Urban Planning
Farshad Noorian; seyed sajad abdullahpur Razkenari; reza ghazi
Abstract
Mashhad megalopolis has experienced a rapid and dispersed physical development over the past decades. It has also witnessed problems such as environmental degradation, lack of attention to traditional patterns of the main urban fabric, ignorance of urban identity, etc. Meanwhile, there are abundant internal ...
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Mashhad megalopolis has experienced a rapid and dispersed physical development over the past decades. It has also witnessed problems such as environmental degradation, lack of attention to traditional patterns of the main urban fabric, ignorance of urban identity, etc. Meanwhile, there are abundant internal capacities and potentials in the city such as worn-out, less developed and undeveloped lands (including empty, abandoned, desolate ones, etc.) in the form of single lot and extensive zones, which could serve as appropriate opportunities for development and growth within the borders of the city of Mashhad. Among the districts with a high potential for development from within is District 6 of Mashhad, which about 20% of its total area is gross urban lands (such as agricultural, barren and ruinous lands). According to the Mashhad Master Plan, most of the neighborhoods in District 6 are considered to be worn-out. However, in most cases, there is room for development within the city boundaries. One of the most appropriate options for development is utilizing the infill development approach. Infill development, i.e. development from within, or endogenous development is a sort of urban development which forms on desolate, abandoned and unused lands within the limits of existing urban fabric. One of the main factors supporting infill development is urban zoning. Zoning should support infill development programs. Among the methods used in urban zoning is transect zoning which is generally one of the tools for implementing smart codes of development. In the meantime, it is important to consider the factors which support infill development strategies and policies. Due to its nature, transect zoning is considered as one of the zoning methods which can support the infill development approach. Therefore, the following article aims to provide a discussion on transect zones and to prioritize infill development strategies in these zones in District 6 of Mashhad. The study method is analytical. Documentation, field observation and survey (which includes completing questionnaires by the experts) are used for collecting data. The final weight of each criterion was calculated using the AHP method in the Expert Choice. The transect zoning of the scope was proposed after overlapping thematic maps and adding weights related to the criteria to the maps using the WOI method. SWOT analysis was been used to provide strategies. Subsequently, based on experts’ opinions, the strategies were weighed and prioritized using the Friedman test in SPSS. According to the analysis carried out in the form of AHP method in the Expert Choice, the criteria of density (0.482), texture feature (0.219), accessibility (0.114), and distance from the land use (0.064) gained the most weight among the transect zoning criteria. The case study was classified into four T-zones (T1, T2, T3, T4) and two special zones (agricultural and power station zones). Also, the most important infill development strategies for T-zones of the city core were respectively identified to be restoring unused lands to the cycle of city activity (S4O3: 0.107), reduction of activity incompatibility (W3T3: 0.103) and strengthening public participation (W2T3: 0.1).
Urban Planning
fahimeh Namvar Haghighi Shirazi Fard; khalil Hajipour; Amir Hosein Shabani; mahmoud mohammadi
Abstract
Highlights
The existence of intermediary institutions between the local government and the people is a strategic factor in reconstruction of distressed areas.
In the implementation of land readjustment, legal regulations and definition of the executive framework play a key role.
Landowners’ ...
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Highlights
The existence of intermediary institutions between the local government and the people is a strategic factor in reconstruction of distressed areas.
In the implementation of land readjustment, legal regulations and definition of the executive framework play a key role.
Landowners’ desire to participate is the most important factor in the implementation of land readjustment in distressed areas.
Introduction
In recent decades, the increasing growth of cities has transformed agricultural lands and increased the costs of urban services, leading to urban expansion. Moreover, the cities are faced with problems such as the deterioration of urban neighborhoods and suburbs due to people’s lack of willingness to live in these neighborhoods, decline in investment in old neighborhoods, reduction of capacity, and decline in the quality of life. With 1,700 hectares of distressed areas, the city of Shiraz, Iran is no exception, and suffers the same problem. It is possible to solve such issues through urban growth management policies. One of these policies is Land Readjustment (LR). It is necessary to identify and classify the legal, institutional, economic, social, and local factors influencing land readjustment in order to provide effective, sufficient urban generation. Thus, this study aimed to identify the key factors influencing the land readjustment process in distressed areas and to examine the cause-and-effect relations through Interpretative Structural Model in order to identify the most important variables in the implementation process. This could be a guide for urban management to achieve infill development by stimulating and implementing the most important variables and, consequently, increasing the possibility of the entire land readjustment project.
