Contemporary urbanisation in hot-arid cities presents coupled challenges related to sustainability, spatial efficiency, and climate resilience. This study applies Research by Design as a preliminary methodological approach to adapt the superblock typology for Riyadh’s Al-Raed neighbourhood, integrating GIS-based territorial diagnosis with Grasshopper parametric iterations. Sixteen geospatial layers, including land use, density, road hierarchy, transit access, service distribution, green cover, and climatic exposure, inform attractor-based scenario generation and a structured comparative evaluation framework assessing regulatory compliance, human scale, connectivity, and environmental and economic feasibility. The resulting loop-and-courtyard configuration reorganises local streets to strengthen first- and last-mile access, shaded pedestrian continuity, and microclimatic comfort, while supporting Saudi Vision 2030 programs, such as the Quality of Life Program, National Transport and Logistics Strategy, Riyadh Public Transport Program, and Saudi Green Initiative. Quantitative spatial indicators are interpreted alongside design-based morphological reasoning to inform spatial decisions, acknowledging climatic and cultural constraints. This study contributes a reproducible, policy-relevant digital workflow for neighborhood-scale urban transformation in Riyadh and comparable hot-arid contexts. As a preliminary Research by Design phase, it structures iterative scenarios and a structured comparative evaluation framework, providing a foundation for subsequent quantitative and empirical validation.
Khafaji et al. (Sun,) studied this question.