Urban Sustainability
hossein daneshmehr; saaied khani; vorya molasalimi
Abstract
Highlights- There is a significant positive relationship between the level of apartment life standards and social capital in residents of Mehr Dwellings.- There is no significant relationship between the type of residence and social capital in residents of Mehr Dwellings.- The variables of neighborhood ...
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Highlights- There is a significant positive relationship between the level of apartment life standards and social capital in residents of Mehr Dwellings.- There is no significant relationship between the type of residence and social capital in residents of Mehr Dwellings.- The variables of neighborhood relations and level of acquaintance have influenced the social capital of residents of Mehr Dwellings. IntroductionToday, social capital is an indicator of growth and development in societies, without which it is highly challenging to achieve development at different levels. This capital increases investment in the fields of physical capital and human capital and establishes the structures created by public and private sector agents. Housing is one of the most important human needs leading to social conflicts or peace in different ages. The occurrence of each of these conditions is directly related to the amount of social capital among the residents, from the point of view that the social norths and souths in cities have turned into a concept for class distinction. Projects like Mehr Dwellings may have been capable of meeting the housing market needs in terms of quantity and shelter to a large extent, but what is stated in the theoretical literature on social housing at the global level, i.e. the level of satisfaction of residents of social housing projects, concerns the conditions therein in social, cultural, and other terms. It seems that the Mehr Dwellings project was carried out in a hasty manner regardless of basic criteria such as social capital. Therefore, the current research seeks to investigate the social capital conditions among the residents of Mehr Dwellings in the city of Sanandaj, Iran and the effective sociological factors. The questions raised on that basis concern the level of social capital among the residents of Mehr Dwellings in Sanandaj based on the above indicators and the extent to which sociological and contextual factors have affected each dimension of social capital.Theoretical FrameworkThe theoretical framework of the current research is based on the theories available in the field of social capital and the studies conducted in Iran and around the world on the research title. The structure of social capital is investigated here based on the socio-cultural dimensions of the Mehr Dwellings project. Following the discussion, the conceptual model of the research, which involves the link between the research literature and the results, is formulated in the concluding section.MethodologyThe current research is a quantitative survey and therefore involves a method of data collection in which certain groups of people are asked to answer a certain number of specific questions, which are the same for all respondents. The research population includes all the households in the Mehr Dwellings in Sanandaj in 2019. According to the statistics published by Kurdistan Province Directorate-General for Roads and Urban Development, there are 38,000 Mehr Dwellings in the whole province, of which 13,606 have been built and submitted in Sanandaj, where a population of 43,091 people lives (Kurdistan Province Directorate-General for Roads and Urban Development, 2018). The statistical sample includes people over eighteen years of age residing in 7,600 Mehr Dwellings in Baharan Neighborhood in 2019. The sample size was specified through Cochran’s formula, based on which a size of 340 people was estimated; given the possibility of drop in the sample size, 10% was added to this number, and 374 people were finally selected to make up the study sample. The sampling methods included clustering according to Mehr Dwellings blocks and random selection of people over 18 years of age. In the selection of the samples, we tried to observe the age and sex combination as far as possible. The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire, the formal and content validity of which were evaluated by experts in the fields of urban development and sociology. Moreover, the validity of the questions was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient as 0.849, which indicates the appropriate reliability and validity. As a research measurement tool, the SPSS version 21 software was used to analyze the data in two sections: descriptive and inferential.Results and DiscussionThe findings of the research demonstrated that there are significant positive relationships between the social capital of residents of Mehr Dwellings and a number of the variables making up the level of apartment life standards, including the degree of neighborhood relations, the level of acquaintance with the social environment, satisfaction with the place of residence, access to facilities, and the quality of urban services and infrastructures, and the contextual variables of residence background, income, and marital status. The statistical results demonstrated that there is no significant relationship between the residents’ social capital and the variables of social relations and type of residence and contextual variables (age, gender, occupation, and academic degree). Apartment life standards and social capital among the residents of Baharan Mehr Dwellings will not change overnight, because the residents of these blocks are mainly immigrants from villages, unemployed people, female householders, urban subordinates in sociological terms. Corridors of social relations are limited, while there are stable conditions from another point of view. Although the residents’ harmony has undergone major changes during the past two years due to the high costs of housing, fundamental measures need to be taken by the institutions and trustees in the urban area. According to the results of the research, important actions to be taken in the current conditions include the participation of citizens in the affairs of the neighborhood, enhancement of the infrastructure and access networks, formation of civil institutions, and establishment of service and security institutions.ConclusionThe results of the multivariate regression analysis also indicate that the variables of apartment life standards, neighborhood relations, and level of acquaintance impact the social capital of the residents of Mehr Dwellings and explain 32% of the changes in the dependent variable.
