.

DEMONSTRATION

LECTURES This method consists of standing and delivering information. Our properly designed lectures will impart a substantial amount of information to varied groups of learners. We encourage audience participation by supplementing the lecture with assigned readings, which can augment the information we provide during the lecture. We achieve maximum effectiveness by encouraging learners to break into small groups and analyze what they have read.

GROUP DISCUSSION This is a semi-formal training method guided by our instructors, encouraging the learners to share their knowledge and experiences. We are experts in organizing these discussions well, limiting them to small groups.

While the instructor and the participants can benefit from the opportunity to contribute to the learning activity, this teaching might be time-consuming, and we need to set up guidelines for the group for the discussion before starting.

SIMULATION AND ROLE PLAY In this method, our trainers assign the participants a situation to mimic in order to solve a problem, like giving them a real case that needs to be acted upon. This method might not be appropriate for large groups or for participants who may feel threatened or self-conscious.

However, when used appropriately, we can tackle tough real challenges in placemaking, visual pollution and chronic problems in a short amount of time.

18 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

This shows the trainees how to perform a task through a demonstration, description, and explanation.

Demonstrations stimulate interest and engage the audience’s attention. These need to be planned carefully, and limited to small groups.

CASE STUDY This method presents a statement of a problem—a case.

The group then tries to use this case to find solutions for complex issues. This method allows students to apply the new knowledge and skills they have acquired through other teaching methods. However, case studies may require imagination on the part of the participants, and it may be tricky to match the complexity of the case study with the knowledge of the participants in the group.

REAL LIFE EXERCISES Some courses are particularly suited to take the trainees outside of the training rooms and have them work on a real life case study. For example, during the placemaking course, the trainees will be taken to an ‘under-used’ public space in a given city and will be taught how to co-design this space according to placemaking principles by actual workshops and exercises on the place in question.

ON THE JOB TRAINING During the last phase of the program, selected trainees will have the opportunity to go abroad for an on-the-job placement at an international municipality. We will choose municipalities that are forerunners in the themes of this training program, which will provide the trainees invaluable hands-on experience to then translate to their own city’s unique context

TRAINING OUTLINE PROCESS

Outline Process

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

There are two different but equally important sides of the spectrum of training. On one side is the instructional segment, which encompasses course structure, organization, and learning theory. The other side is the technical segment, which comprises the technical content within the course structure. Without one segment, the final product would be incomplete.

Both sides must work together to produce a successful course.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 19

TRAINING OUTLINE PROCESS

Corresponding to these two sides of the spectrum are two distinct roles required for course development: the developer and the subject matter expert (SME).

As their names imply, the developer offers expertise on the instructional side of the course, and the SME offers expertise on the technical side. The SME has the final say in “what” is said during the course, and the developer has the final say in “how” it is said.

INSTRUCTIONAL THEORY

=

A SUCCESSFUL COURSE

TECHNICAL CONTENTS

The training process will lead to identify the training needs, recommend specific objectives, and develop a path to reach those objectives based on the training needs assessment results keeping in mind the ‘what’ and the ‘how’. Effective training demands clarity about how the trainees will apply the learned principles, technical skills, and knowledge in their organizations and spatial premises after the program.

Based on the training needs assessment, the training process mainly consist of three fundamental steps:

Identify Training Needs & Objectives

Develop a Training Plan

Develop the Course Design

Develop Training Materials

Develop a Training Outline Figure 5: Process of training outline

20 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

This process deals with designing the training outline mainly reflecting a tentative program title; target streams of participants; key modules and their descriptions, course methods; and estimated duration for each module.

The outline will be designed considering aspects including: ·

Why is training needed?

·

What are the objectives and goals this course is supposed to meet?

·

What should be the impact after the completion of training?

·

To what level of competency?

·

Who is the target audience? How is one identified as part of the target audience?

·

Do all members of the target audience belong to one job title?

·

Do job descriptions exist for the target audience?

·

Did the target audience receive a specific university degree or certificate?

·

Besides the primary target audience, is there a secondary audience that might attend the course?

·

What are the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Testable) objectives of this course?

·

Where do this class and these objectives fit into the overall learning plan of the target audience?

·

What is the work environment like for the target audience?

·

What resources do the target audience members already use on the job?

·

In the past, how has the target audience learned about this product or service? Are there any available materials already?

·

Has this topic or something similar ever been taught in the past?

·

Is there a finished training course that can be used as a reference for knowledge that has been learned before?

·

Who are the experts?

·

What is the preferred method of contact regarding this project?

·

What external sources can go be called upon for additional information?

·

How can the information attendees learn in the training courses be supported once they are back on the job?

·

How will the success of these courses be determined?

·

How many people to be trained? (to be determined)

·

Is there already a prerequisite course?

·

In what settings will the learnt skills be used?

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 21

PRELIMINARY TRAINING OUTLINE

Training Outline

The design of the training program will occur during the first phase of the project and it will be developed in close coordination with the international experts and the Ministry. Based on the worldwide accepted principles for improving urban visual character as well as the initial assessments made from some municipalities, the following is a proposed outline which should be considered as a preliminary starting point only.

Target Audience The training candidates have been categorized into the following streams:

Stream 1:

‘The Decision-makers’ (high-level decisionand policymakers at MOMRA and the municipalities)

22 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

Stream 2: ‘The Doers’ (mostly planners and engineers at the municipalities)

Stream 3:

‘The supervisors’ for field inspection

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

Phase 1: Introductory Level Training This is an introductory training to explain the importance of tackling urban issues on the urban design scale. It aims to explain the overall picture of the built environment on that scale and places specific emphasis on the areas relevant to the coming training modules.

