Improving our Understanding of the
Dynamic of the Built Environment by
Harnessing New Visualization Power
Professor Kheir Al-Kodmany
kheir@uic.edu
Urban Planning and Policy Department
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
U.S.-Arab Cities Forum
Richard J. Daley Urban Forum
Hajj: Extreme
Overcrowding
Large multi-
cultural and
spiritual Deep
gathering historical
references
50 Ys. ago
Extreme
overcrowdings
everywhere
From Inside
KSA
Excess
From
Noon prayer Night prayer Abroad
1950s
Number of Pilgrims (1927-2004)
KSA’ expatriatesMakka’
KSA’s population = 22 M, 7 M. expatriatesMakka’s
Region popu. 6 M.
7000000
Afternoon prayer 6000000
Pessimistic
Moderate
5000000 Optimistic
4000000
3000000
2000000
1000000
0
Now after 10 after 20 after 30 after 40 after 50
Dawn prayer years years years years years
The Sacred Mosque
The center of Makkah, Al-Masjid Al-Haram
The most frequently visited structure in the Hajj Population Projection
world Over 10 million visits a day, 2-3 X 5 =10-
15m.Museum of Science and Industry since
1933, 160 million visits, 2-3 m/y
Stampede
Symbolic Stoning of Devil Tragedies
Jamarat are the shrines
marking the places where the
prophet Abraham ( peace
be upon Him ) stoned Satan
who tried to persuade
Abraham not to execute a
command of Allah, GOD.
They are series of three
Pillars.
3
3 2
2 1
1
Extreme Overcrowding Analysis