King Khalid University, represented by the College of Architecture and Planning, hosted a design workshop on local architecture in the Asir region last Thursday, in collaboration with the College of Engineering and Architecture at Al Yamamah University in Riyadh. The event was held at the Exhibition and Conference Center in the university city in Al-Fara’a.

The workshop began with a welcome speech by Dr. Ahmed bin Ali bin Dajam, Vice Dean for Educational Affairs and Development at the College of Architecture and Planning, and Dr. Ola Mohammed Al-Haqan, Vice Dean for the Female Section. They welcomed the university's guests, including faculty members and participating student teams, emphasizing the importance of enhancing local identity in modern designs while considering environmental and heritage standards.

Following that, Dr. Bin Dajam delivered an opening lecture on the design standards specific to the Asir region, including the region's urban and building codes. He highlighted the challenges and opportunities in applying these codes to contemporary projects.

In the same context, Dr. Mohammed Al-Shaib, Head of the Department of Architecture and Planning, presented an overview of the workshop's objectives and the joint programs between the two universities in the field of local architecture. Dr. Al-Shaib explained that the workshop aimed to enhance students’ understanding of Asir’s rich architectural heritage and explore how to integrate traditional standards with contemporary design requirements. He noted the broad participation from students and faculty members from both universities.

Dr. Al-Shaib also emphasized that the workshop included several discussion panels on the traditional architecture for which the Asir region is known. These discussions focused on sustainable design elements and integration with the environment. In addition, Professor Dr. Doaa Abu Al-Majd and Dr. Mujibur Rahman Abu Amer presented the design project for the workshop, providing a detailed explanation of the project's main idea and its educational objectives. This helped participants understand how to integrate local heritage with modern design methods.

The presentation also included a program by students of the Asir National Heritage course from the College of Architecture and Planning at King Khalid University. The presentation highlighted both tangible and intangible elements of Asir's architecture, such as the use of local materials, artistic engravings, and traditional construction methods.

During the workshop, students from both universities showcased a variety of projects inspired by the architecture of the Asir region. These projects were designed to merge traditional aspects with modern innovations. Faculty members from King Khalid University and Al Yamamah University in Riyadh evaluated these projects, assessing students' understanding of heritage concepts and their ability to apply them in new design contexts that serve the local community.