The importance of this introductory training is to connect the different training modules together and explain the direct benefits from them individually and combined. It will include definitions, case studies, and will stimulate the trainees by introducing some workshop games and debates.

It will bring in world experiences about different themes such as: people interaction with the built environment, the effects of visual pollution on the human being, how global design takes away from local identity, the role of civil society in resolving urban problems, and the different roles and responsibilities of local governments in improving their own urban fabric. In this phase, the goal is to introduce the main topics to the training participants, increase participant engagement with the subject area, advocate for the importance of the subject area, and raise the participants’ enthusiasm for upcoming stages.

THIS ALSO PROVIDES A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CONDUCT A RAPID NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF THE DIFFERENT STREAMS, ACCORDING TO WHICH THE DESIGN OF THE NEXT PHASE CAN BE ADAPTED.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 23

PRELIMINARY TRAINING OUTLINE

Phase 2: Intermediate-Level Training Module A: Transforming City Spaces through Innovative Urban Design Training Course 1: Principle Guidelines & Standards for Good Quality Urban Design Target Audience All streams

Course Description Urban design principles are essential to guarantee an urban form that serves people and focuses on their interests and needs. Cities are striving to adopt best urban design principles to improve their built environment, which enhances the cities’ social, ecological and economic features. These principles are about enabling local entities to understand the city vision and providing a high quality of life for their residents to keep up with the recent accelerating competitiveness between cities. Achieving any such improvements in cities, especially regarding urban visual pollution, cannot happen without addressing the main principles that shape the built environment and working on improving it to avoid any undesired urban qualities (visual or non-visual).

The urban design principles training aims to build the capacity of the technical teams as well as the decisionmakers to change the status quo of mainstream

24 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

development to include principles that improve the quality of the built environment on the city scale, the neighborhood scale and the public space scale. The training will cover amongst others: improving urban permeability; connecting urban public spaces; reinforcing walkability; creating shared streets when possible; incorporating green spaces within cities, encouraging mixed uses; enhancing the streetscape; and guaranteeing equal access to public spaces.

The training has two parts. The first part provides an introduction to the fundamental principles and concepts for achieving a quality urban design. This will potentially cover: elements of urban design, urban structures, site and neighborhood planning, land use and development, connecting urban public spaces, mix-use planning concepts, enhancing the streetscape; neighborhood character and built form, designing public spaces, and implementation tools.

The above principles are guiding factors to shape the built environment but not to put specific numerical constraints in formulating it. Therefore, the second part of this training delves into urban design standards which are more detailed and can be used as enforcement policy.

They are linked with the law and the urban development process. They will address factors such as: heights, street width, public space ratio, building footprint, placement and orientation, site relationship, scaling and form, coloring, fencing, communication elements (signage), building materials, other specific elements that define the built environment.

This course provides an introduction to the principles and methods of urban design within the Saudi context. It will

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

help identifying common design issues in neighborhoods and cities. The training does not mean to create professional urban designers. It focuses on the skills of practitioners from multi-disciplinary backgrounds within the municipalities so that they are in a better position to appraise design proposals and assess implications of their decisions on the urban quality.

This training module will be in conjunction with the building permits process, the current urban laws in place, the existing street design regulations, the current hierarchy of public spaces, and the established environmental approvals processes.

Learning Outcomes The objective of this training is for participants to gain the ability to think across disciplines and to understand the different forces that shape their urban form. It helps them develop a clear understanding of the design process with natural, social and urban systems in mind. The training aims to equip participants with the skills needed to carry-on future professional design tasks with rigorous, comprehensive and interdisciplinary knowledge. It enables them to: •

Develop a clear understanding of the design process and how it relates to urban design.

•

Understand the overall urban and landscape context and how it influences and informs their design exercise.

•

Develop urban strategies on the master-planning level in heavily urbanizing cities that are built within strong cultural components and intense local identity elements.

•

Think and plan for the built environment in urban settings that are complex and full of problematic and conflicting components.

•

Plan and design with different city elements and activities in mind, such as: transportation, informal housing, chaotic traffic, street traders, government installations, and buildings with architectural significance.

•

Suggest planning and design strategies that respond to the environmental, economic, legal, institutional and cultural context of the site and its surrounding.

•

Connect and design public spaces to create an environmentally-friendly environment for nonvehicular users. This is through working on detailed

urban and landscape designs on both a static space (square, plaza, urban junction, and a dynamic linear space such as pedestrian paths, urban streets, or cultural trails.

•

Enhance and reinforce the open/greenway systems on the macro and micro scale.

•

Provide solutions for integration of different social groups in the public space and implement design strategies that guarantee equal accessibility to the main outdoor spaces.

•

Develop a comprehensive understanding about the post design process, such as implementation, management, monitoring, and maintenance of designed public spaces.

Training Course 2: Urban Design and the Visual Quality Target audience Stream 1 and 2

Course Description Based on the fundamental concepts and principles of urban design, policy makers and practitioners can realize such principles within the broader vision – to improve the urban visual character. The visual impression of a district or neighborhood is perceived either through views observed along and through the main travel corridors, or by the pedestrian-scale experiences while walking along the streets. It mainly depends on the physical characteristics and appearance of the built environment, views of open spaces, landscape features and the proximity of design elements with open spaces. Together, these elements shape the physical orientation and define the sense of place within a larger visual setting. Therefore, a good urban design is always supportive to the sensory and visual relationships between the environment and its people.

