Neighborhoods Without Alleys: Modern Saudi Districts Between Isolation and Nostalgia for the Old DaysDo You Remember the Days of the Alley? Those narrow streets where we played soccer, met neighbors, and shared everything—from news to meals, and even problems? Well, it seems those days have become either fond memories or mere “illusions” for some.
The traditional alley has all but disappeared from modern neighborhoods in Saudi Arabia, replaced by wide streets and luxurious districts. But… where’s the warmth?
The Alley: A Factory for Social Drama
Naguib Mahfouz knew exactly what went on in the alleys of Egypt.
He wrote entire novels about them, like Midaq Alley, where the alley was a blend of drama, comedy, and conflict.
Today, if you try to find that kind of social life in Riyadh’s new neighborhoods, you’ll find yourself lost among closed villas and high walls.
Even Naguib Mahfouz would have been disheartened and might have written a novel titled The Alley of Closed Doors.
Where Are the People?
Yusuf Idris, in his stories, loved portraying the hustle and bustle of the alley.
But in modern neighborhoods, if you try calling out to your neighbor, you might need a megaphone—or maybe even a drone to deliver the message.
There’s no one on the street. Everyone is hidden behind phone screens or within private living rooms. Social interaction has been reduced to WhatsApp “neighborhood groups,” where, by the way, no one replies to messages until three days later.
The Palestinian Alley: A Double Nostalgia
Ghassan Kanafani would have felt a double sorrow. He didn’t just lose the alley to occupation in Palestine, but if he were alive today, witnessing the loss of the alley’s spirit in modern neighborhoods, he might have written Returning to the Neighborhood of Iron Gates.
The alleys once symbolized resistance and solidarity. Today, gates are shut, and luxury cars do all the talking.
Modern Neighborhoods: From Social Spaces to “Turkish Drama”
If you want social interaction today, you have to go to a mall or watch your neighbors’ Snapchat stories.
Alleys were like Arab TV dramas—filled with surprises. Today’s neighborhoods, however, resemble a slow Turkish series, where nothing meaningful happens until the hundredth episode.
The Solution: “A Mini Mall in Every Neighborhood!”
So, what’s the solution? Can we bring back the old alleys? Of course not.
But we can think about creating shared spaces in new neighborhoods, such as small parks or local markets, which might restore some of that old social spirit.
We could also revive some “mini-series” moments where people meet and converse, instead of life being a series of dull episodes of “absolute privacy.”
Conclusion
Modern Saudi neighborhoods might be impressive in terms of infrastructure and urban planning, but they’ve lost something precious: their soul.
The alleys of the old days weren’t just places to live; they were spaces for laughter, shouting, and daily interaction.
Perhaps we need to ask ourselves: Are we really living in modern neighborhoods, or are we trapped in “luxury prisons”?Ultimately, it’s up to us.
We can bring back some of the alley’s spirit to our new neighborhoods—or continue living as isolated islands in sprawling cities without alleys.
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Read also: Atheism in Real Estate Development: When Buildings Lose Their Soul and Value