Theoretical Framework
Land readjustment is a technique used for management of urban development, according to which a number of irregular plots of land are divided into more regular plots after consolidation with proper planning, and sections including ones used for provision of public services are also divided between the original owners for construction purposes. In this method, the lines of ownership are changed for consolidation, division, and replacement of land areas for the purpose of creation or improvement of urban facilities and public services. Rather than forced to provide the required land, the owners are invited to negotiations for consolidation of their lands to provide land for services.
Methodology
The present research could be categorized as an applied descriptive-analytical study. Due to the complexity of the relationships, the MicMac software was used to analyze the driving and dependent forces. In this method, the factors are placed in an n * n matrix and filled with numbers 0, 1, 2, and 3 based on expert opinions, and are considered as the basis for further analysis. For this purpose, indicators were extracted from the theoretical framework of the research as a 22 * 22 matrix and provided to seventeen urban experts in Shiraz as a two-stage Delphi questionnaire.
Results and Discussion
In the case of unwillingness to participate, two variables were considered as increasing system risk: definition of the laws concerning the residents and owners’ protests pertaining to the urban design before, during, and after its implementation and enactment of the laws concerning the payment of the probable indemnity to the residents. This was because any legislation could be an obstacle in the system, decreasing the owners’ and residents’ partnership tendency, without fair consideration of their interests.
The major organizational-institutional variables played an important role in the implementation of land readjustment, and influenced the other variables. These included partnership of the local government through intermediary and facilitating institutions, law-abiding local governments, and concern for individual and social justice. This is because these variables actually link the social variables to the executable ones, and function as an interface to provide a framework for correct implementation to meet people’s needs.
Furthermore, partnership of the local government through intermediary and facilitating institutions is one of the most effective, most impressive variables, which plays a key, strategic role.
Conclusion
The findings reveal that the key to implementation of land readjustment in distressed areas and to solve their problems is to create an intermediary institution to listen to the people’s demands and opinions. Other strategic variables involved in land readjustment in distressed areas include concern for individual and social justice in the local government, strategic perspective and flexibility of the local government, definition of the tangible, approachable objectives, and appropriate assessment of land price before and after the execution.
Therefore, it is necessary to constantly examine the variables during both design and implementation of land readjustment in a distressed area. All these variables are either directly related to or applied by the local government, indicating the importance of city authorities’ policy-making and employment of experienced workforce.
It is also important for the basic requirements according to the existing facts to select appropriate sites and set tangible goals, because the process would stop as a result of a lack of concern for the facts.
Urban Planning
a a; a t; a z
Volume 4, Issue 16 , November 2015, , Pages 67-80
Urban Planning
Mohammad Reza Zamiri; Mahsa Zamiri; Mahin Nastaran
Volume 5, Issue 17 , February 2016, , Pages 67-76
Abstract
Introduction
Appropriate shelter and affordable housing as an essential and vital human need and as one of the main and important elements in forming and physically developing cities have become the most important subject in spatial development and planning in contemporary urban areas. Housing, which ...
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Introduction
Appropriate shelter and affordable housing as an essential and vital human need and as one of the main and important elements in forming and physically developing cities have become the most important subject in spatial development and planning in contemporary urban areas. Housing, which by definition means a set of houses, streets and related facilities, is the most important component of a city and its development affects environment, economy, culture and social issues in an urban area. There are many indicators and criteria to evaluate housing conditions such as building quality (i.e. materials), property types, age, and density and so on. Nowadays the importance of spatial approach for studying urban aspects has become increasingly evident. Therefore, quantitative methods should be introduced and used to evaluate development trends in such spatial approach. Studying spatial aspects of urban housing development and analyzing distribution of its features does not have a long history in Iran.
