Urban Architecture
Ali Akbar Heidari; maliheh taghipour; maryam bagheri
Abstract
Highlights
People’s attendance of bazaars is one of the most important factors increasing the efficiency and prosperity of these places.
The permeability of the edges, especially in the entrance sections, is one of the most important factors affecting attendance in bazaars.
The quality of permeability ...
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Highlights
People’s attendance of bazaars is one of the most important factors increasing the efficiency and prosperity of these places.
The permeability of the edges, especially in the entrance sections, is one of the most important factors affecting attendance in bazaars.
The quality of permeability in the entrance section of the bazaar is affected by the three factors of accessibility, the quality of neighborhoods, and the spatial connectivity of the entrance and the lines leading thereto.
Introduction
The quality of permeability is a physical indicator that is significant in the formation of a successful place, especially in the field of public spaces. On the other hand, given that this research considers the issue of attendance of a traditional bazaar, the quality of permeability at the edges, especially the entrances and the rows leading to them, can play a significant role here. The entrance of a space is the first place where many of its features are discovered. Accordingly, the issue of quality of permeability is considered in this research as an independent variable, and its role in people’s presence in the space of a traditional bazaar is examined as a dependent variable. This concept of permeability has been proposed in the existing literature in three forms: neighborhood quality, spatial continuity, and accessibility.
Theoretical framework
According to the existing literature, the factors affecting permeability, especially in connection with urban contexts, can be examined in three areas, as follows.
- The quality of neighborhoods. The quality of neighborhoods in a spatial configuration means the functional compatibility of the uses that form that space so that the performance of one does not disturb or hinder that of another.
- Spatial continuity. Spatial continuity means the formal and functional connection of spaces with each other so that the environment is perceived by an external observer in a unified manner. This concept can be analyzed in an urban environment using indicators such as integration and connectivity.
- Accessibility. In the literature on architecture, the issue of accessibility can be examined in two areas: visual accessibility and physical accessibility. Visual accessibility means the ability to view a space from neighboring spaces. Physical access pertains to people’s ability to move within the space.
Methodology
The current research adopts a combination of the qualitative and quantitative methods in data analysis. In the data collection section, the methods of documentary study, direct field observation, and interview with businesses and bazaar users were used, and in the data analysis section, the content analysis method and the space syntax software were used.
In regard to the edges (independent variable), the three indicators of access quality (including physical access and visual access), spatial continuity, and the quality of neighborhoods were measured separately for each of the entrances. In the analysis of the quality of visual access, indicators were used such as the visibility of the entrances, the variety of uses in the bazaar that can be viewed from the entrance areas, and the amount of details on the space that can be viewed from the entrances. In the measurement of physical access, the degrees of enclosure and isolation of entrances in the bazaar were analyzed. In relation to the quality of neighborhoods, indicators such as the diversity and density of neighborhoods and the degree of their compatibility and interdependence were examined.
Results and discussion
No research has been conducted on the issue of attendance of the bazaar and the effect of the quality of permeability thereon, hence the attempt to answer the research questions about how the quality of permeability affects people’s attendance of the bazaar.
- How does visual access affect attendance in the bazaar?
The more visible the details from inside the bazaar to the user through its inputs, the more widely people choose those inputs to penetrate the bazaar and, therefore, the greater the attendance of the bazaar. The results of this research demonstrated that the difference in level between the passage and the space inside the market and the increase in the visible surface due to the presence of linear geometries along the lines leading to the entrances raises the range of visibility before entry into the bazaar space.
- How does physical access affect attendance in the bazaar?
The first feature for people to identify about the entrances is their visibility from the surrounding roads. If people can see inside the space before entering it, they can choose whether they want to enter the space or not.
The second factor effective on physical access to the bazaar is the users’ willingness to use different entrances. In some cases, this increases the attendance of the bazaar, and in others, it decreases people’s desire attend it.
- How does the quality of the neighborhood affect attendance in the bazaar?
The existence of diverse uses and their density in those respects provides the possibility of meeting a greater range of client needs, which ultimately increases their attendance. Moreover, because they complement each other, users increase related nearby users’ attendance. However, the necessary conditions concerning the quality of neighbors are compatible with one another. This means that when incompatible users are placed together, they prevent people from attending the space due to the nuisance that they cause, besides their negative effects on each other’s functions.
- How does spatial continuity at the entrances of the bazaar cause attendance thereof?
The degree of spatial continuity at the bazaar entrances can be evaluated using the two indices of integration and connectivity. The values of these two indicators are directly related to the geometric and spatial qualities of the inputs and the lines leading to them.
