ABSTRACT
Chapter 6, A Flâneur in Riyadh: The Transformation of Tahlia Street, describes the transformation of a once mundane thoroughfare into a vibrant pedestrian boulevard. Taking the Western notion of the flâneur as a starting point, the development Tahlia Street is set within the wider context of European and Arab grand boulevards and in relation to the Riyadh’s historic streets. The narrative is based on field visits to the street and encounters with its users, as well as conversations with the city’s former mayor, Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, who initiated the transformation.
