The world is rapidly changing, and this change is creating and shaping new individuals as well as societies. Accordingly, concepts and values change as well; few of them resemble what was inherited from our past. The home acts as the nucleus for life in society, and the sum of the homes comprise of communities that share similar values. Then, these communities forge districts, cities, and the state itself.

Residential districts are crucial because their design directly influences the creation of personalities. As daily scenes are observed, they generate memories and confirm the values and customs of society at large. Further, the resulting environment produces the individuals through the lifestyle that it dictates.

The concept of the neighboring is deeply rooted in the Arabic and Islamic culture. Yet, under the modern state and its rule, neighborhoods lost their central position in society. We no longer see similar practices instilled in us by past generations. Gradually, we lost the meaning of (neighboring) due to various modern givens, such as:

• – In the past, people selected their home’s location naturally. People organized smoothly according to economic or professional divisions. Current situations prevent people from selecting their neighbors; the decision usually is dictated by economic factors or simply the chance of the location of social housing projects.
• – Previously, neighborhoods were divided flexibly. Fathers could simply deduct part of their estate to their sons, an estate could infringe on the public road if additional room was needed, or two buildings could be linked by a bridge, etc. However, modern planning organizes cities, limiting their freedom of use and division. Plot sizes and shapes, plot divisions, building, and expansion fell under strict laws and regulations. This led to people moving to newly established areas and contributed to the division of communities.
• – The constant relocation of people and the widespread of temporary housing (rent) weakened belonging and gave priority to the commercial relation over social ties.

In turn, the spirit of the residential neighborhood deteriorated, and people began to act differently. As a result, the nature of their relation to neighbors altered drastically:

• – Overcrowding and the scarcity of adequate housing led to increased competition among neighbors and lowered the spirit of compassion.
• – The lack of sense of citizenship caused a constant infringement on the public realm, and the rise of vandalism reflects the devaluing of public space.
• – Hierarchical decision making in conjunction with the vague process by which the state made decisions as well as the lack of partnership between official bodies and the people enhanced individualism and negligence.

The concept of neighboring is crucial. Intimate and close-net neighborhoods contribute to the happiness of citizens and their sense of belonging. Thus, Planners should maintain the concept of neighboring at the center of their thinking process. We must study public spaces carefully and find places that bring people together.

We need to utilize the locations of mosques, squares, playgrounds, and retail shops intelligently, as these are attractive meeting points for neighbors. Sidewalks must be designed carefully and take into consideration a building’s scale/orientation and building regulations must be compatible with people’s needs and lifestyle. We will succeed once our designs suit our lifestyle and create places that call for unity rather than competition and provide instead of subtract.