Urban Design
Shirin Eslami; ahmad shahivandi
Abstract
Highlights- The functional activity component exhibits the greatest weight in the measurement of the sense of place in the Qods district of the city of Qom, Iran.- The physical-visual component has the lowest weight in the measurement of the sense of place in the residents of the Qods district.- Structural ...
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Highlights- The functional activity component exhibits the greatest weight in the measurement of the sense of place in the Qods district of the city of Qom, Iran.- The physical-visual component has the lowest weight in the measurement of the sense of place in the residents of the Qods district.- Structural equation modeling indicates the optimal fit for the sense of place measurement model in the residents of the Qods district.- The indicator of invitation has the highest weight in the specification of the sense of place of the residents of the Qods district. IntroductionThe weakening nature of the place is one of the most important challenges facing contemporary cities. The contemporary citizen faces spaces without meaning and identity that have not yet turned into places. This is more important in new urban settlements, due to the lack of historical, identity, and existence backgrounds. The subject of this case study, the Qods district, located in the city of Qom, Iran, which suffers from disturbances in various aspects, is an example of new urban developments that require attention. The purpose of this research is to measure and analyze the importance of the components of the sense of place in the Qods district, to answer the following questions: What are the indicators of achieving a sense of place in the Qods district as a new urban development? How can one evaluate the effects of each component of the sense of place on the Qods settlement residents?Theoretical FrameworkThe term sense of place denotes people’s attachment and relation to the place, or the structure of feeling, as some have put it (Agnew, 1987, cited in Arefi, 1999: 180). Experts have held relatively similar viewpoints regarding the components of the sense of place and its indicators. In large part, most of these opinions have confirmed the physical environment, activity, and perception as the three main components. According to Shamai (1991), the sense of place consists of three phases. The first phase concerns belonging to a place, the middle phase is attachment to a place, and the final phase is commitment to a place (Shamai, 1991: 349). Hummon (1992) describes five levels of the sense of place, or place attachment, as follows: uncommitted placelessness, relativity, place alienation, divided rootedness, and cohesive rootedness (Cross, 2001: 10). As a result of the interdisciplinary nature of the concept of sense of place, numerous experts and schools of thought have offered various perspectives that can be said to have a lot of similarities and few differences. Different experts such as sociologists, geographers, environmental psychologists, anthropologists, architects, and urban planners have addressed the concept of sense of place in different ways in their studies. Among the numerous kinds of research conducted in different countries in the past half-century, most of the academic studies have been focused on conceptual analysis and formulation of theoretical models on the one hand and on evaluation of this category in different scales on the other. MethodologyThis research was conducted through a mixed paradigm and a descriptive-analytical method. The data collection tools were library-documentary studies, and the population included 245 residents of the Qods district. The data analysis tools involved two descriptive and inferential analyzes using the statistical methods of Structural Equation Modeling and Pearson correlation test, implemented in the SPSS 23 and Amos Graphics 26 software. The conceptual model of this research consisted of 3 main components, i.e. form, activity, and perception, 12 indicators, and 45 sub-indices.Results and DiscussionThe results obtained from the second-order factor analysis model in this research indicate which of the components affecting the sense of place in the residents of the Qods district has a greater weight and effect in the induction of this concept to the residents. Based on the research findings, among the 3 identified components, 12 indicators, and 45 relevant sub-indicators, the functional-activity, perceptual-semantic, and physical-visual components, in that order, exhibit greater weights in the evaluation of the sense of place from the perspective of the Qods district inhabitants. Among the variables observed in the assumed model of this research, the factors of invitation, social participation, motivation, land use, and activity have greater weights in the specification of the residents’ sense of place. Moreover, the correlation between the conceptual components of the research indicates that there is a significant relationship between the three components of the sense of place in the residents of the Qods district. Furthermore, the measurement of the fitness of the conceptual model of the research, according to the indicators of structural equations, demonstrates that the model is desirable.ConclusionThe following can be stated in response to the first research question as the indicators of achieving a sense of place in the Qods district as a new urban development: indicators of identity and authenticity, motivation, and mental image (in the perceptual-semantic component), indicators of land use and activity, accessibility, urban furniture, invitation, social participation, and safety-security (in the functional-activity component), and indicators of visual coherence, construction form, and visual richness (in the physical-visual component). In response to the second research question, the greater importance and weight of the functional-activity component than the perceptual and visual components indicates that if urban management pays more attention to the residents’ functional and social needs, the indicators of this component, as the most important factor in the induction of a sense of place, will have a greater impact. Moreover, the inferential analysis of the structural equation modeling in the evaluation of the indicators confirms that many indicators have received less attention in the Qods district, while these indicators can be effective on the residents’ continuity and satisfaction, their sense of attachment to the place of residence, and fulfillment of their mental expectations.
