Design for Sensory Impaired, Elderly, and People with Disabilities in Saudi Arabia: Current Practices and Future Prospects

With a population of (33,413,660) in 2017, Saudi Arabia has a relatively young society. People who are aged between (0 & 14) years account for (25.16%), whereas those who are (65) years & over account for (3.3%). This percentage jumped to (4.19%) in 2018. Sensory impairment in addition to mobility problems are expected to affect the way in which this aging segment interacts with the surrounding environment. On the other hand, the working & active segment aged between (15 & 64) years accounted for (71.5%). Such an age group is plagued by a crippling challenge manifested by car accidents casualties. The open & built environments accommodating both groups are dealt with in a manner that is not responsive to the needs of the two groups positively. This paper elaborates on current practices & discusses future prospects for the enhancement of open & built environments accommodating people with special needs.