His Highness Umm Al-Qura University President, Dr. Bakry bin Matuq Assass opened, on Monday, 13-03-1438H, the three day proceedings of the “Architecture Day” forum held at the College of Engineering Theater - Umm Al-Qura University.

The event, titled “Planning & Design of Health Facilities”, is organized by the Department of Islamic Architecture at the College of Engineering and Islamic Architecture in collaboration with the health facilities architectures division at the Saudi Umran Society, Health Affairs General Directorate in Makkah and King Abdullah Medical City.

The inauguration was attended by the University Vice-President for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, Dr. Thamer bin Hamdan bin Gaber Al-Harby, Vice-President for Branches, Dr. Abdel Majeed Al-Ghamdy, Assistant Director of the Health Affairs General Directorate in Makkah, Eng. Khaled Al-Thobayti, College of Engineering and Islamic Architecture Dean, Dr. Hamza bin Ahmed Ghulman, head of the health facilities architectures division at the Saudi Umran Society, Dr. Zyad Al-Swidan, vice-deanships, head of departments, specialists at architecture and participating students.

The proceedings began with reciting verses of the Holy Qur’an followed by the word of College of Engineering and Islamic Architecture Dean, Dr. Hamza bin Ahmed Ghulman who praised the Islamic Architecture Department for its efforts and practical and research contributions in the architecture field that placed both the department and its outputs at a distinct position.

Ghulman praised the support and directions given by his Highness, Umm Al-Qura University President, Dr. Bakry bin Matuq Assass. In the same context, he expressed appreciation and gratitude to efforts that the head of the Islamic architecture department, Dr. Ibrahim Bokhary and associated teamwork exerted to organize this event.

Then, Dr. Bokhary took the podium to stress the importance of scientific researches and practical experience in the architectural design in general and planning and design of hospitals in particular, pointing out that both had an outstanding role in making a qualitative leap in designing hospitals to pace requirements of modern treatment technologies and to satisfy needs of users while taking privacy, customs and traditions of society into account.

This can be achieved through several pivots, namely, the ability to plan and design hospitals to pace future changes; to regularly modernize and develop existing hospitals to be fit for modern technologies and to conform to world standards and modern instructions; to consider the ability to increase capacity of existing hospitals through increasing number of inpatient beds and adding new specializations; to modernize existing hospitals to provide higher health services as well as to develop more effective means to manage hospital maintenance and renovation.

Bokhary hoped that proceedings would come up with results which help increase efficiency and performance of students and specialists in planning and designing health facilities in the KSA, acquire knowledge and exchange of expertise in this field so we participate, together, in the renaissance of health services in our blessed nation.  

After that, head of the health facilities architectures division at the Saudi Umran Society, Dr. Zyad Al-Swidan, gave a word saying that the division participates in this event because it believes in the importance of communication between specialists in this field for exchange of practical and scientific expertise, particularly after the enormous success of the four previous forums.

The title of this session came as a natural result to the several challenges that existing hospitals encounter today, which adversely affect efficiency of operation and medical service quality, Al-Swidan added.

Thus, he went on, it was important to study such challenges and to lay down a mechanism to properly face the same with a view to updating existing hospitals to pace modern architectural orientations and enormous development in the world specifications and conditions along with paying more attention to providing safety procedures and routine maintenance of the same so hospitals can provide highest levels of medical service.

Al-Swidan pointed out that the division will keep on organizing lectures and workshops, support scientific research, increase efficiency of labors and concerned parties and provide technical and practical architectural and engineering consultants to complete its role in developing planning and design of health facilities and because of its belief that that continuous training and education is the base of success and progress.

At the end, Al-Swidan thanked His Highness Umm Al-Qura University President, Dr. Bakry bin Matuq Assass, the Department of Islamic Architecture, College of Engineering, the department of projects and health engineering affairs in Makkah for cooperation and support to organize this forum.

In his turn, Assass gave a word stressing that the University, represented in the College of Engineering and Islamic Architecture, organizes this architecture day because it believes in its mission and societal responsibility for the nation renaissance, rehabilitation and training of nationals to participate in the development of their nation and help the same acquire knowledge of the latest developments in the architecture and architectural design on scientific bases and standards that ensure safety of public and private facilities according to contemporary scientific requirements and technology.

 Assass added that such efforts come as part of the continuous concern by the wise government – May Allah bless it- to develop sons of the nations on the scientific and knowledge levels.

“We thank Allah first then those hands and minds that caused such dignitaries to appear, either in this field or in other scientific fields, that contribute to development of their nation and serve nationals”, added he.

At the end of the proceedings, Assass honored those sponsors participating at the forum. Then, the present took a tour at the associated exhibition which comprised spaces for the participating sponsors. Following which, proceedings of the associated sessions commenced.