This training course narrows down on design elements in planning policies for preserving and enhancing the visual qualities of neighborhoods. This will cover elements which are significant to make visual impacts such as view corridors, scenic landmarks, public art, gateways etc.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 25

PRELIMINARY TRAINING OUTLINE

Training Course 3: Expressing Urban Identities through Design Target Audience Stream 2

Course Description As the world rapidly urbanizes and this continues to bring massive challenges to our cities to accommodate and absorb the urbanization trends, more and more cities around the world are in a phase where they are forced to change rapidly. Saudi cities are no exception. Amidst these rapid global changes, cities easily lose their local identity and become a product of economic forces. The training conducted to improve the local identity in Saudi cities will cover both the urban visual character and improving the architecture product.

This training module will include explanation of each element of the city and a workshop developing similar mental maps for a neighboring city. It aims to train the technical team on understanding the city they are working on and improve their abilities to conduct questionnaires and interviews that make them better understand the status quo and make informed decision.

Learning Outcomes The training will offer a critical introduction to urban identity and expand participants’ awareness of what constitutes local identity and how to maintain it. It will also introduce concepts, tools and histories for urban identity examples from other cities and with particular focus on Saudi cities. The following are specific outcomes: •

The training will enable the participants to unpack local identity and understand the different elements that constitute the urban identity. These include the tangible ones such as building characteristics, public space proportion, streetscape, etc. as well as the nontangible elements such as activities, culture, Saudi music, festivals, religious ceremonies, etc.

•

Trainees will develop the capacity to employ detailed urban identity features into large scale projects.

•

The training will enable the technical team to guide developers to use local identify elements at an early stage of their projects.

•

The training will bring local identify into the evaluation process of proposals by developers that include, building, public space design, streetscape, and other urban features.

Addressing urban identities, visual qualities of the city, people perception to their cities, is impossible without using the framework by Kevin Lynch in describing the cities.

Lynch proposes that cities perceived by five elements: (1) paths: routes along which people move throughout the city; (2) edges: boundaries and breaks in continuity; (3) districts: areas characterized by common characteristics; (4) nodes: strategic focus points for orientation like squares and junctions; and (5) landmarks: external points of orientation, usually a easily identifiable physical object in the urban landscape.

26 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

•

Understanding the cultural component of local identity and its impact on the built environment

Training Course 4: Placemaking – People-centered Design of Public Spaces Target Audience Stream 2

Course Description Urban Design and placemaking are interconnected.

Whether it is the clustering of the urban fabric to form the built environment we live in, or the public spaces (plazas, streets, etc.) they both shape the human experience in our cities. This experience can be pleasant in cities that are inviting, humanized, visually pleasing, and user friendly, and it can be unpleasant when all that is not achieved and the city is characterized by urban pollution) and inequality in accessing public spaces. A key component to resolve such problems is to engage the local residents in shaping and designing their cities through a participatory design exercise.

Placemaking is an approach that engages users and stakeholders in revitalizing and creating public spaces

using short and long-term methods rooted in civic engagement and new urbanist design principles. In addition to significant improvements in the design and aesthetic of public spaces, placemaking results in direct social and environmental benefits. It contributes to the quality of life as it improves public health and mitigates congested areas. It benefits the city through creating landmarks that tend to promote local tourism, encourage economic investments and revive historical towns. Placemaking also develops the community, social network, trust between planners and users, and a greater sense of ownership and belonging to an area.

Learning Outcomes •

More in-depth understanding of placemaking, its principles, and its implications on different scales.

•

The several ways and steps to implement placemaking exercises demonstrated through a placemaking exercise of an actual space as opposed to class-room type learning.

•

The ability to identify stakeholders and partners to be included in a long-term placemaking visioning.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 27

PRELIMINARY TRAINING OUTLINE Module B: Urban Visual Pollution Challenges and Responsive Tools

Training Course 1: Typology of Urban Visual Pollution in Saudi Cities & Their Impacts

Introduction

Target Audience

Human perception of a place is usually visual. Therefore, visual pollution of a city can be described as a compound effect of disorder, clutter, concentration of heterogeneous objects and graphics in a landscape such as outdoor advertisements, lightning, street furniture, vegetation characteristics and other objects. It is an aesthetic challenge which negatively affects one’s ability to enjoy the sights and could be characterized in a variety of patterns. From what is learnt through similar experiences worldwide, visual pollution results from a range of factors such as non-coherence between different urban elements, extreme population concentrations, buildings lacking design harmony, dilapidated facades and signage, poor accessibility patterns and encroachments amongst others.

All Streams

Proper planning and oversight of urban activities are crucial to reduce visual chaos and restore the original character of cities. Therefore, close attention should be paid to enhance the visual comfort, improve the quality of the environment, beautification and urban vitality, joy and satisfaction of our citizens. In Saudi Arabia, from the residential areas to city centers, from beaches to rural areas, all can benefit from the increased effort and creativity, developing our skills, and from taking proactive and creative actions to the challenges most cities face concerning visual pollution.

This module is geared to policy-makers and practitioners from related sectors within the municipalities and MOMRA who are involved in planning and designing urban areas or taking policy decisions.

28 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

Course Description Urban visual pollution is an increasingly common challenge for city governments due to the haphazard spatial expansion, clustering activities, and traffic congestions in cities. Improving the quality, aesthetics and identity of urban spaces tends to increase urban vitality. The visual issues to urban areas can be witnessed in various forms and typologies: decaying urban infrastructure; lack of maintenance for outdoor furniture; the dilapidated transportation system; buildings lacking harmony, unpleasant views of signs and billboards which together affect the user experience and aesthetic value of the city.

