Urban Architecture
Raheleh Abdollahi; Islam Karami; Ahad Nejad Ebrahini; Leila Rahimi
Abstract
Highlights
• The favorable situation of Tabriz Historic Bazaar was revealed in terms of resilience, contextualism and spatial capabilities.
• The relationship between contextual components and spatial capabilities with spatial resilience was explored.
• The greatest effect of ...
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Highlights
• The favorable situation of Tabriz Historic Bazaar was revealed in terms of resilience, contextualism and spatial capabilities.
• The relationship between contextual components and spatial capabilities with spatial resilience was explored.
• The greatest effect of adaptability and climatic context on resilience of Bazaar was revealed.
• Emphasis was discovered on paying attention to both factors of contextualism and spatial capabilities in achieving resilience.
1. Introduction
A new topic in the field of resilience, spatial resilience seeks space dynamism and vitality by preserving identity and function through focusing on particular features of space which provide an appropriate platform for possibility of vitality over time while maintaining efficiency and attendance. However, the existence of unused and abandoned spaces in cities and the importance of concern for the durability of spaces and their role in sustainability are among the leading challenges in metropolises, which seem to be modifiable and improvable due to their compatibility with the context and possession of environmental features that lead to the resilience required in addressing disorders. The purpose of the present study, designed to promote sustainability and urban identity, is to investigate the effects of contextualism and spatial capabilities on resilience in Tabriz Historic Bazaar.
2. Theoretical Framework
Spatial resilience concerns the possibility of different applications, adaptations, and capabilities and even the acceptance of changes without modification of identity. Therefore, the four components of flexibility, adaptability, variability, and reactivity were evaluated in a case study as spatial capabilities affecting the survival of spaces through analysis of the key concepts in different areas of resilience studies. On the other hand, the significance of the context in the discussion of spatial resilience can be considered for assessment of the success of spaces in achievement of the resilience required by the degree of their contextualism. The four physical, historical, cultural, and climatic components were examined in the case study as important contextual components affecting the survival of spaces. In other words, the effects of contextualism and spatial capability on spatial resilience were investigated through assessment of the relevant relationships.
3. Methodology
This applied descriptive-analytical research was based on the analysis of questionnaires through a correlation strategy. The contextual variables and spatial capabilities were assessed as independent variables, and spatial resilience was examined as a dependent variable. To specify the sample size using Cochran’s formula, 357 clients at Tabriz Historic Bazaar were selected to constitute the sample. For assessment of the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was calculated as 0.899, which indicated the reliability of the research instrument. To analyze the data, the independent t-test was used to assess the current conditions, and correlation and regression tests were performed to examine the synchronous relationships between the variables.
4. Results and Discussion
The findings of the data analysis demonstrated that Tabriz Historic Bazaar was in favorable conditions in terms of resilience, contextualism, and spatial capabilities, and there were significant relationships between space resilience and the contextual components )physical, historical, cultural, and environmental-climatic) and spatial capabilities (flexibility, adaptability, variability, and reactivity) with coefficients of 0.773 and 0.834, respectively. There was also a significant relationship between contextualism and spatial capabilities with a coefficient of 0.767. The greatest impact on the resiliency of the bazaar space was associated among the four spatial capabilities to the adaptability and reactivity of the space with beta coefficients of 0.365 and 0.351, respectively, and among the four components of contextualism to the climatic and historical contexts with beta coefficients of 0.378 and 0.212, respectively. However, the lowest score was associated with the adaptability and climatic context of the space, and the highest with its flexibility and historical context. This indicated, on the one hand, that the capability of adapting to changes and new conditions and of adopting spontaneous response strategies against changes was most effective on the continuity of the space activity. On the other hand, adaptation to climatic conditions and environmental comfort and to native species and collective memories played a major role in maintenance of the space vitality over a long period of time. Given that previous research has emphasized the high degree of resilience due to the characteristics and capabilities of the environment, the present study was focused on concern for both contextual factors and spatial capabilities that are effective in the achievement of resilience and reduction of vulnerability to change. This was considered as the innovative aspect of the research.
Furthermore, the findings indicated that all the four contextual components had the appropriate spatial characteristics required to continue the activity due to the significant relationship between contextualism and spatial capabilities. However, the cultural and climatic contexts were in favorable conditions in terms of spatial capabilities.
5. Conclusion
The results demonstrated that Tabriz Historic Bazaar was influenced more by spatial capabilities than by contextual components in terms of resilience. That is, contextual components must be taken into account in addition to spatial capabilities to enhance resilience. Emphasis on both features will be effective in reduction of vulnerability and enhancement of resilience, and achievement of resilience requires the alignment of space with the context, where the ability to cope with disorders is realized as the capability of the space is raised through its inherent potentials.
Urban Design
Leila Rahimi; Islam Karami
Abstract
Existing experience suggests that the perceptual environment of citizens plays an essential role in the perception of the quality of urban environments. Given the wide variations in urban life, in particular urban life in Tabriz as a metropolis, it is particularly important to recognize the quality of ...
