CULTURAL HERITAGE RETROFITTING OF BUILDINGS IN SAUDI ARABIA

The Vision 2030 for Saudi Arabia stresses sustainability, economic diversification, and preservation of cultural legacy. This work investigates cultural heritage retrofitting as a means of incorporating energy-efficient technologies into historical architecture preservation. Based on Al-Balad, Jeddah, a UNESCO-listed heritage site, it assesses restoration initiatives and their effects on sustainability and tourism. With an eye toward the periphery around Uhud Mountain and the neighborhood near Masjid Al-Minaraatain, the report also suggests a retrofitting project for ancient areas in Madinah. Drawing on major initiatives including NEOM, the Red Sea Project, and AlUla’s heritage restoration, a qualitative case study and comparative analysis approach is used. This study uniquely contributes to the growing body of literature by offering a contextualized retrofitting framework tailored to Saudi Arabia’s urban fabric, focusing on Madinah’s under-studied heritage areas.