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Compared to Western countries’ cities, few attempts have been made to investigate the role of livability in the context of emerging countries’ fast-growing urban areas. This paper presents a considerable case study in Saudi Arabia that ties into a more extensive debate on cultural globalization where cities, particularly in the developing world, reconstruct their urban territories to diversify their economies and streamline their image to appeal to international investors and an affluent cosmopolitan middle class. Specifically, this study aims to investigate if the correlation between Saudi Arabia’s social and economic reforms, urban megaprojects and sustainable urbanism can lead to an increased quality of life (QoL) in the capital and create a comprehensive lifestyle setup for Riyadh’s residents while also diversifying the country’s economy. The following questions guided the analysis: Can Riyadh’s planned urban mega-interventions raise urban livability and for whom? What are the dominant and secondary lifestyle components of each project, and how will they transform the city of Riyadh? Which aspects of each project raise the QoL in terms of services, public infrastructure and environment? How will the projects enhance connectivity in the capital, especially when combined as a series of layers?
1. Review of relevant literature
1.1 Definitions of livability
Literature has demonstrated that there are many ways to conceptualize livability. The most common definition is by Pacione (1990), who abstractly defined livability as the interaction between personal perception and environmental characteristics. Veenhoven (1999), a few years later, interpreted “livability” as “habitability” and the “quality of life” in a particular place. He contends that livability is the extent to which the condition of the living environment complies with the needs and capacities of its people. As such, livability describes the ability of a neighborhood or settlement to provide quality living conditions to its residents, whereas QOL refers to the level to which they respond to the expectations of inhabitants (Massam, 2002). Pandey et al. (2013) define livability as a satisfactory QoL for the residents of a particular locale. Finally, Newman (1999) contends that livability is the human requirement for social amenity, health and individual and community well-being.
Ruth and Franklin (2014) argue that livability consists of two elements: the city’s environment and the population that demands goods and services. According to Clark et...