Urban Architecture
farnaz dibazar; Sahar Toofan; Siroors Jamali; nima valizadeh
Abstract
HighlightsThe general characteristics of third places have been investigated using observation, behavior mapping, interview and structural equation modeling (SEM) methods.The feature of conversation as the main activity has the greatest impact on social interactions in cafes.Cafes are an example of a ...
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HighlightsThe general characteristics of third places have been investigated using observation, behavior mapping, interview and structural equation modeling (SEM) methods.The feature of conversation as the main activity has the greatest impact on social interactions in cafes.Cafes are an example of a third place.Cafes influence social interactions.Individual privacy and distances affect social interactions. IntroductionThird places provide a platform for social interactions, and have a particular position in public-sphere institutions and social interactions due to their special characteristics. The environment can strengthen or weaken these characteristics; therefore, it is necessary to consider the design and architecture of third places in order to enforce their positive features. The purpose of this study is to investigate the general characteristics of cafés as third places in the studied samples and to analyze their impact on the social interactions formed at these places.Theoretical FrameworkThird places are one of the most important examples of the urban public sector that give meaning to the informal lives of citizens and lead to the restoration and creation of social interactions. Third places can serve as sources of protection and resilience for an individual, a family, and a community by creating social relationships. Moreover, individuals have an inherent need for social interaction, so they provide opportunities for that purpose. Such conditions are more likely offered at third places. A place turns into a third place from a service environment when it meets emotional and social needs as well as physical needs such as the need for eating and drinking. A concrete example of third places, cafés are of particular importance in the urban structure and human interactions. Such architectural spaces make it possible to imagine, think, and communicate due to their special features, described in Table 1, and their creation of pause spaces.MethodologyTwo general types of method have been used in this field research, quantitative and qualitative, including observation, behavior mapping, interviews, questionnaires, and archives, used for data collection. In the observation stage, things, people, and their reactions have been examined without interference with the environment. The observations have eventually led to behavioral mappings. Each sample has been examined using the passive observational method for three days in the periods of 10-12 in the morning and 6-8 in the evening. In the second stage, the interview method has been used, where attempts have been made to obtain more profound results through guidance of the conversations and provision of an understanding of the questions. Finally, structural equation modeling based on covariance has been used to investigate the general characteristics of third places and their effects on social interactions. The population has included all cafés in Tabriz, and the statistical sample has involved a total of 399 people.Results and DiscussionThe behavioral mapping indicated that large group of people and groups of two are more inclined to environments with clear privacy conditions. People tend to welcome spaces where their privacy is respected, while it is possible to establish appropriate communication with the environment as a whole. One way to create such environments is to separate spaces using transparent walls, while other considerations include distance, type of arrangement, material, and type of furniture. An examination of sample photos published by users demonstrates that most of the images concern these spaces, indicating their popularity among the audience. According to the analysis made of the responses, the main reason stated by 83% of the respondents for their presence in the café is to have chats. Attributes seem to play roles in strengthening and weakening each other as people express certain attributes to describe others. The results of the structural equation model demonstrate significant relationships between the variable of social interactions and four characteristics: conversation as the main activity, convenience and habitability, fixed customers, and a friendly atmosphere. The path coefficients of the variables indicate that a friendly atmosphere is 0.358% effective on social interactions, conversation as the main activity is 0.378% effective, convenience and habitability is 0.100% effective, and fixed customers are 0.058% effective. The two characteristics of a friendly atmosphere and conversation as the main activity are most greatly affected by the parameter referred to as homes away from home, and the neutral framework parameter exhibits the greatest impacts on the two characteristics of convenience and habitability and fixed customers. Figure 5 shows the significant effects of these parameters on the four characteristics with confirmed effects on the social interactions formed in cafés.ConclusionAs third places, cafés are influential in social interactions due to their special features.All the characteristics of third places can be found in cafés, but they have different intensities and types of impact on each other and on the social interactions formed in cafés. Conversation as the main activity, a friendly atmosphere, convenience and habitability, and fixed customers directly affect these interactions, and other characteristics exhibit indirect effects as a result of the impacts of these four. Conversation is the most influential parameter in the formation of social interactions. The results of the interviews demonstrate that it is also one of the main reasons for people’s attendance of cafés. In fact, conversation is an element that affects both the primary factor and social interactions; for enhancement of social interactions, therefore, it is necessary to design spaces that can help meet the prerequisites for conversation to take shape between people in cafés. The general characteristics of third places are more likely to lead to social interactions among familiar groups. Adequate privacy and appropriate working hours are factors besides third-place characteristics that increase social interaction as the senses of place and belonging rise, because people communicate when they experience senses of security, intimacy, and peace at the same time.AcknowledgmentThis article is excerpted from the doctoral dissertation in the field of architecture entitled "Interaction between body, mind and architectural environment based on the Integral theory (Case study: Cafe-restaurants in Tabriz)."
maryam farash khiabani; Pooyan Shahabian
Abstract
Many measures are being taken to bring peace and contentment to the citizens of today’s cities in weird and costly ways. However, little attention is paid to modest places that can satisfy the neglected needs of urban dwellers with lower costs. Paying attention to these places is a reflection on ...
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Many measures are being taken to bring peace and contentment to the citizens of today’s cities in weird and costly ways. However, little attention is paid to modest places that can satisfy the neglected needs of urban dwellers with lower costs. Paying attention to these places is a reflection on a circle that has an important relationship with freedom, satisfaction and peace of mind. The current research seeks to introduce one of the most attractive and influential types of such places. In this regard, it is essential to review the related principles from a philosophical point of view in order to understand the nature of these spaces.The most important basic concepts in this review are the third space (introduced by Edward Soja, the postmodern geographer and Homi K. Bhabha, the post-colonial cultural theorist), the third place (introduced by Ray Oldendburg, American urban sociologist) and heterotopia (a concept developed by Michel Foucault, the French philosopher, for the purpose of classifying space). A dissenting model, combining the features of these spaces, creates a new concept called “Other Space”. One of the typical examples of these types of spaces, which is less regarded by the experts in the field of urban studies, is cafe. Although cafes are semi-public spaces, identifying their nature and functionality due to their customer attraction can provide informative lessons for urban designers and planners. This research is based on qualitative methods, interpretive and case study approaches. It uses 20 cafes in the city of Karaj as sample. Documents about the three basic concepts were presented in order to define the types of cafes used for implementing the conceptual model of heterogeneous spaces. The final 5 main categories offered for cafes’ typology are: 1. Cafe Galleries and cafes with friendly atmosphere, where artists and art lovers are their main owners and customers. 2. Luxurious cafes, having more expensive menus and more affluent customers. 3. Old cafes whose identity is based on their age and history, and nostalgia is their main attraction. 4. Cozy cafes with diverse customers, have been existed from the very beginning of cafe in Iran and endure in the same way, despite the diversity in the business sector. These cafes can be found in each neighborhood. 5. Chain cafes, a newer generation of cafes in Iran based on the global models. According to the results of this study, these cafes, especially those with more cultural-artistic tendencies, have a close relationship with the features mentioned in the theoretical basics of the conceptual model of “Other spaces” such as the third space, third place and heterotopia. They have many lessons for urban planners and designers. With their capacity, their characteristics and optimized usage, these cafes can be considered as “other spaces” in various theoretical and practical urban studies. In fact, understanding that “Other Spaces” have been able to create small utopias in the commotion of today’s city can help to reconsider specialized decision making about other urban spaces.