Urban Design
Alimohamad Saadati; Fereshte Ahmadi; Ali Ghafari; Elham Nazemi
Abstract
Highlights:
Improvement of the quality of life in historical contexts
Presentation of a conceptual model of the role of urban spaces in public life
Without the interaction of the environment, community, and economy, the quality of life will not improve.
There are many physical-functional ...
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Highlights:
Improvement of the quality of life in historical contexts
Presentation of a conceptual model of the role of urban spaces in public life
Without the interaction of the environment, community, and economy, the quality of life will not improve.
There are many physical-functional and environmental qualities in urban public spaces that can guarantee the success of the field in satisfaction of residents and users of historic districts.
Introduction
In addition to performing all its standard functions in other urban areas, an urban space in a historic district should play its role at a higher multifaceted level matching the characteristics of a historic district with established identity. Accordingly, the present work aimed to discover how the components of an urban space, on the one hand, and the constituent elements of the flow of life in a historic district, on the other, are linked and interact so as to enable reasonable management of urban space potentials in a historic district and their proper application to enhance the quality of life for the residents and users.
Theoretical Framework
The model consisted of six components defining the following factors: the environmental component, with life quality in micro‑spaces and environmental sustainability as criteria; the empirical-aesthetic component, with old-new area integration and quality of urban landscape as criteria; the functional component, with variety in environment usage, environmental liveliness and quality, safety and security, and transportation and accessibility as criteria; the socio-cultural component, with social liveliness and cohesion and maintenance of population balance as criteria; the economic component, with economic liveliness and stability and flexibility of development plans as a criterion; and the temporal component, with time management in public spaces and continuity of place as criteria.
Generated based on the urban space components, the presented conceptual model offered a new approach to urban planning and management, and was concerned with all the urban regeneration measures adopted in historic districts. Functioning on local, regional, urban, and extramural scales, it can also assume applications in the quality assessment of measures adopted in public arenas within historic districts.
Methodology
The above strategy will in turn keep indigenous residents in historic contexts, have immigrants to those areas return, and bring about socio-economic and environmental sustainability. Employing logical reasoning, the Delphi method, and expert opinions, this descriptive-analytical study first discussed the urban space components and their qualitative requirements. Next, the dimensions and measures of the quality of urban life were analyzed, and their factors concerning the urban space and environmental quality and topics formed on urban design, planning, and management were identified based on the theoretical views found in the literature. In the next step, the factors extracted based on the characteristic features of historic districts were monitored and reviewed. The 91 factors obtained from the Delphi method were reduced to 64 after views and comments from about forty experts in the field were applied. Finally, the results were presented as a conceptual model describing the role of urban spaces on quality‑of‑life enhancement in historic urban districts.
Results and Discussion
According to the findings, there are many physical–functional and environmental qualities in public urban spaces that can guarantee the arena’s success in provision of the residents and users of historic districts with satisfaction. However, taking notice of economic activities and social mobility in these districts is fundamental to the effectiveness of a measure adopted for enhancement of the quality of life in public arenas within historic districts. Meanwhile, a rise in the sensitivity of local communities to the values of historic districts and the potentials of public arenas for enhancement of the quality of life therein encourages them to assume an active role in the application of these arenas and the local communities’ socio-economic potentials in enhancement of the quality of public arenas. This can also enable these communities to express problems and propose solutions; in some cases, it can even lead to innovative financing ideas for project implementation. In tandem with urban planning, it ensures the sustainability of public arenas in historic districts, and improves the quality of life for their residents and users. Therefore, the issues of socio-cultural livability and dynamic economy are the cornerstones of the formation of quality spaces within historic districts, and the quality of life will not improve regardless of the triad of the environment, society, and economy.
Conclusion
The presented conceptual model, based on the urban space components, offers a new approach to urban planning and management, and is concerned with all the urban regeneration measures adopted in historic districts. Functioning on local, regional, urban, and extramural scales, the model can also assume applications in the quality assessment of measures implemented in public arenas within historic districts. Here is a brief description of the intervention measures adopted for these districts and their regeneration process based on the proposed model.