Conclusion
The most important results of the current research can be presented as follows.
- The quality of access to bazaar inputs is considered as the most important factor affecting permeability, thereby increasing bazaar attendance. This quality can be examined in the form of the two concepts of visual access and physical access.
- The quality of neighborhoods can increase attendance in the bazaar in the form of the compatibility of and dependence between the uses of different bazaar lines and their density and diversity.
- Spatial continuity at the entrances and the rows leading to them in the form of their geometric and spatial features (increasing the widths of the entrance and the rows leading thereto, connecting the entrance with public open spaces and main passages, using linear geometry, reducing the depths of the rows, and integrating and connecting the lines leading to the entrance with other spaces) can increase bazaar permeability and therefore its attendance.
Urban Architecture
sara Mohebinejad; Khosro Movahed; Ali Akbar Heydari; malihe taghipour
Abstract
Highlights- Various studies have demonstrated that several factors, including social, physical, and economic ones, affect the degree of socialization of an environment.- Spatial organization in a residential complex has a significant role in the increase or decrease in its open space sociability.- Open ...
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Highlights- Various studies have demonstrated that several factors, including social, physical, and economic ones, affect the degree of socialization of an environment.- Spatial organization in a residential complex has a significant role in the increase or decrease in its open space sociability.- Open spaces with central and mixed layouts offer greater sociability than other patterns in residential complexes.- Improper placement of various outdoor functions of a residential complex will reduce the sociability of the space.- A new method involves measurement of the effect of the formation of open spaces in residential complexes using space syntax. IntroductionDifferent arrangements of blocks in a residential complex create different patterns of open space that enable the occurrence of different potentials in terms of spatial socialization. In this study, four different patterns of arrangement of residential blocks in the city of Shiraz, Iran were selected, including linear, complex, single-element, and complex central patterns. Their spatial structures were analyzed using the spatial syntax theory tools and field and documentary observations, and different aspects of socialization therein were compared. Theoretical foundations1- Sociability of the architectural spaceSocialization in a public space is based on people’s need for a sense of social belonging and interaction with each other, which can be realized in a supportive social space along with provision of physical comfort, territory claim, sense of ownership, and reception of justice in space.2- Factors affecting socialization in the open spaces in a residential complexAmong the factors affecting socialization, physical factors (pertaining to spatial order) that affect the sociability of open spaces in residential complexes were studied and analyzed.3- Physical components affecting socialization3-1- Type of spatial organizationHierarchyThe concept of hierarchy denotes a set of features and phenomena that cause different spaces to be classified or ordered in a spatial configuration.AccessibilityThe issue of accessibility can be examined in two ways: physical access and visual access.3-2- Locations of spaces and types of access to them One of the most important factors that affect the sociability of different spaces is their locations in the context of a site and the way in which people access them. TransparencyTransparency means the possibility of visual connection of different spaces with each other, and is an important factor in the provision of a feeling of peace and security in the environment.3-3- Form, geometry, dimensions, and proportions of the space The morphological characteristics of space specify its appearance, and have a direct impact on people’s mood in interaction with space and their desire to attend it, as measured by the following two factors.Spatial diversitySpatial diversity is associated with a variety of concepts that are related both to the uses and to the formal diversity of spaces.Percentages of open and closed spacesIt is very important to consider the proportionality of open and closed spaces and the visible skyline.MethodologyIn this research, spatial organization was evaluated using the indicators of hierarchy and accessibility. The tools of connection, relative connection, and depth were used in the space syntax technique. The locations of the spaces and the types of access to them were evaluated using the two indicators of spatial location and transparency, the subject of spatial location was examined using the tools of communication, relative link, and depth, and the transparency indicator was assessed using the tools of vision control and obstruction.Result and Discussion- It was observed that the least spatial depth was formed in the central layout, leaving the open spaces in the center of the complex with greater sociability.- Where the playing space was located in the middle of the entrance area of a mixed complex, it occupied the largest viewing area, thereby increasing sociability.- Mixed and central spaces exhibited the highest degree of interconnection, minimum separation, and maximum accessibility of the open space due to the type of arrangement of their blocks.- Central and mixed spaces provided greater vision control and transparency despite their great spatial diversity and the possibility of mutual view of the spaces.- In the examination of the indicator of spatial diversity, as observed, the presence of a skyline with a wider field of view and a sense of open space increased the sociability of the public space.Conclusion- Improper placement of spaces in the site of a residential complex will leave them less appealing and desirable to the community.- If a space is relatively deep in terms of access, it will hardly be welcomed.- Variety in the arrangement of blocks can increase sociability in the open air, because it increases the variety of space on the plan.- An open space will enjoy greater sociability if it meets everyone’s needs. Children and families should be free to respond to their basic needs in these spaces.- By establishing a balance between the percentages of open and closed spaces, we can help increase sociability. A visible skyline and consideration of the height of the blocks increase a person’s motivation to be outdoors.- Greater sociability is required to create less visual depth and more communication and interconnectedness.The following suggestions are made about the design of a complex:- tendency to design residential complexes of the mixed and central types- inclusion of playing spaces that are more connected and more frequently used- development of spaces suitable for sitting with a focus on provision of the right shade or the possibility of sunbathing and applying maximum transparency and accessibility- creation of a playing space in a lower hierarchy with the possibility of providing maximum transparency and communication- creation and development of semi-open common spaces on the floors of a residential complex, such as social balconies, and consideration of the availability of public, private, and semipublic spaces- recognition that residents of a complex who have better observed the indicators of physical quality will find their living environment more favorable in the same conditions of the neighborhood.AcknowledgmentThis article is taken from the first author's doctoral dissertation entitled "Compilation of Shiraz apartment housing schemas with emphasis on indicators of optimal physical quality" which is being conducted at the Islamic Azad University of Shiraz.