The process for enhancing the urban visual landscape essentially starts with the distinct classification of the existing threats to the city’s aesthetics and overall visual form. This course will shed light on what generally characterizes urban visual pollution, its impact on the urban visual landscape, and more specifically its implications in the Saudi context.

Objectives The objective of this course are to: •

Come up with a more robust and practical definition of urban visual pollution, understand typologies, and localize this understanding within the context of Saudi Cities

•

Based on the above, prompt participants to discuss and share their local challenges about how visual problems affect social, economic and physical form in their areas

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

Learning Outcomes The course will enable the participants to understand:

Given the comprehensiveness of this course, it is has been classified into two categories each comprising a series of seminars:

•

Common causes of urban visual pollution, its typologies and brief impact assessments

A. An Urban Intervention Approach through Specific Projects

•

How different forms of visual pollution play deteriorating role to deform the visual quality in Saudi cities

Target Audience

Training Course 2: Solutions to Mitigate Visual Pollution in Saudi Cities

Stream 2

Learning Outcomes

Target Audience

The first part of the course will enable the participants to understand:

Stream 2

•

How specific projects-based interventions can help reduce urban visual pollution in cities

•

Rationale identification of such projects, their local applicability and impact assessment for achieving the desired outcomes

Course Description As the title suggests, this course deals with the potential solutions to urban visual pollution and brings into discussion sectoral strategies to rectify city’s visual character. Largely driven by the unguided urbanization phenomenon, most Saudi cities today face a host of formidable challenges, which continue to jolt city’s urban morphology, physical character, and lead to visual chaos.

It is therefore imperative to choose relative, applicable, and timely measures in order to restore the original image of cities and safeguard their visual appearances against any invasion. The course will enable the policy-makers and practitioners to identify possible interventions as well as implement policy-led corrective measures to existing visual challenges in cities.

Seminar 1: Revitalizing Urban Spaces through Creative Arts Promoting arts and creativity enhances visual sights within any city. Urban graphics bring identity, interest and softness to urban spaces such as downtown areas and public squares. Arts and creative designs can contribute promoting visual forms by linking artistic concepts with natural and man-made environs. Hence, the practitioners must learn how urban graphics can lead to reduce the footprints on a city’s appearance and compensate for visual pollution.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 29

PRELIMINARY TRAINING OUTLINE

Seminar 2: Facades’ Rehabilitation for Reviving Visual Environs Building facades underscore a distinct identity of streets and neighborhoods by incorporating architectural principles of a human scale and context-sensitive design. Unpleasant and architecturally insignificant facade patterns tend to deform the urban landscape and cause visual pollution. Facades treatment in existing neighborhoods could sometime be an essential intervention to beautify visual environs. Such practices have already been implemented by many city governments worldwide as part of their comprehensive vision to improve the urban landscape. This part of the training focuses on the planning and design of interventions for renovation of building facades, along with the maintenance of existing buildings, including architecturally significant structures.

Seminar 3: Enhancing the Visual Character through Reshaping Streetscapes and Open Spaces The public realm lies at the heart of efforts which pertain to achieving visual improvements in a city. Streetscape refers to the visual and physical characteristics which shape the visual environment of the street. Among the overarching causes of urban deformity and visual pollution is the unmet demand for furnishing or in most cases re-furnishing urban spaces as a result of overtime concentration of population and activities.

These furnishings include provision and maintenance of facilities such as benches, streetlights, trees, pavements, trees, waste baskets, navigation signage, shelters which provide physical form to the streets and open spaces. The seminar will provide the practitioners and decision-makers with applicable tools and strategies for enhancing street spaces.

Seminar 4: Promoting Natural Landscape and Green Spaces to Enhance the Visual Environment Green landscapes could be visually effective to intensify the expression of urban spaces. Multiple research studies suggest that positive impact of green urban spaces and natural features on the human mood and visual perception. Therefore, prioritizing the nature friendly design is among the core distinctive features of creating a healthy and attractive urban character. Parks and open spaces are considered as lungs of cities, and hence based on such principle, small scale urban interventions

30 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

i.e. green landscaping projects can be implemented at neighborhoods, along the streets, and public sites to enhance the physical and visual urban fabric.

B. Policy Reform and Process-Based Change Target Audience Stream 2

Learning Outcomes The second part of the course will enable the participants to: •

Identify key areas of policy reforms and lead systematic change process in cities development in pursuit of achieving the comprehensive vision.

•

Prioritize policy-based interventions and implement the process-based change within cities to tackle existing threats to visual form.

Seminar 5: Reassessing Protocols for Signage and Outdoor Advertisements (OAs) In recent times, there has been a growing consideration to public spaces facing visual challenges because of dilapidated quality and non-conformity of commercial signs and OAs. From a psychological, architectural and urban design perspective, the fact is gaining traction that poor outlook of signage and OAs pose negative consequences on the visual quality of urban areas as well as affect life quality. Therefore, it is important to analyze if local protocols concerning them are supporting to maintaining urban visual landscape or otherwise if there is a need for re-assessment.