Materials and Methods
In this research, as an applied research, descriptive and analytical methods were used. Thus, the required data was collected from statistical almanacs and results of a recent comprehensive census in 2011 and construction licenses which were authorized by the Bojnord municipality council during the 2004-2014 period. The general trend of spatial development of urban housing was studied and evaluated using quantitative methods such as Shanon's Entropy and Moran's Global Coefficient. The area of the city was divided into 26 subdivisions according to the approved detailed plan (2004). Then, spatial distribution of three main types of housing (one and two-store buildings, three and four-store buildings and more than four-store buildings) was derived through collected data and entered into a GIS database to apply the models. In addition, correlation analysis was used to clarify parameters which influence spatial changes in housing distribution in Bojnord.
Results and Discussion
This research is one of the first experiences in spatial analysis of distribution of housing properties at city level using quantitative methods. Bojnord is located in North-East Iran and is on average 1,070 meters above sea level and has a population of over 200,000 inhabitants. Current center of the city was formed during the Qajar dynasty, 350 years ago. Since upgrading to the center of North Khorasan province, Bojnord has experienced a rapid and sudden growth in physical, economic and social aspects and as a result in urban housing. Studying quality and process of urban housing growth and development in Bojnord during the aforementioned period using a spatial approach is the main goal of this research. After establishment of the new province, Bojnord has evolved in terms of shape and type of housing development trends. Except for the center of the city and margin areas (which are considered as informal settlements), it seems the trend of housing development in Bojnord aims toward more centralization and density. Such changes might be observed in emerging residential complexes and growing number of apartments in the city which can also be considered as evolving lifestyle in Bojnord.
Conclusion
Based on the results, increasing construction and housing development causes a more centralized pattern in urban housing. Such trend was caused by national elements such as inflation or deflation rather than local parameters such as population and land prices. On the other hand, it may be concluded that urban sprawl has not occurred in Bojnord in this period of time. In conclusion, all kinds of housing planning at all levels (national, regional or urban planning) should take spatial approach instead of leaning on merely physical aspects, and cannot be implemented and evaluated based only on internal factors and parameters.
Urban Design
yaser shahbazi; Azita Balali Oskui; elham shahabi
Abstract
Flexibility index was added in the functional dimension as an effective factor for realizing the origin of desirability and promoting the creation of territorial perception. Flexibility refers to flexible furniture design and the flexible use of space in the form of both socialization and desocialization. ...
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Flexibility index was added in the functional dimension as an effective factor for realizing the origin of desirability and promoting the creation of territorial perception. Flexibility refers to flexible furniture design and the flexible use of space in the form of both socialization and desocialization. Culture is one of the most influential factors in determining territories, and differences in cultures demand the diversity and flexibility of territories. For example, within the scope of A and C, geometry provides flexibility in socialization and desocialization space. Face-to-face communication is possible in social organizations, and the distance between sitting spaces is within socio-advisory intervals. Organizing desocialization brings about social interaction. These practices should also be used in the design of public spaces. In public or semi-public places, spaces are sometimes considered as community-friendly places for people’s visits and sometimes as vacant spaces. According to John Lang, it should not be assumed that face-to-face relationship reduces the presence of people in social spaces. For such behaviors, there should be a previous inclination, and the territory should be in places acceptable to the people. Urban spaces should emphasize human pauses and must include factors such as good artistic design, proper spatial structure, hierarchy, physical comfort, flexibility of security, readability, engagement and popular participation, identity and cultural values for the realization of a universally desirable place.The Tabi’at Bridge, as the largest pedestrian overpass built in Tehran, Iran, was selected as the case study in this research to evaluate the desirable territory in public urban spaces. The 270-metre bridge connects two public parks – Taleghani Park and Abo-Atash Park – by spanning Modarres Expressway, one of the main highways in northern Tehran. The word tabi’at means “nature” in Persian. Construction of the bridge over a large highway was described as a big challenge, with platforms and temporary tunnels built to ensure that nothing fell onto the road below. The results of data analysis showed that providing security, particularly in the form of social monitoring and territory control is important for women. They also ask for the tangibility of territorial boundaries with men and the proper definition of the territories through design factors. Women also want more flexible spaces than men. Men demand wider and more arrogant walkways than women in the territories. Although the slogan of the project was “Nature Bridge is a place to stay” (Diba Project Designer, 2014), 33% of the desirable spaces identified in this study were deprived of the first means of establishing a territorial position in design process (A, D, I). Also, 53% of the spaces designated for pause lack a proper quality and only reduce the physical fatigue resulting from human factors such as age. This is while the precondition of a pause space is a territorial space. This highlights the importance of low-priority issues such as providing spatial indicators of territory which are absent even in well-designed architectural and urban plans.
