HOUSING IN SAUDI CITIES

Housing development in Saudi Arabia has changed over the last 50 years. Changes in housing design and the employment of foreign architects have both lead to the introduction of new types of housing units. The housing typology marks a clear disparity in houses inhabited by Saudis, which varies according to the region. Villas in Riyadh represent the highest ratio of houses (47% of the total houses)17. In Al-Qaseem, villas represent 46% of the total houses, followed by Aseer (34%), Hail (42%), the Northern Borders

(27%), and Al Jouf (39%). Villas are predominantly expensive and less accessible than apartments for youth, who typically have less wealth and access to finance. Yet these statistics show that in many Saudi cities, it is villas that are the predominant form of housing being built, excluding youth from the housing market. However, apartments do represent the highest ratio in other cities such as Makkah (58%), Al-Madina (60%), the Eastern Region (44%), Tabouk (57%), Najran (32%) and Al Baha (37%). 18