Seminar 6: Strategic Solutions to Parking Problems in Congested Neighborhoods Parking is an integral requirement of urban space and often a challenge for local authorities to manage particularly in downtown areas. The neighborhoods falling short of required parking spaces tend to demonstrate typical congestion problems which disregard pedestrians’ access, local convenience and traffic flow. In such scenario, any intervention to enhance urban landscape could remain in vain until concrete parking solutions are not implemented. This seminar aims to explore possible strategic options to deal with parking issues.

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

Seminar 7: Effective Strategies for Municipal Waste Management As per recent statistics, the solid waste generation in Saudi Arabia averages between 1.5 to 1.8 kg per person per day or a total of more than 15 million tons per year.

An efficient waste collection system is instrumental to keep a city clean and visually pleasant. Alike many cities around the world, waste handling and management at the street level seems a challenge in many Saudi cities. This problem is more evident in densely populated areas where streetscapes suffer visual deteriorations due to on-street clutter and over-spilled garbage. Based on the urban design principles, this seminar teaches policy-makers to come up with appropriate policy solutions to address the existing shortcomings through efficiency, regulation and technical skills. Lessons shall be drawn from countries including Germany, Sweden, Singapore, Denmark and others.

2. Apply those on a development plans submissions by investors: Trainees will be given the tools needed to assess development plans and develop the built to rate of those development and suggest modifications as per what matches the policy.

3. Decision making about these plans: The last part of this seminar is to decide which of the following actions shall be taken: approve, conditional approvals, and reject the plan

Seminar 8: Upgrading Slums for Enhancing Cityscape and Livability Tackling the issue of slums is a global challenge.

Governments today seek effective and low impact solutions to deal with liabilities of informal settlements.

Slum communities lack access to basic infrastructure and public services and often restrict new development options. Since their common existence within the urban premises, slums and squatter settlements aggravate a city’s landscape and visual character. This seminar reflects on some potential interventions that decisionmakers can use in order to rectify the visual image of slum neighborhoods.

Seminar 9: Policy/Traditions Compliance Tightening laws, regulations, policies and their firm implementation plays an important role in improving the overall urban aesthetics and prevent urban visual pollution. This seminar will focus on capacity building for local staff working on compliance with local laws and policies. It includes: 1. Review of existing urban policies: This is an exercise of reviewing relevant policies that have to do with urban design, urban visual pollution and approving of mega projects.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 31

PRELIMINARY TRAINING OUTLINE

Module C: Governance & Management for Enhancing the Urban Visual Landscape Training Course 1: Local Financing Tools & the Role of the Private Sector

Learning Outcomes The course will provide the participants to learn about: •

Sustainable financing of urban development projects through local revenue generation and private sector engagement

•

More specific topics including operating budget, revenue generation, budgeting and capital management, accounting and debt financing

•

Various potential funding mechanisms ranging from municipal investments to public-private partnerships

Target Participants All streams

Description Local authorities have traditionally played a central role in the delivery of public services and amenities. But, a common challenge that exists globally is the widening gap between municipal revenue and expenditures, resulting in halted and restricted municipal projects. In such situations, local authorities find themselves in shortage of financial capacity to undertake new developments and maintenance operations.

This stands equally true for Saudi local governments which heavily rely on national transfers and are weak in capacity to locally generate revenue. However, local governments today seek to reduce reliance on government transfers and grants and increasing selfreliance and private sector participation to run their financial streams. The municipalities, development authorities and affiliated agencies could generate increased revenue from local sources by bringing efficiency and reforms to their systems and testing innovative mechanisms for revenue generation. Such an approach has been globally seen as the most sustainable to deliver better urban services.

32 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

Training Course 2: Public Procurement & Contracts Target Participants All streams

Description Local governments often rely on external resources and private sector companies in implementing projects and initiatives. This process requires systems of procurement based on efficiency, transparency in order to ensure timeliness and quality of contractors. In the absence of such systems, local authorities may experience inconsistencies in procurement work which could lead to resource inefficiencies and delays in projects delivery and even resulting trust deficit on the part of the community.

To avoid this, it is essentially important for local authorities to adopt updated, well-designed, and comprehensive policy and procurement procedures. These can contribute to an overall program for procurement services and empower concerned officials with the consistency and direction for successful procurement.

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

The purpose of this course is to assist local staff related to procurement in local governments in improving processes by developing strong procurement policy for managing contractors.

•

Learning Outcomes

Training Course 4: Project Management, Monitoring & Evaluation

The participants will gain required skills for: • •

Designing a procurement strategy for their departments Improving public procurement system through bringing reform-based innovation in procurement policies and performance management systems

Training Course 3: Citizen Engagement Target Participants Stream 1 and 2

Description To improve the aesthetics of an area in an inclusive manner for all users, local government need to engage and incorporate ideas of those users. It is based on the principle that a space will work better if citizens are active and involved in planning and managing their built and natural environment. Effective public participation contributes towards sustained return on investment in tackling visual pollution where there is less maintenance cost due to less vandalism, less violations, more vigilance, and behavior and perception changes regarding the local urban scene. In the process, communities would also be empowered to identify their needs, set targets, monitor performance, and share their knowledge and experience.

Currently in Saudi cities, there is a lack of citizen engagement resulting in low trust in local government and detachment from the surrounding environment.

Best appropriate and efficient methods and tools in public engagement (traditional: publication, meetings, focus groups vs. new: e-participation and interactive platforms).

Target Participants Stream 2 and 3

Description Local government are faced with increased demand for better services and improvement of the urban environment, limitations in resources -human and financial-, and organizational structure challenges.

