Abstract
Muslims consider Mina an area with high spiritual value. It is where many Hajj rituals are performed, and the associated activities take place over several days. Given the continuous increase in the number of pilgrims, which is associated with the ambitious Vision 2030 project, and the limited space in Mina, providing suitable accommodation and services for pilgrims is a critical problem faced by officials and planners. To increase the capacity of Mina, the level of services provided to pilgrims and their safety and security, and to provide an appropriate and healthy environment, it was deemed vital to develop the tents used in Mina. According to the outcomes of previous Hajj seasons, the tents of domestic pilgrims )Saudis and residents( and their facilities still need to be further developed, particularly the spatial and functional aspects. Therefore, this paper was conducted to evaluate two types of tents for domestic pilgrims such as undeveloped and developed tents from an architectural perspective, focusing on variables such as bed size, movement paths, privacy, noise, thermal comfort, natural lighting, artificial lighting, security of personal belongings, storage of clothing, and the cost of the various services needed by pilgrims during their stay in Mina. The opinions and experiences of pilgrims were also analysed by collecting data via observations and surveys (questionnaires), given that pilgrims are the primary beneficiaries of the accommodation services. The results showed that the satisfaction rate in the developed tents is better than in the undeveloped tents, taking into account some development and improvement considerations in the developed tents such as: vertical expansion such as increase the number of beds by making double beds, include a customised bed for use by people with disabilities, install a foldable table for each bed, install storage lockers, install windows and use sound-isolation materials.