Motaleate Shahri

Slum Settlements

The effect of Spatial Configuration on the Sociability of Informal Settlements: (Case study of Hesar and Dizaj Neighborhoods in Hamedan)

Saeid Alitajer; Pooria Saadativaghar; Mohammad Bashir Robati; Ahmad Heydari

Volume 7, Issue 26 , May 2018, , Pages 57-72

https://doi.org/10.34785/J011.2018.032

Abstract

In recent years, for reasons such as population growth, increased rural migration, and the migrants’ financial inability to afford housing, the host cities are facing the problem of illegal settlements that are built densely without observing the principles of construction. These are usually known ... Read More In recent years, for reasons such as population growth, increased rural migration, and the migrants’ financial inability to afford housing, the host cities are facing the problem of illegal settlements that are built densely without observing the principles of construction. These are usually known as informal settlements which face many problems. One of the problems is the lack of social spaces that could act as the pillar of urban life. The issue of socialization and social interactions has been neglected in marginal and informal urban contexts, but it is more important that than in other contexts. It is because these contexts are in fact one of the most prominent manifestations of urban poverty in most Iranian cities with migration inflow. The promotion of socialization in these informal settlements, which are a part of the city’s body, is one of the main goals for increasing public welfare and citizens’ peace through the provision of their social needs. In recent years, hybrid studies have considered the relationship between cognitive maps and spatial configuration in assessing the shape of the constructed environment, but few studies have focused on adapting the findings of space layout approach by comparing cognitive maps when studying and measuring social behaviors of citizens in one of the most problematic urban contexts, i.e. informal settlements. This is an innovation in this research, an applied area and a step forward in the field of urban psychology, which can help urban planners and decision makers to identify and improve the morphology of more sociable urban neighborhoods. The present study seeks to investigate the effect of the physical-spatial characteristics of these settlements on sociability by examining the neighborhoods of Hesar and Dizaj in Hamedan. In the first step, the related literature and theoretical concepts were reviewed by library research and consulting with valuable sources on spatial configuration, socialization, and informal settlements. In the second step, the maps of the two neighborhoods were simulated in the Space Syntax software and analyzed formally and morphologically as follows. In the analysis of research data, in line with the natural motion theory, the role of spatial configuration was examined in the formation of behavioral and social patterns (in particular, socialization behavior). In fact, this applied study is based on a mixed methodology. In the first step, quantitative techniques were used along with the theory of natural motion, the theory of space syntax, as well as Arc GIS and UCL Depth Map software packages to analyze spatial configuration and its role in the social behavior of citizens with the aim of specifying the physical-spatial factors which influence sociability in urban spaces. The next step aimed at determining the validity and reliability of the results. In this step, the quantitative results were reconsidered by means of the qualitative method of cognitive maps. According to the findings, spatial configuration may affect the sociability of informal settlements through five indicators, namely, control, connectivity, integration, depth, and legibility. It may also affect people’s attendance, motion, face-to-face contact, and conversations (which are the major prerequisites of the formation of social interactions). Our analysis of the abovementioned informal settlements shows that the maps of the quantitative method of space syntax almost overlap with the qualitative cognitive maps. A comparison between the two neighborhoods indicates that the tree-like and continuous space configuration of Dizaj creates a motion pattern that leads to social interactions in the middle parts of the neighborhood whereas the shrub-like configuration in Hesar distributes the patterns of motion and social behavior all over the neighborhood and leads to more desirable social effects.

empowerment of informal settlements based on asset based policies of communities development