Project management techniques can offer useful skills and tools to better manage short and long-term projects and maximize performance. Project management at its core is everything involved in delivering an agreed upon end-result. That process includes how a project is defined, planned, monitored, controlled, assessed and delivered.

Learning outcomes •

How to define, plan and select a project (stakeholders, scope, budget, time, etc.)

•

How to use performance indicators to evaluate and measure progress

•

How to control and manage rising risk

•

Importance of Interpersonal skills to manage the human resource (influence, manage conflict, etc.)

Learning Outcomes This training will explore •

Concepts/theories of citizen engagement.

•

Role public engagement can play in improving local urban scenery and reducing visual pollution.

•

Developing a comprehensive communication strategy (routine basis communication, mapping and building citizenry database, etc.)

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 33

PRELIMINARY TRAINING OUTLINE

Training Course 5: Inter-institutional Cooperation Target Participants Stream 1 and 2

Description Local governments in Saudi are embedded in a complex governance system that has parallel branches of government bureaucracy under MOMRA and the Ministry of Interior (MOI), a lack of clear integration between departments or sectors, an overlap of jurisdiction and functions, and at times unclear or outdated regulations and mechanisms. Such structures can lead to slower and ineffectual efforts to manage cities and reduce visual pollution. Responding to the complexity, inter-institutional cooperation as a process, is imperative to be effective in practical and financial terms. Incorporating mutual partnerships in addressing and tackling urban challenges can allow an entity to escape its boundaries and increase its problem solving capacity.

Learning outcomes •

Understand the different forms of cooperation (vertical, horizontal, spatial, inter-sectoral)

•

How and where to situate cooperation

•

Developing inter-institutional partnerships and relations

•

Limits and Challenges

Phase 3: Advanced Learning Program The exact content of phase three will largely depend on an in-depth assessment of phase two, which will already begin as phase two is still running. However, generally speaking it could include some of the following: •

On-the-job training in international municipalities for a few weeks for selected trainees

•

Training of the trainers (TOT) courses for selected trainees in order to allow them to train their teams back in their cities in what they learnt throughout phase two

•

More in-depth, specialized technical courses to be determined after needs assessment and evaluation of phase 2, such as:

Training Course: Landscape Impact Assessment (LIA) Landscape impact assessment pertains to assessing potential impact of a development activity on the urban landscape. This tool is useful to comprehend how the proposed initiative can affect the elements making up the landscape, perceptual aspects and its unique character.

Training Course: Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) Visual aspects are important in planning choices since each choice can cause obstruction or deformity of urban elements, disrupting city’s visual appearance. VIA is a tool to assess effects of a development on specific views and on the visual perception of the people. This analyzes how urban surroundings of a community may be affected by variations in the character and content of views either by loss or insertion of elements.

Special Module for Field Inspectors For instance advanced courses in construction and maintenance inspection, a course on ‘Motivation Push: Improving the Incentive System’ for the management level of inspection departments to raise the motivation levels of their employees

34 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

SCHEDULE

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

The total duration of the training program is 1 year and 9 months (85 weeks). This does not include however the duration of phase 3, which shall be determined later.

No

Phases

Timeline

Resource Allocation & Staff Mobilization

10 weeks after signing of the contract

Phase / Activity (after 10 weeks)

1

Pre-Module Phase (Diagnostic & Course Development)

1.1

Training Needs Assessment

1.2

Identify Organization Needs

1.3

International Benchmarking & Case Studies Research

Preparation and material development for phase 1 2

Phase 1

2.1

Introductory-level Training program

Preparation and material development for phase 2 3

Phase 2

3.1

Module A: Transforming city spaces through innovative urban design

3.2

Module B: Urban visual pollution- Challenges & responsive tools

3.3

Module C: Governance & Management for Enhancing the Urban Visual Landscape

Assessment & Evaluation of Phase 2 + Material dev. for Ph 3 4.

Phase 3

4.1

Advanced Learning Program

4.2

Special module for field Inspectors

4.3

Placements in international municipalities

Weeks

6 weeks

8 weeks

3 weeks

8 weeks

38 weeks

At least 12 weeks

TBD

Training of the trainers

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 35

TRAINING DELIVERY PLAN

Delivery Plan

The ‘Reimagining the Saudi Cityscape’ training program was designed to be holistic and fit into the context of local challenges. This training could be turned into a continuous training to be held every couple of years in order to achieve the desired improvements across the board in the trained municipalities.

As for the initial proposal, we suggest to include selected participants from all regions. Participants will be selected for the training from Amanahs, municipalities and MOMRA. For preliminary estimation, the selection of participants is carried out based on the following assumptions:

Stream

Participants

Selection Ministry

Amanah

Municipality

Total

1

High-level decision and policymakers at MOMRA and the Mayors or assigned Deputy Mayors at the Amanahs and municipalities

15

16

285

316

2

Mostly planners and engineers or the head officials of the urban visual enhancement unit at the Amanah and municipalities

15

16

285

316

3

Field Inspection Supervisors

16

285

301

All streams

933

The above selection process is based on a criteria that represents most relevant officials working in the ministerial or municipal entities who are concerned with developing and enhancing the visual appearance of cities. Therefore, for stream one and two, the selection comprises one key official from each of the 16 Amanahs and 285 municipalities to cover all regions. Whereas stream three brings one field inspector or supervisor from all municipal entities. Given that the municipalities are in the process of privatizing the inspection services, this field inspector is envisioned to be the remaining head inspector at the municipalities whose primary task lies in the supervision of the companies. However, it is important to note that these numbers come from a tentative selection process, the finalization of which is subject to the discussion and approval by the Ministry.