The socio-cultural component. Contextualizing, contributing to/collaborating with, providing a process orientation for, innovating, and influencing the satisfaction of residents and users in public areas, utilizing the contribution/collaboration from the users of public arenas, delegating authority to non‑governmental organizations for utilization management, allowing for effective, constructive interaction among the organizations involved in the quality enhancement of historic districts and observing the pertinent legal frameworks, clarifying the procedures and promoting the accountability of officials, and respecting the cultural, social, and economic structures of life in the district.
The empirical-aesthetic component. Integrating old and new spaces within public arenas while respecting the features of their historic districts and taking notice of the mass and space simultaneously and avoiding shell designs.
The environmental component. Reducing environmental pollution and protecting energy resources and the natural heritage.
The functional component. Providing a favorable impact on space liveliness and enhancing social inclusion to be able to hold various events.
The economic component. Helping businesses flourish and promoting tourism.
The temporal component. Taking notice of nightlife, holding seasonal, monthly, and weekly events and recognizing the sense of place and making an effort to preserve it within the environment.
Urban Planning
majid rousta; mohamad Soleimani; mozafar sarafi; mojtaba rafiyan
Abstract
Highlights
- Improvement of residents’ quality of life
- Scale in urban regeneration programs and plans
- Unorganized, poor urban neighborhoods
- Statuses of urban regeneration projects in Iran and impact of project efficiency and residents’ quality of life
Introduction
One ...
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Highlights
- Improvement of residents’ quality of life
- Scale in urban regeneration programs and plans
- Unorganized, poor urban neighborhoods
- Statuses of urban regeneration projects in Iran and impact of project efficiency and residents’ quality of life
Introduction
One of the most important challenges in today’s metropolises is the existence of unhealthy, poor urban neighborhoods in the peripheries. A series of regeneration policies and plans have sought to meet such a challenge over the twentieth century to provide a better quality of life for residents of such impoverished urban spaces. Such measures have hardly been successful, however. This study has assumed that a major reason for such failures has been the lack of concern for scale in urban regeneration plans and schemes. Accordingly, two main questions have been raised here. The first pertains to the reason why the concept of scale should lie at the heart of an urban regeneration plan and to the way in which such a focus can improve plans and upgrade the quality of life in an urban residence. The second question concerns the status of urban regeneration based on the criteria and indicators considered in this study and the effects it can have on project efficiency and target residents’ quality of life.
Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework of this study has been set only to extract the indicators and criteria of the survey (questionnaire) and to measure the quality of life in the target samples. Therefore, the intellectual approaches of sustainable urban regeneration, right scale theory, expectation-efficiency model, sustainable place-making, and collision effectiveness theory have been considered in this research simply as theoretical approaches supporting the survey. However, the arguments made in these approaches and the set of controversies that can arise about each along with the relationships between them go far beyond the references cited in this article. After all, the main components of the questionnaire for assessment of the quality of life in the target samples include the theoretical approach of the right scale, providing the required coordination between the elements, the theoretical approach of collision effectiveness, providing effectiveness, the theoretical approach of sustainable place-making, affecting target residents’ quality of life, and the theoretical approach of expectation-efficiency, affecting satisfaction.
Methodology
The present applied research has been designed as a systematic logical plan seeking to maximize scientific validity in the definitions, criteria, indicators, procedures, and methods of data collection and analysis and in the information and extraction and inference of the findings. Two contextual methodologies have been adopted to analyze the concept of scale, along with a survey-data methodology used to measure the quality of life. The data and information sources include censuses and questionnaires, library documents, programs and designs, and techniques of analysis, including correlation and regression (used to measure the quality of life), and meta-analysis (used to identify the scale). A set of qualitative (subjective) and quantitative (objective) criteria has been extracted in accordance with the theoretical framework of the research. The indicators and variables extracted from theoretical approaches and global and Iranian experiences have finally been used to compile a questionnaire, the descriptive and inferential results of which have been presented in the next step of the research.
Results and Discussion
The results obtained for the first question of the research demonstrate that the approaches should be implemented as local small-scale regeneration projects operated in regional integration, unlike previous approaches, in which national (government) programs and projects have been implemented as large-scale renovation projects. In addition, the concept of scale is generally used today to refer to the spatial, temporal, quantitative, or analytical dimension. Scale is also a determining factor in pattern recognition, phenomenon explanation, result generation, and program and plan optimization for regeneration and achievement of satisfaction and efficiency.
The results obtained for the second research question indicate the significance of the correlations between the number, initial energy, and locations of urban regeneration projects in all the sample cities and their impacts on target residents’ quality of life. Given the importance of this relationship (correlation) and fulfillment of the requirements for presentation of the prediction model in this field, a multivariate regression model has been proposed. The obtained model indicates that the factors of projects, initial energy and orientation can predict how target urban residents’ quality of life is affected in the present study.
