Project Description

Ministry of Housing Housing Project – Saudi Arabia

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

  • 2010 estimates of the shortage of housing units in the KSA indicated that between 700,000 and 1.2 million are needed. The Ministry of Economy and Planning estimates that a further 1.25 million new housing units will be required between 2010 and 2015 to meet the needs of the young and fast-growing population.
  • The Ministry of Housing engaged Parsons to design and build approximately 100,000 dwelling units to be located on eleven sites located throughout the country.
  • In collaboration with architects and urban planners Torti Gallas and Partners, the Parsons Dubai office undertook a comprehensive effort to prepare Concept Master Plans for the sites initiating with a charrette held in Riyadh, progressing through the development of multiple options for the sites. Given the range of conditions present at the sites, ranging from urban infill to “grass roots” , development  programs and plans were fashioned to be context sensitive.

Services provided:

  • Experience of Prior Master Planned Communities in KSA: Experience with previous master-planned communities in the country, including Jubail, ARAMCO, etc. was analyzed and studied to provide guidance on lessons learned and cultural requirements for the MOH projects.
  • Participation in Charrette, Workshops and Presentations: A number of workshops and meetings were held to develop the Concept Master Plans and present the findings and conclusions of the technical studies including presentations to the Minister of Housing.
  • Technical Writing: The Concept Master Plans were presented in several formats including Power Point  presentations and reports.

Role: Advisor