36 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE It is also worth noting that some of the courses in module A and most of the courses in module B are highly specialized, whereas the leaders from stream one not only have very tight schedules, they also need to have a big picture type of understanding of these issues. This is why they are not included in all courses. The inspector supervisors, on the other hand are not included in all courses given that they are not involved in creating new policies or projects to solve visual pollution, but rather their work focuses entirely on the implementation stage of these projects. However, the policymakers from stream one are likely to have specific interests and needs for some of the specialized courses, in which the table below currently does not include them. For that reason, all trainees from stream one are offered these courses as electives.

Based on the above selection, the program is proposed to be implemented in three successive phases Streams

No. of trainees

Participants in each session

Session length (days)

No. of sessions

Total Duration (weeks)

933

100

2

9

3

Principle Guidelines & Standards for Good Quality Urban Design

933

50

2

19

5

2.2

Urban Design and the Visual Quality

632

35

2

18

5

2.3

Expressing Urban Identities through Design

316

35

2

9

3

2.4

Placemaking – People-centered Design of Public Spaces

316

35

3

9

4

3.

Phase 2: Module B

3.1

Typology of Urban Visual Pollution in Saudi Cities & Their Impacts

933

50

2

19

5

3.2

Solutions to Mitigate Visual Pollution in Saudi Cities

3.3

An Urban Intervention (4 seminars)

316

50

2

6

2

3.4

Policy Reform and Process-Based Change (5 seminars)

316

50

2

6

2

4

Phase 2: Module C

4.1

Local Financing Tools & the Role of the Private Sector

933

35

2

27

8

4.2

Public Procurement & Contracts

933

35

4.3

Citizen Engagement

632

35

4.4

Project Management, Monitoring & Evaluation

632

35

2

18

5

4.5

Inter-institutional Cooperation

632

35

Sr

Phases / Courses

1

Phase 1: Introductory Level Training

2

Phase 2: Module A

2.1

1

2

3

Total Duration of Phase 1 and 2 5

Phase 3: Advanced Learning Program

5.1

Visual Impact Assessment

5.2

Landscape Impact Assessment

5.3

Special Program for field inspection supervisors

41 weeks To be determined later

Notes: •

Both 3.3 and 3.4 consist of four and five seminars respectively, which will be running in parallel. They will run such that participants from stream two are able to take all seminars, whereas the participants from stream one will be able to choose from among the available seminar sessions that best serve their interests and development needs.

•

For Phase 2 (Module C), course 4.1 and 4.2 and similarly courses 4.3, 4.4. and 4.5 will be running simultaneously.

•

As for the advanced learning program, the selection of participants and courses duration shall be decided after the assessment of phase two.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 37

INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS & STRATEGIC PARTNERS

EXPERTS & STRATEGIC PARTNERS

The role of the international experts and partners is going to be two-fold. On the one hand, they will support the development and design of the training program and course, and, on the other hand, they will function as trainers of those courses, together with the local trainers appointed by the Ministry. The following experts and entities have already agreed to join the project contingent upon the approval of the Ministry.

Experts Fred Kent is the co-founder and president of the non-profit organization Project for Public Space, and more recently Global Placemaking Network. He is a leading global pioneer and authority in urban regeneration, livability and Placemaking.

In the span of 50 years, he has undertaken consultancy work, given numerous talks and trained tens of thousands of people in Placemaking techniques. Fred attended Columbia University’s Graduate and Undergraduate Programs, where he studied geography, economics, transportation, anthropology, and planning. He studied with Margaret Mead and worked with William H. Whyte on the Street Life Project, assisting in observations and film analysis of corporate plazas, urban streets, parks and other open spaces in New York City.

38 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

Herbert Dreiseitl is the director of Liveable Cities Lab, a new think tank, and founder of Atelier Dreiseitl, a global integrated design studio. He is a highly respected interdisciplinary planner, landscape architect and water artist, with 30 years of experience. Herbert has realized ground-breaking contemporary designs in the fields of urban hydrology, water design, storm water management, urban planning and landscape architecture. He is active in lecturing worldwide and his work is widely published.

Michael Sorkin is the founder and principal of Michael Sorkin Studio, a global design practice working at all scales with a special interest in city and green architecture. He is also President and founder of Terreform, a non-profit institute dedicated to research into the forms and practices of just and sustainable urbanism, and Co-President of the Forum and Institute for Urban Design. He is Distinguished Professor of Architecture and Director of the Graduate Program in Urban Design at City College of New York, and author and editor of numerous books on architecture and urbanism. In 2013, he won the National Design Award as “Design Mind.”

Spiro Pollalis is a Professor of Design, Technology and Management at the Harvard Design School, Director of the Zofnass Program for the Sustainability of Infrastructure and co-chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Singapore-ETH Centre for Global Environmental Sustainability. He is an expert on planning and management of sustainable large-scale projects.

In his private practice, he has also led and designed numerous projects globally over the years. Currently he is the chief planner for the new DHA City Karachi for 600,000 people and a concept designer of the information infrastructure in the new administrative city in Korea.

Michael Mehaffy Is an educator, researcher, practitioner and consultant for private companies, nonprofits and governments on sustainable development. He sits on board of a number of organization including Sustasis Foundation, as a founder and executive director. Michael is also the Director of the Future of Places Research Network and a Senior Researcher at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.

He authored more than twenty book including Cities Alive, New Urbanism and Beyond: Designing Cities for the Future and The Oxford Conference: A Re-Evaluation of Education in Architecture. He also managed and designed projects worth up to 100$ million.