Urban Architecture
aliakbar heidari; malihe taghipour
Abstract
Highlights
- The physical health of people in residential complexes is directly related to the environmental quality of those complexes;
- The mental health of the residents in the residential complexes is directly related to the structural quality of the complexes;
- The social health of the residents ...
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Highlights
- The physical health of people in residential complexes is directly related to the environmental quality of those complexes;
- The mental health of the residents in the residential complexes is directly related to the structural quality of the complexes;
- The social health of the residents in the residential complexes is directly related to the functional quality of the complexes;
- Providing health dimensions in residential complexes is directly related to the quality of life of residents.
Introduction
Due to the inattention of designers and architectures to the quality of biological collections during the rapid growth of urbanization, the residents of these collections have faced many problems, the most important being the sharp decline in their quality of life. On the other hand, since home is the most important space in human life, and people spend most of their lives in residential environments, the quality of housing and its role in improvement of the quality of life is a significant issue. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate how the environmental quality of housing is related to the residents’ quality of life to analyze the mechanism of this relationship. Accordingly, the environmental quality of housing was considered as an independent variable and the quality of life as a dependent variable. In addition, given that the quality of housing is an objective issue, and the quality of life is a subjective issue, a mediating variable was needed with both objective and subjective aspects for analysis of the relationship between the two concepts. Therefore, the notion of health was considered as the mediating variable in this study, and an attempt was made to explain the relationship between the main variables through examination of the relationship between health and the dimensions of environmental quality, on the one hand, and its relationship with the quality of life, on the other.
Theoretical Framework
Based on the objectives and hypotheses of the research, architectural quality was considered as an independent variable, quality of life as a dependent variable, and health dimensions as a mediating variable. According to the research literature, the quality of architecture was evaluated in the form of three indicators: environmental quality, structural quality, and functional quality. The quality of life was evaluated in the form of a psychological-semantic concept including satisfaction with residents’ various aspects of individual and social life. Finally, the dimensions of health were analyzed in the form of three aspects: physical, mental, and social health.
Methodology
After a review of the literature and extraction of the indicators concerning each of the research variables, the theoretical framework of the research was presented. These indicators were examined as a case study using tools including observation, interview, and researcher-made questionnaires at three residential complexes in the city of Shiraz, Iran. A standard questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life. The quality of architecture was assessed using the above tools based on the indicators provided for that purpose. Finally, the residents’ health conditions were assessed using a researcher-made closed questionnaire. To specify the validity and reliability of the questionnaires, the items concerning each variable were first designed and provided to the experts. After a number of the items were corrected and deleted, the final questionnaire was designed in the form of a set of 26 items, and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for each group was obtained.
Results and Discussion
The eventual research results follow.
- The physical health of the people in the residential complexes was directly related to the environmental quality of the complexes.
- The mental health of the residents of the residential complexes was directly related to the structural quality of the complexes.
- The social health of the residents of the residential complexes was directly related to the functional quality of the complexes.
- Provision of health dimensions in the residential complexes was directly related to the residents’ quality of life.