Urban Design
Azam Karimi Yazdi; Naser Barati; majid zarei
Abstract
The urban space is the setting for embodiment of public life and social discourse in a context involving the components of responsibility for place quality. Consideration of place quality as perceived by the users of an urban space at the same level as place components as assumed by the urban designers ...
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The urban space is the setting for embodiment of public life and social discourse in a context involving the components of responsibility for place quality. Consideration of place quality as perceived by the users of an urban space at the same level as place components as assumed by the urban designers demonstrates the concern for the social aspect of the space, facilitating the realization of the perceptional urban design scheme. The application of the scheme in the organization and revitalization of any urban environment makes it possible to simultaneously consider three basic factors in the acquisition of the perceived quality of place: urban environment or space, space users, and space designers. This suggests the necessity of citizens’ active participation in intervention in urban areas. Design of public places with desirable physical and visual quality in accordance with citizen’s perceptional characteristics and capabilities is what urban designers are responsible for. The aim of participation for professionals as social advisors is to provide the required technical assistance to help realize the aspirations of the community with appropriate solutions. The present study attempts to organize the components of the quality of urban environment from the viewpoint of experts and practical urban design projects after encoding them from functional (use, convenience, and activity), physical, perceptual, semantic, and environmental aspects. According to studies conducted in the area of environment quality and the relevant theoretical approaches, assessment of perceived place quality in the investigated environment from the space users’ and designers’ perspectives was considered in this applied research as the approach of choice within the conceptual model framework for provision of an area where the citizens have a peace of mind. The study sought to obtain the components associated with each of the aspects of urban environment quality, norms and measures of the aspects of urban design, and sub-measures and policies of the perceptual and semantic aspects of urban design as the research framework of the paper. For that purpose, the Imamzadeh Saleh (PBUH) urban complex in Tajrish, Tehran (including the space in front of the Imamzadeh and the marketplace and the area between the stream bed and Tajrish Square) was investigated in a case study. In the evaluation of the perceptual measures of the place under investigation, the quantitative and qualitative data obtained from the questionnaire in the extraction of the respondents’ subjective information on the quality of place were assessed as maps and diagrams in a descriptive-analytical survey. Assessment of urban space perception obtains the factors involved in spatial perception using the measure arrangement method under a classification of perceptual qualitative norms as visual perception, conceptual interaction with the environment, discipline, or quality of view and landscape in the perceptual aspect of the urban space or as interpretation, meaningful communication, or identity in the semantic aspect. The results applied in the revitalization of the urban complex and its future conception in accordance with the perceptual-semantic norms of place led the authors to statement of a series of purposes in line with the qualitative norm measures of the perceptual-semantic aspects of environmental responsibility and formulation of the design principles, purposes, and administrative policies. Another finding of the study was that the length of the citizens’ confrontation and interaction with the citizens and the environment under investigation is also effective on perception of the space and its depth and nature. The research demonstrated that there are still controversies between the public and experts both on issues such as vitality and on the expectations of the two groups about the area of investigation, although they are agreed in general. Therefore, the paper sought to answer the following questions. What qualitative measures and norms are relevant in evaluation of the perceptual-semantic aspects of place? What design policies make it possible to achieve the perceptual-semantic measures and norms of place in general? How are the perceptual-semantic measures considered in the future conception of the studied area statement of its macro-purposes and, therefore, formulation of the design principles, design micro-purposes, and administrative policies of the design product?
Urban Architecture
Abstract
Place attachment is a type of emotional connection developed between an individual and a specific location which could happen in different times and places. People could feel different levels of attachment to their homes, neighborhoods or cities. This feeling could have different levels of intensity ...