Urban Planning
Abstract
National population aging is one of the issues that has been taken into consideration in recent years. In this regard, the United Nations also called 1999 the International Year of Older Persons (IYOP). The population aging rate is now higher in the developed countries, but this does not mean that the ...
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National population aging is one of the issues that has been taken into consideration in recent years. In this regard, the United Nations also called 1999 the International Year of Older Persons (IYOP). The population aging rate is now higher in the developed countries, but this does not mean that the developing countries do not face this issue. Because of the change in the population pattern in the coming years, there is a potential for population aging in developing countries such as Iran. Despite being one of the very young countries in the world with more than 50% of its population being under twenty years old, Iran will experience a transition phase in the age structure of the population from youth to aged people due to the current population control policies, the promotion of nutrition and health quality and an increase in the life expectancy. In this regard, the head of the Welfare Organization considers the issues regarding the elderly to be very critical and believes that “If you are not already thinking about these issues and the costs involved, in the years to come, even the entire country’s budget will not be enough for the elderly.” Ignoring the situation of the elderly in urban planning is a shortcoming. Therefore, it is imperative that national laws and regulations be established for this purpose. The research method is descriptive-analytical with an applied purpose. In the present research, documentary studies were used to select the indices and theoretical bases. The selected indicators are derived from Zarghani’s study (2015), which is in accordance with WHO criteria. In this research, four major social (10 items), cultural and recreational (10 items), health (7 items) and communication indices (8 items) in the city of Bokan were examined using the Likert scale (complete disagreement to full agreement). The study population consisted of 100 citizens over 40 years of age in Bokan. A 35-item questionnaire was distributed among 154 people over 40 years of age in Bokan, and 100 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Data was analyzed in SPSS. T-test was used to compare the mean values. Findings show that the average value of all the considered criteria (social, communicative, cultural-recreational and health-care) is lower than the standard. That is, they do not even meet the basic needs of the elderly, which is indicative of a great failure in the related services. Also, the research findings indicate that the status of some of the studied indicators is worse, such as lack of job opportunities for the elderly, lack of suitable space for communication with educational centers (e.g. computers, the Internet, etc.), absence of signs for facilities and services in the elderlies’ homes, the impossibility of free membership of the elderly in all governmental and nongovernmental libraries, absence of shopping malls for the purchase of the elderly, lack of proper physical design of the buildings of physicians, clinics, offices, etc. for the use of the elderly and non-provision of the necessary education to families in the field of self-care and the elderly. The older people in Bokan are mostly disappointed with the above indices. Therefore, future planning must prioritize the welfare of the elderly.
Urban Design
Volume 1, Issue 4 , March 2012, , Pages 69-80
Abstract
Collective memory is the common memory of individuals, as members of a group, of the experienced events in a social and spatial framework. Collective memory brings about the place identity by creating meanings in a space. This place identity can end up with promoting personal identity; therefore, disregarding ...