Conclusion
1- The quality of architecture in residential spaces is directly related to improvement of the residents’ health conditions. In this regard, the following are significant:
-Improvement of the level of environmental quality promotes all aspects of health in housing, especially the residents’ physical health. This means that the most important factors ensuring the residents’ physical health include the provision of health, creation of environmental comfort in housing, and assurance of the residents’ safety, which lie in the field of environmental quality.
- Improvement of the level of structural quality in housing promotes mental health. Psychological peace is provided in the house through attention to the structural features of housing with respect to the method of spatial configuration, proper spatial zoning, provision of the residents with psychological security, creation of an appropriate visual space in the home environment, and the like. As a result, the residents’ mental health is improved at home.
- Improvement of the level of functional quality improves the residents’ social health in residential environments. We can refer to the capabilities of housing in provision of individual and social functions in the housing environment. are These capabilities include the establishment of collective spaces in the residential environment, creation of a space with functional diversity to perform a variety of activities in public spaces, generation of a spatial hierarchy, and individual and social privacy in space. Such solutions raise the possibility of increasing the interaction between neighbors, which leads to greater recognition among them, formation of the residents’ collective identity, and increase in the desire for social participation among them, which can ultimately contribute to social health.
2- The residents’ quality of health in residential complexes is directly related to the improvement of their quality of life.
This means that provision of all the three dimensions of health in residential environments increases the residents’ quality of life from all aspects. Therefore, if any of the dimensions of health is not provided in a residential environment, it can reduce the residents’ quality of life.
3- The quality of architecture in a residential space is directly related to the residents’ quality of life.
This issue, which is one of the main purposes of the present study, is quite obvious and understandable in light of the above. Thus, on the one hand, there is a two-way relationship between the quality of architecture and health dimensions; on the other hand, the residents’ quality of health in a residential complex is directly related to their quality of life there. Therefore, it can be stated that there is a direct relationship between the quality of architecture in a residential complex and the residents’ quality of life. Hence, improvement of the quality of architecture in a residential space increases different dimensions of the residents’ health, leading to an improvement in their quality of life.
Urban Management
Malihe Taghipour; aliakbar heidari; maryam haghayegh
Abstract
The rapid population growth and transformation of apartments into the dominant form of urban residence have created new health issues in human life. The consequences, threatening residents’ health, include increase in vitamin D deficiency, overweight, decrease in physical health, social isolation ...
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The rapid population growth and transformation of apartments into the dominant form of urban residence have created new health issues in human life. The consequences, threatening residents’ health, include increase in vitamin D deficiency, overweight, decrease in physical health, social isolation and a variety of social injuries, decrease in personal space, and decrease in mental health. From the World Health Organization’s point of view, health involves provision of three dimensions thereof at the same time: physical, mental, and social. In addition to the above, however, it seems that the economic index has a direct, immediate impact on individuals’ quality of life and health. Therefore, the present study sought to investigate the three aspects of health in terms of the achievement of cooperation with the fields of architecture, medical science, psychology, and social sciences in the preferences of people with different economic conditions upon selection of apartments as housing and the priorities of the components from the three areas that influenced their selections. In this descriptive survey, SPSS 22 and AMOS 23 were used for data analysis, and Friedman test and ANOVA were employed to examine the hypotheses. The results indicated that individuals’ economic and livelihood conditions affected their preferences and concern for the three dimensions (physical, mental, and social) of health in the area of housing. It is noteworthy that economic conditions are considered today as a health-threatening factor, hence their great significance in health policies and disease prevention and intervention measures. Furthermore, the results obtained from the paper emphasized the need to consider the effects of the physical components of buildings on residents’ health, where a building could prevent the occurrence of disease in the residents and prevent an excessive amount of money from being spent for treatment. These findings can provide useful guidelines for policy-makers in the field of construction and social institutions influencing the promotion of modern urban living patterns. What is clear is that the current pattern of modern urban living and housing common in Iran is an obsolete model imported from other countries regardless of the psychological, physical, and social aspects of individuals’ lives. It therefore fails to meet the current requirements of the society, and can have harmful physical, psychological, and social effects in the long run. Modification of this model requires cooperation from medical and social scientists, psychologists, and architects and designers, development of regulations and construction standards, and cooperation from the relevant bodies (the municipality and engineering system) and medical, humanities, and social scientists. Based on the results of studies that have critically scrutinized the details of living in apartments, the organizations in charge of construction can also take important steps in establishment of laws and regulations that affect residents’ health to improve their quality of life. Based on the comprehensive dimensions of health, further achievements will hopefully be made in the construction industry and the design of residential units, so that people’s health will not be threatened by buildings, which can even have therapeutic properties.