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Place attachment is a type of emotional connection developed between an individual and a specific location which could happen in different times and places. People could feel different levels of attachment to their homes, neighborhoods or cities. This feeling could have different levels of intensity based on environmental features, social atmosphere and the memories made by individuals in that specific place. Several studies have been conducted on the subject of place attachment. Researches done by Daneshpour et al. (2009), Sarmast & Motavaseli (2010), Amir Kafi & Fathi (2011), Sajadzadeh (2014), Heidari et al. (2014), Cuba & Hummon (1993), Hidalgo & Hernandez (2001), Brown et al. (2003), Shamai & Liatov (2005), Gifford et al. (2009), and Lewicka (2010) are among studies that have addressed the issue from different approaches. However, these studies have not addressed place attachment in terms of the three factors of home, neighborhood, and city as well as age and sex variables. Also, they have not compared two different cities with different physical and social features. The present study will focus on the three factors of home, neighborhood and the city and delve into the reasons for the increase and decrease in the intensity of place attachment. It will also take sex and age variables into account. To compare the resulted data, residents of the two cities of Tehran and Sari were chosen. Conducting a study on the two cities of Tehran, a metropolis, and Sari, a small city with stronger social ties, can improve generalizability. The number of participants as subjects of the study in Tehran and Sari is assessed to be 427 and 306, respectively. Within the prescribed framework, factors that affect place attachment are divided into the three physical, social and emotional categories. Accordingly, three separate questionnaires were provided to assess the intensity of place attachment regarding the aforementioned categories. In each questionnaire, there were questions about physical, social and emotional factors, which are the main factors in determining the reasons behind place attachment. The resulted data from within subjects ANOVA, repeated measures ANOVA and split-plot ANOVA were analyzed using SPSS. The results showed that the intensity of attachment in residents of Tehran and Sari regarding the three categories was different. Accordingly, the subjects’ attachment to their homes held the highest rank, attachment to cities was at the second place and attachment to neighborhood was at the lowest level. Also the factor of sex had no impact on the intensity of attachment regarding the aforementioned categories. However, the results of descriptive statistics showed that the intensity level related to attachment to home for both men and women held the highest level, attachment to city was at the second place and attachment to neighborhood was at the lowest level. Although not having a meaningful impact on the results of the study, in the case of female residents of Sari, attachment to city held a lower place than attachment to neighborhood.However, the age of subjects played an important role in their place attachment. For instance, Tehran residents of all age groups said that they had a stronger attachment to their homes, their city and neighborhoods (in the same order), but in the case of Sari, teenagers showed stronger attachment to their city while older people showed roughly the same level of attachment to all the three categories.The results showed that social attachment to home held the highest priority and physical attachment held the second place followed by emotional attachment to home. With regard to the neighborhood and city categories, for all age groups, emotional attachment to the city held the highest rank, followed by attachment to the physical dimensions and social attachment.
Urban Design
nesar daneshpayeh; F H
Abstract
The sense of place is a comprehensive and complex concept of human emotions about the environment that is created by human adaption to and use of place. It is also one of the important concepts in improving the quality of human environment and formation of the communicational bases of environmental users. ...
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The sense of place is a comprehensive and complex concept of human emotions about the environment that is created by human adaption to and use of place. It is also one of the important concepts in improving the quality of human environment and formation of the communicational bases of environmental users. This research explores the concept of sense of place through investigating different schools of study in the field and developing the principles and concepts in the theoretical framework. The research is looking for answers to this question: What are the criteria for explaining the process of creating a sense of place in the new developments in Tehran and what is their role, position and how do they communicate with each other? This research is a descriptive-analytical survey. The data was collected through documentary and library studies along with distributing questionnaires and doing interviews with professors teaching architecture and urban planning, as well as interviews with residents of the studied towns, the Cheshmeh and Dehkadeh – Olympic towns in District No. 22 of Tehran – and the Hakimyeh town in District No. 4 of Tehran. Samples were collected using simple random sampling. The criteria used for sampling included the lack of significant and fundamental changes, the evolution and stability of neighborhoods over time after their formation, proper access, and the information and statistics required for the selected research. In this regard, the ten main criteria, including visual richness, visual proportions, physical-spatial quality, legibility, perceptability, identity, accessibility, flexibility, comfort, place invitation in three physical, perceptual and functional aspects as well as meaning, the relationship and influence of each of the factors on locating a sense of place were investigated. In relation to each of the ten criteria, 4, 5, 8, 4, 4, 3, 2, 4, 2, 4, 3, 2, 4, 2, 4, 3, 2, 4, 2, and 4 variables were measured. The statistical methods of structural equation modeling, confirmatory factor analysis, maximum likelihood estimation, Pearson correlation test, and multiple linear regression were used to explain the nature of the relationship between the sense of place and the variables. Finally, it is possible to plan a 10-factor model for studying and measuring the sense of place in urban new development areas. The adequacy of this model due to its different indices shows that the model has an acceptable fitness in terms of data coordination with its functional structure. Based on the findings of the research, all three main physical, functional and perceptual components had a significant relationship with the dependent variable of sense of place. Visual richness, spatial quality and visual proportions had the most causal effect on the sense of place, which shows the higher effect of physical components on the sense of place from the viewpoint of the citizens, as compared with perceptual and functional variables. In conclusion, the creation of sense of place in new urban areas is based on the interaction between the residents and residence, and thus the person and place as well as the process of the creation of a sense of place is related to the physical, functional and perceptual dimensions of physical environment.