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Existing experience suggests that the perceptual environment of citizens plays an essential role in the perception of the quality of urban environments. Given the wide variations in urban life, in particular urban life in Tabriz as a metropolis, it is particularly important to recognize the quality of urban and neighborhood environment. Therefore, Golshahr and Parvaz neighborhoods are considered as newly designed neighborhoods (less than 30 years old) with appropriate architectural and urban spaces and a high level of facilities and services. This paper presents an instrument for measuring perceived residential environment quality in urban environments. This instrument consists of 11 scales categorized into four criteria including spatial aspects, human aspects, functional aspects, and contextual aspects. The spatial aspects include three scales: architectural-planning space, organization and accessibility of roads, and green space. The human aspects involve one scale: people and social relations. Functional aspects include four scales: welfare, recreational, commercial, and transport services. Contextual aspects cover three scales: pace of life, environmental health, and upkeep. The paper aims to identify and measure perceived residential environment quality and improve the related psychometric qualities. Cognitive psychology is the conceptual framework of this research that focuses on environmental perception. This paper attempts to answer the following questions: 1- What level is the residents’ perceived quality of Tabriz neighborhoods (Golshahr and Parvaz regions)? 2- What factors affact residents’ perceived quality of Tabriz neighborhoods? The research method is descriptive-experimental and the data collection instrument is a questionnaire including 11 scales based on different dimensions of the research variables. The questionnaire comprised of 62 questions in the form of a five-point Likert scale. It was clustery distributed among 250 residents of Golshahr and Parvaz regions in Tabriz. The data was analyzed using the one-sample t-test, paired comparison, multiple regression analysis and path model analysis in SPSS software. Results confirm the factorial structure of the scale and indicate that, among the individual factors, sex and ownership affect the residents’ perceived quality of the neighborhood. Among the four main components, the social and then contextual components have a greater impact on the perceived quality of the neighborhood, while these two dimensions have the lowest score among the inhabitants of the neighborhoods. Among the scales, the green space scale from spatial aspect, discretion and civility from the human aspect, transportation services from the functional aspect, and upkeep and maintenance from the contextual aspect have the highest impact on the residents’ perceived quality of the neighborhood. Thus, the impact on the perceived quality of neighborhood increases when moving from the physical to the social-psychological-mental space, but the emphasis of the decisions of urban planners are more on the spatial and functional dimensions. Another interesting result is that, in addition to the social dimension, attention should be paid to the contextual dimension of the neighborhoods in order to promote inhabitants’ perceived quality of the neighborhood.
Urban Sustainability
Islam Karami; parisa mohamadhoseini
Abstract
Mehr housing developments typify the problem of increasing building density in modern urbanism, a state of affairs with manifold repercussions. The Mehr housing complexes in Ardabil consist stereotypically of apartment buildings tightly jammed together, without regard to every environmental and human ...
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Mehr housing developments typify the problem of increasing building density in modern urbanism, a state of affairs with manifold repercussions. The Mehr housing complexes in Ardabil consist stereotypically of apartment buildings tightly jammed together, without regard to every environmental and human aspect. As rather densely populated complexes and prospective accommodations for upcoming generations, they warrant serious attention in terms of social sustainability. It is indeed possible to make amends for the human and social aspects overlooked in the original designs by enhancing the physical environment. Hence, the present study explored the role of sociable public spaces in social sustainability of residential complexes, seeking to promote social identity and vitality in contemporary urban structures. The examined cases were three Mehr housing developments in Ardabil, namely Niayesh, Vahdat, and Andisheh. Our hypothesis stated that the presence of sociable public spaces at the concerned developments correlated significantly with their social sustainability. The adopted method combined qualitative and quantitative approaches, and the applied strategies included logical reasoning, comparison, and correlation. At first, documentary and analytical studies were embarked on to extract the facets and variables of social sustainability and sociability of the spaces. To measure the two concepts of “space sociability” and “social sustainability”, the designed models incorporated the spatial-physical components of the former and the human and social dimensions of the latter. Questionnaires designed with respect to the research components were distributed among the local residents. The variables of the two concepts and their correlation at the complexes were interpreted by analyzing the data from the questionnaires through one sample t-test and Pearson’s correlation using SPSS. Results of these analyses suggest that establishing sociable spaces will positively contribute to social sustainability of residential complexes, and that Andisheh exhibits relatively higher levels of the two concepts among the examined cases. The next step involved the analysis of spatial and physical facets of the public spaces of the complexes. The data resulting from the analysis of the questionnaires were related to the results of interviews and observations. The variables and environmental attributes pertaining to the sociability of public spaces of the residential complexes were then extracted and classified. The paper concludes by offering a series of solutions, including provision of sociable spaces such as green areas, children’s playgrounds, and commercial and cultural centers, allowing for proper physical-social sizes of the spaces, enhancing environmental welfare, and taking account of visual diversity, all of which will ensure sociability of public spaces at the residential complexes, thereby promoting social sustainability. Sociable places can be regarded as multi-purpose spaces that can accommodate various activities and appeal to different groups, thus intensifying human interactions. The physical-social size of a space is correlated with the sense of security, sense of affinity, and identification with the environment. Environmental welfare is related to being satisfied with the physical environment and to the desire for spending more time at and relishing the space, whereas visual variety makes the space appealing and inviting.