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Collective memory is the common memory of individuals, as members of a group, of the experienced events in a social and spatial framework. Collective memory brings about the place identity by creating meanings in a space. This place identity can end up with promoting personal identity; therefore, disregarding the collective memories of a city leads to huge expenses as identity crises. Thus, this research is carried out to identify the key factors on promoting collective memory in Tehran’s squares. In this regard, the research begins with giving an account of ‘collective memory’ and its relationship to place and square through the study of valid documents with the emphasis on Murice Halbwachs’s theory of the collective memory. Afterwards, the preliminary effective factors, derived from the documents studied were identified in both Tajrish and Baharestan squares by means of observation and documents study. In order to test the proposed model of factors, collective memories of visitors of Tajrish and Baharestan square were asked by semi-structured interview. Then, the key factors affecting the formation and promotion of collective memories of citizens were extracted through the combined content analysis (qualitative and quantitative) of interviews. Finally, the significance of the extracted factors was determined by comparative analysis. Based on the outcomes of the study of documents, these factors were fallen into two main categories: spatial factors and characteristical factors. While the result of the study of documents led to the identification of collectivity, tranquility, singularity, flexibility, insideness and outsideness, integrity, continuity, orientation, identification, and transparency, the consequence of both content and comparative analysis added “escape” to the mentioned factors. These factors affect the collective memory in three different ways. The first group of factors will end up with the formation of collective memory, while the second group influences the image of that memory and the last group brings about the continuity of memory. In addition, content and comparative analysis laid great emphasis on characteristical factors in formation and promotion of collective memory in both Tajrish and Baharestan squares.
Urban Planning
j m; m h
Volume 3, Issue 9 , February 2014, , Pages 69-80
Abstract
Land is the most crucial factor for physical growth and development of cities.Currently, land management has become one of the most important concerns and subjectsunder discussion for local governments.Moreover, growth and scattered development of cities has led to the destruction of the environment ...
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Land is the most crucial factor for physical growth and development of cities.Currently, land management has become one of the most important concerns and subjectsunder discussion for local governments.Moreover, growth and scattered development of cities has led to the destruction of the environment and natural resources of the suburbs. It is well known that urban sprawl is manifestwhen the growth of population is less than the growth in physical development.In fact, the main factor in urban sprawl development is population growth in addition to the demand for land for the purpose of housing, buildings, public land-use and their facilities. Meanwhile, as a result ofinappropriate andhastydecisions, land capacity in and on the outskirts of cities for developmentorre-development, have been ignoredby city managers. Today, interior and infill development is an important issue in new urbanism. Infill development emphasizes the development of brown and gray lands, reformation, renovation and reconstruction of existing textures.Accordingly, in the past four decades, Gorgan city has rapidly expanded within the city and on its outskirts from 997 hectares in 1974 to 3560 hectares in 2004; this has caused the destruction of natural environment of the area. Therefore, the purpose of this studyis the discernment and identification of suitable landinGorgan city for infill and re-development. Thisis an applied research and the method used is descriptive-analytical. For this purpose, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) as a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) model was used for ranking, weighting and determination of the consistency ratio of the criteria. In addition, geographic information system (GIS), as a powerful instrumentation in environmentalplanning and management, was used for processing and overlaying of layers. Duration this process, 14 effective criteria and indexes including topography, slope, aspect of slope, landslide,fault vicinity, river limits, urbanland-use, size of parcels, floors of buildings, density of residential unit, zoning, density of population, price of lands and old texturewas identified, prepared and used in the form of environmental, physical and social indexes. Initially,criteriaandsub criteria(layers) was prepared by the formation ofa matrixusing hierarchical analysis, weighting andranking. Then, criteria and sub criteria (layers) was presented, geo-referenced, digitized, updated, standardized, edited, overlaid, processed, converted to raster and vector using geographic information system.Hence, the prepared layers (criteria and sub-criteria) with the extension of spatial analysis and raster calculator operator were overlapped ArcGIS software. Eventually, a final map of weightedcriteria and sub criteria (layers)was provided usingmathematical operation and weighted overlapping in ArcGIS software to identify suitable and compatible lands for interior and infill development of Gorgan city in response to the demandsof its citizens for buildings and housing. The final map suggests that the most suitable and compatible lands for infill and redevelopment are located in the north and north-eastern parts of the city; and the least suitable and compatible lands are situated south and south-western areas of the city and along river limits. Furthermore, it was determined that 51 percent ofinterior lands are completely compatible, 14.5 percent are compatible and 16.2 percent are relatively compatible, 12.2 percent are incompatible and 6 percent are totally incompatible for infill and redevelopmentin Gorgan city.
