For years, Haitham al-Madini's house was like all the others on his block in the Saudi capital: fronted by a beige, nearly windowless facade that sealed his family off from the outside world. But two years ago, confined during a pandemic lockdown, Madini decided to open things up, adding a street-facing patio, redoing the exterior walls in travertine limestone and installing soft lighting in the entryway. In recent years "there have been manifestations of an architectural openness", said Abdullah al-Jasser, owner of the AF Group design firm that worked on Madini's house. "People have become more accepting of change, and of different patterns of decoration and design." IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES