Abstract
Description – Traditional communities within urban centers are a common feature in the Omani landscape, characterized by narrowing road widths, high density, and the close-knit social fabric of the generations of residents living within. With little to no published research on the subject of urbanism in Oman (BENKARI, 2017), international planning firms in charge of urban development across the Sultanate struggle to find ethnographic data on the many traditional settlements dotting the urban landscape that have deep ties to the land. Pilot investigations into community life in such settlements by academic institutions and non-profits have touched upon the complex ties of culture to place while this aspect remains underrepresented in the Urban planning process of the region. This case study elucidates the findings of ongoing urban ethnography and the opportunities in culturally integrated data as a means of environmental and economic resilience and prosperity. Background – The rapid urbanization of Oman since the 1970s ‘oil boom’ has meant much of the historic and organically developed settlements have undergone transformations beyond their control or involvement. “The right of decision-making was gradually shifted from the traditional community and tribe representatives to be conveyed to specialized ministries, executive directorates and foreign consultants” (Germeraad, 1990). Urban planning in Oman is currently at the cusp of a renewed future, with the advent of the new Sultan, HH Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, pushing forward strategic plans outlined in the Oman National Spatial Strategy to achieve the Oman Vision 2040. The need for a participatory planning process, highlighted as part of National Priorities, is yet to define performance indicators (Oman Vision 2040, 2020). Using Ethnographic methods of In-Depth interviews, Geo-referencing qualitative data through analysis and cluster mapping of qualitative data to categorize the ‘value systems’ embodied in natural environmental features, the case study is an on going exploration of the use of Socio-Spatial intelligence in community workshops as a design tool. The same aims to empower local communities and other stakeholders to prioritize conservation efforts and build up their own resilience strategies for their urban futures. The case study intends to share the preliminary outcomes of the Community Visualizer, a socio-spatial toolkit aimed to be a design tool for local communities of traditional settlements to represent their strengths and value systems. Through this, the purpose is to define the important cultural links to the environment and the value of strengthening them to ensure conservation and the deepening need for older/ traditional systems to inform the new. The work is considered as a pilot level process and not associated or representative of any development projects in the region.
