In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Thanks be to Allah and peace be upon his Messenger, Muhammad, his family, and friends. 

The local government has widely supported the architecture and planning sector in Saudi Arabia. This includes addressing the urban aspects and urban planning issues raised in the Saudi Vision 2030 programs. These programs include: the Housing program focuses on producing high-quality housing units at suitable prices for Saudi families. Second, the Quality of Life program aims to provide a better quality of life by creating and developing a group of diverse options in all sectors, enhancing the participation of the individual and society in artistic, cultural, and sporting activities, and enjoying a life of Healthy and vibrant, developing urban areas more suitable for living, and creating new promising and exciting sectors that provide economic and investment opportunities, which contributes to transforming the Kingdom into a destination for international sporting and entertainment events. Third, the Serving Pilgrims program aims to create high-quality facilities and advanced infrastructure. It helps pilgrims enjoy a unique and unforgettable faith experience.

Based on the belief in the role of educational institutions in contributing to urban development effectively, the Department of Architecture has aimed, since its founding, to prepare a generation of distinguished architects and planners by acquiring science and knowledge of the urban aspects and local and global urban and planning issues that contribute mainly to advancing urban development, and achieving programs Saudi Vision 2030, and preparing a generation capable of competing locally and internationally..

Considering the contemporary and urban landscape of Saudi cities and the needs of the current and future labor market, the Department of Architecture at Umm Al-Qura University has created three tracks within the department’s study plan: architecture, urban design, and planning, which are compatible with the requirements of the comprehensive urban renaissance witnessed by all Saudi cities without exception.

These paths aim to prepare a generation of architects and planners who are familiar with the surrounding cultural, social, economic, and environmental contexts and determinants and how to deal with them when shaping the built environment to enhance local identity, design buildings, and urban spaces and plan cities with high efficiency and appropriate economic cost, and which appropriately deal with environmental determinants to achieve efficiency.

The latter includes using energy, taking advantage of ventilation and natural lighting, and being proficient in dealing with climatic factors through appropriate guidance. In addition to studying successful and unique models of traditional and contemporary local and international buildings and cities, to identify the mechanism of how architects and planners deal with the motives that led to their formation and to benefit from the lessons it provided in generating unique, contemporary, and innovative architectural and planning models that suit the needs of Saudi society and national goals. Current and future.

In ways to achieve the above, the Department of Architecture at Umm Al-Qura University, since its establishment, has set out to create a pioneering educational environment by providing architectural design and planning studios equipped with all material and technical needs, which contribute significantly to enhancing the efficiency of education, in addition to computer laboratories, laser printing, and making architectural models.

These studios are equipped with the latest technologies in line with the national aims and similar to its theory in architecture departments and schools in leading global universities. Through the combined efforts of faculty members and students and the provision of appropriate infrastructure, the department began decades ago to actively participate in national and international competitions and win many awards.

The department also had a prominent role in promoting community participation. Thus, students and stakeholders are working together in designing many architectural projects and planning models for several agencies in the governmental and private sectors and non-profit associations.

All these efforts, considering the continuous and unlimited support of the local government, contributed to the department obtaining German international accreditation (ASIIN) as one of the leading destinations in preparing a distinguished generation of architects and planners locally and internationally.

The Chairman of the Department of Architecture

Dr. Oumr Adna Osra