海角视频

In Riyadh, peak activity time is late afternoon until midnight. There is a dramatic difference between the use of spaces during the day and at night. Is this missing an opportunity for social and economic enrichment? Two members of Urban C:lab find out.

Urban C:lab is a learning, research and development programme at 海角视频, created to encourage the collaboration of interdisciplinary teams to tackle complex challenges together. Members think collectively, openly and without hierarchy about the future of the built environment. A central part of membership is an individual project where members identify a problem, explore it and work to connect it with the real-world built environment. Sometimes, the project is personal.

Urban C:lab members Dina Haddad and Faris Hussain are both based in Riyadh and proposed a project that is at the heart of the city. Heat, pollution, habit/culture, offerings and existing urban design mean that Riyadh is a city that comes alive at night. As residents in Riyadh city, Dina and Faris wanted to know: what about the daytime?

A pathway to enhanced urban living and economic growth

The idea of the proposal is driven by three key factors:

• The potential to unlock underutilised economic opportunities by encouraging businesses to extend their operations into daytime hours
• The improvement of public health and well-being by aligning residents鈥� activities with natural circadian rhythms and promoting physical activities
• The chance to reduce infrastructure congestion by spreading economic and social activities more evenly throughout the 24 hours of the day.

Vision 2030 lays out targets for improving the competitiveness of Saudi Arabian cities. is empowering the Kingdom鈥檚 transformation into a top destination to live, work and play. Activating the daytime economy contributes into achieving these goals.

Impacts of a night time economy

In Riyadh a significant portion of commercial assets remain closed or underutilised before 4pm. These assets, which are bustling at night, represent a considerable untapped potential during the day. This has impacts on residents, too 鈥� statistics show that 85% of Riyadh residents are insufficiently physically active and have high rates of sedentary behaviour.

By extending business hours and introducing new daytime services, Riyadh can unlock additional revenue streams and attract different consumer segments, as well as promoting a better quality of life for its residents.

And it is possible: consider the opposite, when London made distinct choices and interventions to promote a night time economy in a city which was formerly primarily focused around the day. The are key examples.

A daytime proposition

So, how can things change? Dina and Faris believe that to successfully activate the daytime economy, it is essential to align policy initiatives with the needs of businesses, residents and infrastructure.

The project will investigate potential policies that could be implemented to address environmental issues and guide urban and city planners in designing spaces that cater to extreme temperatures, ensuring that assets are utilised efficiently and effectively throughout the day. Enhancing public transportation and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure is key to increasing activity

The project will also explore how to create partnerships between Riyadh and private businesses to co-fund and promote daytime events, such as morning markets and cultural festivals. Initiatives like dynamic pricing, tax breaks and grants can play a role in incentivising daytime activities. Public awareness campaigns can also be effective in highlighting the health benefits of engaging in activities during the day, encouraging a cultural shift towards a daytime living approach.

When potential outcomes are as impactful as a diversification of the economy, an increase in Riyadh鈥檚 GDP and an improved quality of life for citizens, these areas of continuing change 鈥� in a city that still changes all the time 鈥� should be seriously considered.

A personal view

For Dina Haddad and Faris Hussain, this problem is personal.

Dina said, 鈥淚 was born and raised in Riyadh and I have seen it evolve as I grew up in it. There are so many aspects of the daily lives of Riyadh citizens that have changed dramatically over the last two decades.

鈥�The people of Riyadh are becoming global and urban. They are young, professional and active鈥� like me and Faris!

鈥淲e believe that this aspect of our lives is important for this city as it grows, changes and becomes increasingly international, creative and innovative. Riyadh is unique because of its history, culture, location and people and for Riyadh to develop its identity, we need a vibrant, active city across the whole of the day.

鈥淭his challenge is likely to become a global topic for other cities in the world and it鈥檚 an opportunity to lead the discussion on how we reconciliate our daily lives with extreme heat in an urbanised world.鈥�

What next?

In line with the Urban C:lab approach of disrupting, exploring and innovating, Dina and Faris will be engaging with retail and public health experts, as well as city planners to bring this vision closer to reality.

An online survey has been sent out to a number of Saudi residents to better understand their needs and how to enhance daytime life in Riyadh. Next up is a design sprint with to explore potential interventions.

Dina said, 鈥淥ur end goal is to discuss this with the relevant authorities and ultimately for it to become a real proposal.鈥