Conclusion
Finally, what distinguishes this research from similar studies in the literature is the distinct practical outputs that it has presented in the field of urban planning as well as the focus beyond the concept of scale in its traditional sense, which has disturbed its meaning. The research findings challenge the current attitudes of urban planners and designers towards sustainable urban regeneration policies, emphasizing the significance of holistic approaches in the definition of urban place-making projects. The need has been defined not only from a physical point of view, as in Makower (2014), in the recognition of the urban scale but also from a multidisciplinary perspective, with an emphasis on socio-economic and physical approaches in the three layers of project relationships, level, and size for improvement of citizens’ quality of life and realization of their satisfaction with life in places. It seems that expansion and enrichment of the findings of this research in the field of urban planning and design requires further research, refining, for example, the concept of scale at the place level and effective socio-cultural relationships on the place formation continuum and identifying the appropriate level and effective economic relationships on the continuum.
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 Architecture
Parisa Hashempour; ziba sami
Abstract
Housing is one of the most basic human needs. Failure in paying attention to multidimensional demands of human beings reduces the quality of life. Considering the various aspects of human needs, the study of environmental quality for the promotion of life has thus a profound impact on the livability ...
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Housing is one of the most basic human needs. Failure in paying attention to multidimensional demands of human beings reduces the quality of life. Considering the various aspects of human needs, the study of environmental quality for the promotion of life has thus a profound impact on the livability of residential complexes. The livability approach addresses the link between housing and human life and needs by paying attention to the quality of environment in residential complexes. A residential complex with the livability approach can be life-enhancing for human beings. Therefore, the attention to human behaviors and activities in different functional areas and the respect for environmental quality with such an approach in a stressful, difficult, boring and routine daily life multiplies the necessity of livability in residential spaces. Accordingly, when it comes to the place or architectural space, the term “livability” can be used as if it is supposed to encompass the factors for human life. Given the mutual effect of residential environment on the lives of residents, it is essential to determine the environmental quality which affects livability. This study aims to enhance the livability of residential complexes in terms of the effects of environmental quality. Three residential complexes – Aseman Tabriz, Shahid Chamran and Imam – which were constructed in different decades, were selected as case studies. This study is an applied research in terms of its objectives and employs a descriptive-analytical methodology. The data is collected through library and field research (observation, interview and questionnaire). The field data is obtained by distributing a questionnaire. The sample size was determined by the Cochran formula to be 300 people. The data is analyzed using the SPSS software. The SWOT matrix is also used to assess and analyze the samples. The components of livability are categorized into material and perceptual components by analyzing the levels of human life from the Islamic point of view. The results indicate that the environmental quality affects the livability of residential complexes in regard to the needs of human life. The environmental quality includes material (physical and environmental factors) and perceptual components (cultural, mental and social factors). The material components are the basic needs for living in a house and are necessary for human life, while the perceptual components are investigated in relation to meanings and human perception. Finally, it is found that mental factors have a greater impact on the livability of residential complexes. Given the investigations into the case studies (Aseman Tabriz, Shahid Chamran and Imam Residential Complexes) in terms of livability, the results suggest that failure to pay attention to material and perceptual components in residential spaces leads to the deterioration of residential complexes over time. Given the components of livability, Imam Residential Complex is vulnerable because of its failure in addressing some material and perceptual components. The livability of Chamran Complex is vulnerable due to the elimination of the role of perceptual components. Amongst the three case studies, Aseman Tabriz Complex has the components of livability. The livability of a complex can be observed through the presence within the space.
Urban Planning
negin mozafari; bita latifi; naser barakpour
Volume 5, Issue 17 , February 2016, , Pages 77-92
Abstract
Residential satisfaction has been a major and popular research topic for the following reasons. First, individual's evaluations of housing and neighborhoods determine the way they respond to residential environment and form the basis for public policy feedback. Second, residential satisfaction is recognized ...
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Residential satisfaction has been a major and popular research topic for the following reasons. First, individual's evaluations of housing and neighborhoods determine the way they respond to residential environment and form the basis for public policy feedback. Second, residential satisfaction is recognized as important components of an individual's quality of life. Furthermore, high satisfaction among residents encourages them to stay on and induces others to move in, and low satisfaction with the neighborhood environment urges current residents to move out.
