Date of Defense
22-4-2026 4:00 PM
Location
F3-0040
Document Type
Dissertation Defense
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Architectural Engineering
College
COE
Department
Architectural Engineering
First Advisor
Dr. Sahera Bleibleh
Keywords
Housing, Socio-Spatial Assessment, Urban Development, Urban evolution, Sustainable Urban Development, Sha'abiat, Al Ain, UAE.
Abstract
Housing is both a fundamental human need and a core driver of urban form, social life, and cultural continuity. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the rapid transformations of the post-oil era were marked by the establishment of the first national housing model, the Sha’abiat, compact, community-oriented neighborhoods that shaped the early urban form of Emirati cities and reinforced social cohesion. Over time, however, housing policies shifted the housing-scape toward private villas, leaving Sha’abiat increasingly challenged by demographic change, maintenance deficiencies, displacement, and demolition under modernization pressures. Despite these challenges, Sha'abiat remains integral to the UAE’s urban identity and provides valuable lessons on the socio-spatial dimensions of housing and urban development.
This research investigates how the social and spatial characteristics of Sha'abiat contribute to sustainable urban growth and reflect the broader evolution of housing in the UAE. A qualitative case study of Al Ain was conducted, combining spatial mapping of land use and built forms, field observations of neighborhood practices, and semi-structured interviews with planners, experts, and residents. This triangulation approach captures the relationship between lived experience, spatial design, and policy governance.
Findings suggest that Sha'abiat are not static relics but adaptable spaces that mediate between sustainability, cultural memory, and rapid modernization. Their transformation highlights both the resilience of everyday urbanism and the limitations of conventional planning in fastdeveloping contexts. The study’s main contribution is the development of a People–Place–Policy framework to analyze housing evolution. This framework provides transferable insights for policymakers, planners, and heritage authorities aiming to balance modernization with cultural continuity. By placing Sha’abiat within the UAE’s Vision 2071 and Sustainable Development Goals, the research emphasizes their ongoing relevance and offers broader lessons for rapidly urbanizing cities facing similar challenges.
Included in
RETHINKING HOUSING EVOLUTION IN THE UAE: AN INVESTIGATION OF SHA’ABIAT, SOCIO-SPATIAL INTEGRATION, AND SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN AL AIN CITY
F3-0040
Housing is both a fundamental human need and a core driver of urban form, social life, and cultural continuity. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the rapid transformations of the post-oil era were marked by the establishment of the first national housing model, the Sha’abiat, compact, community-oriented neighborhoods that shaped the early urban form of Emirati cities and reinforced social cohesion. Over time, however, housing policies shifted the housing-scape toward private villas, leaving Sha’abiat increasingly challenged by demographic change, maintenance deficiencies, displacement, and demolition under modernization pressures. Despite these challenges, Sha'abiat remains integral to the UAE’s urban identity and provides valuable lessons on the socio-spatial dimensions of housing and urban development.
This research investigates how the social and spatial characteristics of Sha'abiat contribute to sustainable urban growth and reflect the broader evolution of housing in the UAE. A qualitative case study of Al Ain was conducted, combining spatial mapping of land use and built forms, field observations of neighborhood practices, and semi-structured interviews with planners, experts, and residents. This triangulation approach captures the relationship between lived experience, spatial design, and policy governance.
Findings suggest that Sha'abiat are not static relics but adaptable spaces that mediate between sustainability, cultural memory, and rapid modernization. Their transformation highlights both the resilience of everyday urbanism and the limitations of conventional planning in fastdeveloping contexts. The study’s main contribution is the development of a People–Place–Policy framework to analyze housing evolution. This framework provides transferable insights for policymakers, planners, and heritage authorities aiming to balance modernization with cultural continuity. By placing Sha’abiat within the UAE’s Vision 2071 and Sustainable Development Goals, the research emphasizes their ongoing relevance and offers broader lessons for rapidly urbanizing cities facing similar challenges.