Urban Design
masoumeh ayashm; morteza mirgholami
Volume 5, Issue 19 , August 2016, , Pages 69-80
Abstract
Abstract
The concepts of place and sense of place have attracted many contemporary researchers in the field of urban design and planning. In the past, cities had a higher ability to establish connection between humans and space. Today, however, cities consist of many spaces without identity and meaning ...
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Abstract
The concepts of place and sense of place have attracted many contemporary researchers in the field of urban design and planning. In the past, cities had a higher ability to establish connection between humans and space. Today, however, cities consist of many spaces without identity and meaning which are produced through a process of homogenization emerging from capitalist urbanization. The production of non-places and identical spaces has marginalized the identity of local places and cultures. By using inconsistent pattern with the site context, only human's temporary needs will be resolved and regardless of place concept and a sense of place, urban spaces are formed in cities. Promotion of placelessness is the only feature of this kind of urban spaces making.
This research, by studying the fundamentals of place and the sense of place, examines the question of whether an integrated urban street has a unique sense of place in all its small parts such as its sequences. Through a critical review of different place features and models for evaluation of sense of place, a new model was synthesized. This model was then been used to analyze a case study in Urmia city (different sections of Imam Khomeini Street). Division of Emam Khomeini Street to different parts are based on people’s mental images and perception of this street. Three methods were used for analyzing this urban space. In the first method, according to the writer's field observation and final model ( presented in this study), Emam Khomeini street was analyzed. In the second method, results of the questionnaire based on some spatial words that describe the quality of urban spaces were presented. In the third method, parts of Emam Khomeini Street were analyzed using land use maps and land use distribution patterns. According to the findings, different parts of Imam Khomeini Street have different identities and thus create different senses of places. in addition, the amount of land use vitality in these parts of Emam Khomeini Street supported this fact.based on the results of this study, the amount of contribution of each parts are determined according to four factors (perceptual, physical, social and functional) presented in the model. Using this item can identify which aspect needs to be upgraded or modified in each section. In other words, the overall framework for improving urban spaces is clarified. In the third sequence, perceptual, physical and social factors and in first sequence, functional factor should be modified, and these amendments can improve spatial integration.
The research method used was descriptive-analytical using various methods such as library study, documentation and presence in the environment and questionnaire for data collection (field observations and questionnaire design and interviewing). The results of the study confirm the hypothesis that different sections of Emam Khomeini Axis have different impacts on people’s sense of place and meanings of the street.
Regional Planning
Alireza Mohammadi; Ata Ghafari Gilandeh
Volume 6, Issue 23 , August 2017, , Pages 69-86
Abstract
Objectives: Urban and regional development in developing countries depends largely on the desirable use of the industrial sector. Meanwhile, small and medium-sized industries play a very important role. These industries often form industry clusters because of the economy of scale. In a developing country ...
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Objectives: Urban and regional development in developing countries depends largely on the desirable use of the industrial sector. Meanwhile, small and medium-sized industries play a very important role. These industries often form industry clusters because of the economy of scale. In a developing country like Iran, most industry clusters are scattered in regional spaces in an unplanned manner because of the spatial-regional planning weaknesses. This issue results in the formation and aggravation of regional development instability. A proper use of the advantages of industry clusters requires their accurate locating in regional levels. It is necessary to use appropriate methods to locate proper industry clusters. This study seeks to find an answer to the question of which area of Ardabil province is suitable to locate industry clusters. The main goal of this study is to identify appropriate areas for the settlement of industry clusters in Ardabil province. In this context, based on the potential of wood industry clusters, these clusters are selected as sample. There are 20 indexes in the form of VIKTOR decision making criteria in GIS environment. Arc GIS10.3 and IDRISI SELVA software are used for data analysis and output capture. The findings of this study indicate that immediate areas to urban settlements of the province are the most appropriate areas to launch wood industry clusters because of the geographical advantages. Finally, based on the results, some suggestions are presented for space planning in the development of industry clusters in the studied area.
