An Urban Profile of The Middle East

Current change in economic and social conditions throughout the Middle East is more profound than in the field of urban development and town planning.

This book provides a general view of the Middle East as it undergoes transition by identifying and analysing certain of  the symptoms of change. It looks at some of the traditions from which urban communities have developed into the past, assesses current economic factors which are motivating change at different rates, and draws up predictions for the likely dimensions of population growth up to the year 2000. The book continues with an examination of recent national statements on human settlements policies for a variety of Middle Eastern countries.

The second section of the book presents a variety of case studies, illustrating and analysing master plans and more detailed design work which is being carried out for future planned communities. One of these communities is an imaginary one used as a research base to analyse one possible direction of design planning for a future where a more sympathetic response to the special social and physical needs of the region will be required.

In the final chapter, the book sums up the problems confronting the urban future of the Middle East and draws up courses of action for the creation of new urban ways of life which will be worthy of the region's inheritance from the past.

Contents:

Acknowledgments
Preface

1. Urban Development in Society

2. Traditional Middle Eastern Urbanisation

3. Economic Motivation for Change

4. Urban Revolution in the Middle East

5. The Habitat Conference on Human Settlements, Vancouver, June 1976

6. Case Studies: New Towns

7. Case Studies: Planning Studies other than New Towns

8. Case Study: A Research Study into Future Settlement Patterns in the Middle East

9. An Urban Future for the Middle East

Index