Introduction
The research center was established in the College of Architecture and Planning in 1405/1406H.  Its purpose is to support basic and applied research which aim to understand and develop the architectural and humanitarian environment in general and the architectural environment in the Kingdom specifically.  It is to concentrate on conducting research and provide consultations required by the community.  In addition, it supervises research carried out by the teaching staff in the college including registered and independent researchers.

The center has a program of general lectures in the field of architecture and planning and about research done in the center whether they are presented by teachers/professors from the college or specialists from the private and public sector as well as visiting professors.

A brief history of the center and its goals:
The research center was established in 1405/1406H.  It aims to support and enhance the research efforts carried out by researchers in the theoretical and applied fields. 

The center makes available its facilities and equipment and supports research conducted by members of the teaching staff in the college in relation to the community and those projects requested by different sectors.

 

Board of Directors:
The center is supervised by a board of directors that includes the head of the center or someone who acts on his behalf, and two members of teaching staff from each department in the college. The director of the center acts as secretary of the center and follows up the implementation of its decision. The council proposes an annual research plan and prepares the necessary budget. It also recommends the selected research projects and approves their funding.

Center Units:
The center includes the following main Units:
· Researches Unit.
· Authentication and Information Unit.
· Consultation and Designing Unit.
· Unit of Housing studies.
· Secretary and supporting services.
· Computer unit and outlets.
· Reading hall and slides library.
· Thermal lab.
· Sound and light lab.
· Establishment lab
· Materials experiment, and
· Buildings establishment.

Achievements and Activities of the center:
The achievement and activities of research center can be summed up as follows:
· Members of the teaching staff were canvassed the beginning of each semester about their research plans and were solicited to submit their projects to the center.
· The accepted project was supported and all obstacles facing the researcher were tackled by the center.
· Follow up activities were examined by the center and the teaching staff of the college.
· The center monitored scientific activities in the field of architecture and planning, architectural environment, environmental control technologies and constructions both in the Kingdom and elsewhere.
· The center kept in touch with other specialized research centers in architecture to stay abreast of their activities.
· The center organized discussion sessions, and symposiums and lectures about architecture and planning in the areas of the projects funded by the center.
· The center called for symposiums, conferences and training courses within the college and elsewhere.

The center activities for this year have concentrated on funding research carried out by the teaching staff members and post-graduation students. Seventeen research studies have been published in different publication avenues. Table (A) represents a list of published studies. Table (B) represents a list of under preparation studies. Table (C) presents under preparation studies by post-graduate students. Table (D) is a list of Theses which have been funded.

In addition to that, the center has controlled a number of finished studies by teaching staff members by their request.

Funding and publication:  
· Funding scientific studies conducted by the teaching staff in the college doesn't exceed twenty thousand riyal, and aims to develop the different fields of the discipline.
· Encouraging the researchers to try to study architectural, planning and environmental problems in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
· Arguing for the funding of research projects and seeing to their publication.
· Funding post graduation students’ research in the different departments of the college within the range of seven thousand Saudi riyals.

 
Research Sheet:
It is a sheet in which the refereed studies are published. 

Facilities for Researchers:
Providing necessary photocopy, painting, and typing services for research that is carried out by the members of teaching staff in the college.  This includes the registered studies in the center and independent ones.

References:
The center keeps a hall which houses reading materials including a rich and valuable group of scientific books and references.  It also houses different journals  and publications in different fields of architecture and planning, as well as religious and Islamic Affairs books , both in Arabic and foreign languages.

Contact the center:
The center’s secretary: 4677139 – 4677135 – 4677117.

Specialized Research Units:

Authentication and Information Unit:
The administration of the College of Architecture and Planning has established the authentication and information unit for developing teaching methods especially in multimedia, and to construct databases in the specialized fields of the college.  It makes available case studies and outstanding architectural projects as examples to be updated and make available. This unit has been connected with research centers in the college; therefore, it became a unit that is rich in different specializations.  It provides the information through references, slides and maps.

Architectural Consultation Unit:
The idea of establishing "Architectural Consultation Unit" has come to link the College of Architecture and Planning and its different specializations/majors and the field of practice. It aims to establish a bridge of understanding and integration between the academic facilities in architecture and planning and the architectural offices, and to develop the experiences of the teaching staff members and those who are working in architectural offices in many professional aspects that are not available in both sides and which will have positive results on the building environment and educational and professional performance.

Housing Unit:
The housing was established to fulfill a number of important goals, such as constructing databases about housing cases, conducting specialized research in the field of housing, suggesting solutions for social and economical problems related to housing, holding specialized courses in the housing field and organizing symposiums on housing. The unit, with the cooperation of the ministry agency for city  planning, has contributed to the designing and developing of a number of housing plans, such as King Fahad outskirt plan in Hail and the housing plans in  cities of Alrass and Aljanifi.