On the other hand, although physical characteristics of housing units are known to be very effective in the residential satisfaction rating by many scholars, it should be noted that the dwelling unit itself is not the only factor of satisfaction but it is only a subsystem of the whole residential livability system. In this sense, humans interact with multiple components in their living environment, and continuously influence the environment and are affected by it. This interaction alters an individual’s feeling toward their residential environment. thus, this interaction can be examined in the form of a system that includes residential units, neighborhood and neighbors. In regards to neighborhood satisfaction, although some researches find that the physical characteristics are the most important factors and planners support the importance of physical characteristics, residents consider social factors more important in judging a neighborhood. The current study assesses the level of residential satisfaction in two neighborhoods of Tehran and compares them to create a basis for evaluating urban policies and decisions in recent years and shows the effectiveness of different factors on the satisfaction of residents of different neighborhoods by comparing them. For this purpose, the operating model to measure satisfaction was derived by examining studies of different researchers in the form of approaches (including the belief-affect approach, the commitment approach and the availability approach), factors (individual's characteristics, characteristics of residential environment, feeling and perception of residents etc.) and models (Amerigo model, comparing the level of satisfaction in culturally homogeneous and heterogeneous neighborhoods model etc.). In the proposed model, attention has been paid to all three levels of person, dwelling unit and residential environment and factors which affect satisfaction have been classified under five categories: objective criteria related to the individual, objective criteria related to the environment, objective criteria related to the dwelling unit, subjective criteria related to the individual and subjective criteria related to the environment through a survey questionnaire. Satisfaction levels of residents of neighborhood 1 (located in region three of Tehran municipality) and residents of neighborhood 2 (located in region 11 of Tehran municipality) were compared with each other. A total of 100 questionnaires were completed for each neighborhood. Findings of the study show that the highest and lowest satisfaction in neighborhood 1 were linked to the objective criteria related to the dwelling unit and objective criteria related to the environment and in neighborhood 2, to subjective criteria related to the environment and subjective criteria related to the individual. Overall satisfaction in neighborhood 1 (between moderate and satisfied) was higher than neighborhood 2 (between dissatisfied and moderate).
Urban Planning
r h; a m; F M
Volume 3, Issue 12 , November 2014, , Pages 33-46
Abstract
In recent decades the issues of urban quality of life and the promotion of citizens’ satisfaction in regards to their living environment have attracted the attention of many researchers and international organizations as high as the United Nation which releases an annual report entitled “Human ...
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In recent decades the issues of urban quality of life and the promotion of citizens’ satisfaction in regards to their living environment have attracted the attention of many researchers and international organizations as high as the United Nation which releases an annual report entitled “Human Report”. This report illustrates the differences between cities in terms of level of quality of life. Quality of life is measured by various factors and one of the most important measures of quality of life is physical security which if paid attention to reduces problems such as the devastating effects of natural disasters, lack of sense of relief in urban spaces and so forth. The aim of this study is to assess the quality of life based on standards of quality of life and quality of physical security in settlements. The standards of quality of life and physical security in both objective and subjective aspects in the ancient city of Urmia was evaluated and investigated as a case study. The method used in this paper is survey-analysis. The investigation was carried out using questionnaires, AHP (AHP) model and Fuzzy Techniques, linear regression and Pearson correlation analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. By using library resources and research undertaken on the subject, this research determined indicators of physical quality and security including access to housing facilities, infrastructure and home ownership conditions. In order to achieve the goal of study, the hypothesis “it seems that improvement in the quality of life and physical security in the old city of Urmia can result in the satisfaction of its citizens” was introduced. To analyze the data and verify the hypothesis, the indicator index was first calculated. In order to analyze the objective data, off-scaling phase was used and the degree of membership of variable indicators studied for each housing unit was obtained. Finally, by combining the coefficients of the variables and the degree of membership variables, objective life quality final score (a measure of security and physical quality) per dwelling unit was attained. In the next section, subjective survey data was examined. By combining the coefficients and parameters of the obtained scores of Likert scale questionnaire, subjective quality of life in the final score was calculated for each residential unit. To assess the relationship between physical quality and physical security with mental quality of life, the standards of security and physical quality as independent parameters was introduced. The combination of responses from citizens were introduced as dependent variables. By testing the hypothesis and obtaining a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.984 and coefficient of determination of 0.969 showed that there is a very strong correlation between urban life quality index and physical security in the old city of Urmia. The results show that satisfaction in access to services statistically has a significant positive effect on subjective quality of life and resident satisfaction from the variables of quality of life and physical security leads to greater increase in satisfaction of the subjective quality of life. These findings remind urban planners that physical parameters have a great role in increasing satisfaction of quality of life of citizens.