E P; ئ ق

Volume 3, Issue 10 , May 2014, , Pages 63-72

Abstract

Informal settlements as a phenomenon with physical, socio-economic and spatial dimensions, are caused by modern urbanization and progress discourse in the enlightenment era present challenges for sustainable city development. Since the late 1980s, empowerment approach by patronage of the World Bank has ... Read More Informal settlements as a phenomenon with physical, socio-economic and spatial dimensions, are caused by modern urbanization and progress discourse in the enlightenment era present challenges for sustainable city development. Since the late 1980s, empowerment approach by patronage of the World Bank has been searching for transformation and regularization of these types of communities by fiscal policy making based on local assets such as social capital, physical capital and low financial capital with a process-oriented approach, a holistic view of place and people’s happiness as well as capacity building of informal settlements in order to replace a culture of entitlement and of libertinism which is the outcome of need-based policies of community development. This article is based on the internal relationship between empowerment and asset based policy making. The aim of this article is to find the effect of social, physical, and local assets on the empowerment of informal settlements of Tabriz. Asset is defined as the financial, social, economic, and physical capabilities of humans. Its appearance on the local scale is in a network format. Asset based approaches have three characteristics: (1) since it focuses on extending capacity, it is process-oriented, (2) as it focuses on all assets, it is social-oriented, and finally (3), it is an instrument. This view tends toward the congruence of “people’s happiness and place”. This paper is based on the following essential question: what is the role of local financial, physical and social assets in the empowerment informal settlements of Tabriz? Tabriz Metropolitan area is situated the northwest of Iran. Many informal settlements populations in Tabriz are especially in the northeast, south and southeast zones of the city. The physical and socio- economic situation of the informal settlements in the diverse city zones have varying characters. However, the subject of this study is how the empowerment approach can be used best in Tabriz’s informal settlements. Research method is descriptive – analytical. In the conceptual model we have tried to present how asset-based policy-making can lead to empowerment. The following indexes were selected to represent empowerment: a sense of competence, autonomy, effectiveness, being meaningful and a sense of trust. The research was carried out in the informal settlements of Molazeynal, Seylab, Gushkhane and Khalil Abad quarters are the research clusters. The sample size was 224 people. In conclusion, the components of asset based policy, namely social capital, physical capital and financial capital, in a community's development have a significant impact on the empowerment of informal settlements.

Slum Settlements

Achieving to neighborhood sustainable development within social capacity of informal settlement’s inhabitants and economical activists’: (Case study:Shemiran Nou)

Volume 1, Issue 4 , March 2012, , Pages 3-12

Abstract

This paper is a practical attempt to choose social changing methods instead of environmental regenerations in order to manage and upgrade informal settlements areas. The approach of this research is in this way that inhabitants of informal settlements are accepted as residents with an urban right and ... Read More This paper is a practical attempt to choose social changing methods instead of environmental regenerations in order to manage and upgrade informal settlements areas. The approach of this research is in this way that inhabitants of informal settlements are accepted as residents with an urban right and they are the best resources for changing and upgrading of these areas. The objectives of this research work were to introduce social capacity and its relationship with local sustainable development in two different groups. Inhabitants and economical activists were selected as the study groups. Verifying the results based on the groups is the method to find out the way for achieving local sustainability. It was a descriptive surveying. Structure of social capacity and sustainable development were generated by expert ideas for informal settlement. The study approved that the social capacity is a mental structure influenced by the main motivations of the neighborhood’s activists to reside in the neighborhood. However, each group had different qualifications in this relationship and it is clear that each group uses its social capacities to achieve its own goals. Therefore, each group would have its special effects on sustainability and future of neighborhood life. The results revealed the existence of a positive and meaningful relationship between social capacities and the neighborhood sustainable development and if the clever exploration occurs, the chance of achieving local sustainability is not unexpected. The confidence of resident’s group in official institutions, and the importance placed to the neighborhood by the economical activists are the prime components, which had meaningful correlation with the majority of social capacity components. In addition, each program capable to persuade inhabitants to live longer and motivate people for remaining in that local area will be effective for developing social capacity. Moreover, it was found that there was not any sustainability in social dimension; social capacity will be useful for achieving this goal.

Articles in Press

Current Issue

Volume 13 (2024)

Volume 12 (2023)

Volume 11 (2022)

Volume 10 (2021)

Volume 9 (2020)

Volume 8 (2019)

Volume 7 (2018)

Volume 6 (2017)

Volume 5 (2016)

Volume 4 (2015)

Volume 3 (2014)

Volume 2 (2013)

Volume 1 (2012)

Keywords = informal settlements

The effect of Spatial Configuration on the Sociability of Informal Settlements: (Case study of Hesar and Dizaj Neighborhoods in Hamedan)

Abstract

empowerment of informal settlements based on asset based policies of communities development

Abstract

Achieving to neighborhood sustainable development within social capacity of informal settlement’s inhabitants and economical activists’: (Case study:Shemiran Nou)

Abstract