Urban Heritage in Transition

Urban Heritage in Transition: Saudi Perspectives on Sustainability and Innovation offers an interdisciplinary look at how culture, identity, and heritage can shape more resilient and inclusive urban development. Challenging technology‑driven smart city narratives, the book argues for an integrated approach that places social fabric and cultural assets at the core of sustainable urbanism. With a focus on Saudi Arabia, the volume explores the tensions and opportunities that arise from rapid modernization, demographic change, migration, and climate vulnerability. It combines conceptual insight with practice-oriented case studies, providing planners and policymakers with actionable strategies in heritage revival, community engagement, sustainable tourism, mobility innovation, and climate adaptation. The volume is developed as part of Effat University’s annual International ARCH & DESIGN Conference, an interdisciplinary platform that brings together academics, practitioners, and policymakers to address emerging challenges and transformations in architecture, design, and the built environment.Part of the Emerald Studies in Sustainable Architecture and Design series, this book contributes to a collection dedicated to exploring the critical role of architecture and design in an era marked by climate crisis, urban intensification, and profound social change. Guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the series highlights human‑centred design as a driver of resilience and environmental responsibility while offers conceptual, methodological, and practice‑oriented perspectives on designing for a sustainable future.