David Van Slyke is an educator and policy maker with expertise on a range of public administration matters such government contracting, public-private partnerships, strategic management and budgeting. He is currently the Dean of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, leading U.S. graduate program on Public Affairs, and serves as a non-resident faculty member at the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, University of Maastricht, Netherlands. He has worked extensively with senior leaders in governments, NGOs and businesses worldwide including in China, India, Singapore, Peru and Thailand. David also authored many academic articles, books and practitioner outlets on Public Administration Affairs PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS Michael Sorkin Studio is an independent non-profit studio based in New York, exploring forms, policies, technologies, and practices with special interest in sustainable and green architecture.

Projects for Public Space is a nonprofit based in New York founded in 1975 that has become the hub for the global Placemaking movement. The organization is involved in planning, designing and training to help people create and sustain livable public spaces.

Ramboll’s Liveable Cities Lab is an innovation and research international think tank that offers solutions to urban, environmental and social challenges using a Livability approach.

Harvard University Zofnass Program was established in 2008 at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. It aims to develop and promote tools and approaches that quantify sustainability.

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 39

INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS & STRATEGIC PARTNERS

Future of Places Research Network is a global collaborative platform for research, implementation, networking and advocacy focused on the role of public space on sustainable development. Its main hub is based at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm.

The Hague Academy specializes in practice-oriented training courses and study visits for civil servants, local practitioners, and professionals to improve local government.

Maxwell School at Syracuse University is the oldest leading American institution in Public Administration, established in 1924. It offers a range of scholarly and professional skill-based programs in the social sciences, and co-hosts nine research institutes to encourage a unique interdisciplinary approach on public policy issues.

In addition to the above, we are also in discussions with the following potential experts and their organizations to engage in the training program: Jan Gehl is a world-renowned architect, professor and consultant on urban design. He co-founded Gehl Architects and currently serves there as a Senior Advisor.

Gehl’s career has focused on developing people centered design approaches and reorienting city design towards pedestrians, cyclists and the public. Over the years he has published several books, including, Life Between Buildings, Cities for People, New City Spaces and more recently How to Study Public Life. He is an honorary fellow of RIBA, AIA, RAIC, and PIA. Dr Noha Nasser is an architect and academic with an interest in the influence of culture on urban form and design. Her doctoral thesis examined the historical and cultural processes attributed to Islam-dominant dynasties in the development of the walled city of Cairo. These processes were re-considered in light of the degradation of historic Cairo due to a lack of conservation planning and unchecked heritage tourism to provide a framework for urban regeneration. This work was developed further at post-doctoral level to explore the influence of Muslim minorities on the changing urban morphology of British cities.

40 CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG)

Devin Lavigne is a Principal and Cofounder of Houseal Lavigne Associates with special expertise in urban design, land use and site planning, illustration and development visualization, web development and geographic information systems. Devin is recognized as a leader in the planning profession for his illustrations, graphics and for his ability to communicate planning and development concepts clearly and concisely. Devin’s contribution to his firm’s graphics and plans has helped distinguish Houseal Lavigne’s body of work and garnered national attention and recognition. Devin has managed, directed, authored, and contributed to numerous plans throughout the country, and has received multiple awards for these efforts.

Gehl People is an urban research and design firm focusing on building a relationship between the built environment and people’s quality of life. It was founded

by Jan Gehl and Helle Søholt in 2000 at Copenhagen and later expanded to offices in New York and San Francisco. Gehl has been recognized for their sustainable urban planning and awarded a number of prizes such as Nykredit Architecture Prize, Scandinavia’s largest architecture prize.

LSE Cities is a research center at the London School of Economics and Political Science that carries out research, academic and executive education, and outreach activities globally. The center aims to enhance the knowledge and understanding on how urban design and architecture impacts society, culture and the environment.

Centre for Livable Cities is a knowledge center for livable and sustainable cities founded in 2008 by Singapore’s Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

ABOUT THE CENTER

REIMAGINING THE SAUDI CITYSCAPE

Mission

Vision

To inspire effective governance and evidence-based policy making in the Saudi public sector and enhance local governments’ ability to meet the citizen needs and policy challenges of the 21st century

To be the leading independent think tank in local governance and policymaking in Saudi Arabia.

The Center for Local Governance (CLG) was established in recognition of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, for his enormous efforts to turn Riyadh from a small town into a thriving urban capital and an international capital, back when he was the Governor of Riyadh Region. The Center was founded by its current president, His Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Ayyaf, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Prince Sultan University, Vice President of the Riyadh Philanthropic Society for Sciences, former Mayor of Riyadh Region and a much respected pioneer in local governance. The Center is the first think tank in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia specialized in local governance.

It is recognized as the first non-profit research center in this field that combines theory and practice.

The Center’s core values lie in being a long-term, trusted and local partner to its stakeholders and improving policies and public sector performance with an evidencebased approach.

For that purpose, The Center conducts research and studies, provides advisory services, organizes events and designs specialized training courses. While similar centers around the world focus only on governance, CLG extends its efforts to address governance issues that manifest in the natural and built environment. At CLG there is a specific focus on cities and urban processes in order to improve the quality of life and improve the daily experience of the local residents

Advisory

Executive Education

Research & Studies

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE

King Salman Award for Local Governance

Forums & Events

Special Projects & Programs

For more information about the Center, please visit our website www.ksclg.org CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (CLG) 41

CENTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE www.ksclg.org