Such architectural transformation processes linked to the social evolution of the family group are characteristic of most Muslim cities. They often involve changes in the access system by turning semi – public street sections into private or by building the air space above the street.

The use of primitive means of transportation affected the urban structures of the old Madina, where short distances played an important role in the social gathering and urban proximity that were accompanied by the phenomenon of the extended family. When transportation developed, it facilitated the long walking distances, and hence fragmented the families, where its members started to look for work, anywhere, to improve their economic conditions. This has, in turn, helped to disfigure the extended family concept and its positive effects on close family relationships in specific and social relationships  in  general.

This personal and independent life was expressed in the new house designs that fulfilled the family needs. Few examples which respect the  family social relationship are still exist. This is through the presence of independent related families in different flats in one residential block.

 It is also worth noting that the change in the family and social structures of Al-Madina society, has affected the house designs and mingled with the new social mix resulting from the effect of different, nationalities in Al-Madina hired to work and fulfill needed labour and expertise for the city development process.

Moreover, the use of       the new communication equipment, such as satellite dishes and computers, has compensated for  the human need for social relationships with others, and replaced it with a relationship with the equipment to spend the personal leisure time. New skyline of the residential cluster has appeared, (Figure 21).

Privacy is defined as an interpersonal bourdary regulation of human interaction. As such, it permits people to communicate or be open with others on some occasions and close off such interaction at others. Privacy is, therefore, a changing process wherely people altempt to manage and regulate their social interaction. By regulating the time of our accessibility to others, we can manage our social contacts according to our personal desires. ⁽⁹⁾

Urban space is generally divided into domains distinguishing different rules and symbols, with a basic purpose of establishing boundaries between “us” and “them”, “public” and “private”, to ensure the desired levels of interaction and provide the appropriate protection. All these levels and boundaries differ from one group to another. Nevertheless, the Islamic legal practice was particularly strict regarding strangers invading the privacy of houses by looking in from the streets or adjacent buildings.

Within urban structure of the old city of Al-Madina, the physical coherence between the various components was based on the graded articulation of a chain of polarities between “included” and “excluded” spaces, “inside” and “outside”. The courtyard of a house, for instance, was outside with regard to the rooms around it, but inside with regard to the house.

The residential alley was outside with respect to the house, but inside with respect to the residential quarter, which was also enclosed by walls and gates (Fig. 22,23).

The closely knit house with joint walls provide a nearly closed public access environment for the residential area, that are divided into successive hierarchial sections. While dense residential quarters tend to swallow the street space and convert it into private access corridors, the sanctuary of the house is not directly exposed to outside influence. Dead end alleys and a progressive sequence of gates are the tools for achieving the protection that preserves the community and social sphere and in turn prevent friction or interaction with the public realm.

However, in houses, the Mashrabia plays a destinctive role in implementing the privacy from the public to the private domain (Figure 24).

The urban form of the new city is based on creating different plots and subdivisions formulated directly according to traffic patterns. In tracing the privacy within this form, it is useful to look at housing territories on a hierarchy of levels ranging from private to public. Streets and side-walks as public spaces that are equally used by both residents and non residents.