Findings: From the last output of the VIKTOR locating model we found that: A) Urban population centers, especially the cities, access to fundamental sources, direction of the wind and distance from faults, soil slope (topography), land use and basic infrastructures will play an important role in the establishment of new industry clusters. B) Cities play a very important role in locating industry clusters because they contribute to economic and environmental conditions, including labor force, infrastructure and consumer markets. C) The central parts of Ardabil province have the most suitable areas to locate industry clusters.
Results: The results of this study showed that the suburbs of urban settlements are appropriate to locate and develop wood industry clusters. The economy of scale, accessibility of infrastructures of transportation, natural conditions and environmental requirements, centralization of population and human forces are the most important indicators in locating these industries. The following suggestions are made based on the findings of the study:
1) Provincial development plans should not be only regional. Spatial planning is needed for the development of industry.
2) These plans are not only specific to the industrial sector, it is also necessary to consider regional potential (vegetation, population, infrastructures) in the development of new industry clusters.
3) Regarding the environmental components (water, soil, trees, etc.), it is necessary to pay serious attention to the permanent regional development and the requirements of the future generations in locating industry clusters.
4) Considering the proportion of selected areas to locate industry clusters, it is needed to concentrate on these areas – resulted from the combination of different criteria – in the industrial sector development.
5) It is suggested that industry managers and policy makers of the province and region avoid intolerances and turn to interdisciplinary collaboration to conduct more comprehensive studies through spatial planning.
It is necessary to follow the basics of spatial planning, especially in the industrial sector of the studied province, to achieve proper regional development.
Urban Design
Abstract
Urban design involves the arrangement and design of buildings, public spaces, transport systems, services, and amenities. It is the process of giving form, shape, and character to groups of buildings, neighborhoods, and the city in whole. Urban design is about making connections between people and ...
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Urban design involves the arrangement and design of buildings, public spaces, transport systems, services, and amenities. It is the process of giving form, shape, and character to groups of buildings, neighborhoods, and the city in whole. Urban design is about making connections between people and places, movement and urban form, nature and the built fabric. It draws together the many strands of place-making, environmental stewardship, social equity and economic viability to create places with distinct beauty and identity. On the other hand, implementation tools offer different mechanisms for the delivery of quality urban design outcomes, and are used by a range of professionals to manage, motivate and organize urban design projects. While being disparate, these tools focus on the means of building quality urban design projects. Implementation can therefore be considered throughout all stages of an urban design project. A number of these tools focus on discussing and resolving design issues before the execution of a project. They can help clear roadblocks in the design process, provide collaborative management structures, and develop creative design solutions. Also, project implementation (or project execution) is the phase where visions and plans become reality. This is the logical conclusion after evaluating, deciding, visioning, planning, applying for funds and finding the financial resources of a project. After careful planning of the project, one will be ready to start the project implementation phase, the third phase in the project management life cycle. The implementation phase involves putting the project plan into action. It is here that the project manager will coordinate and direct project resources to meet the objectives of the project plan. As the project unfolds, it is the project manager’s job to direct and manage each activity, every step of the way. That is what happens in the implementation phase of the project life cycle: you follow the plan you have put together and handle any problems that comes up. The implementation phase is where you and your project team actually do the project work to produce the deliverables. The word “deliverable” means anything your project delivers. The deliverables for your project include all the products or services that you and your team are producing/performing for the client, customer, or sponsor, including all the project management documents that you put together. Along with the rapid growth of urbanization and the formation of urban development plans, urban design experts try to improve the quality of the environment. However, the field of urban design is a young and emerging field in the world, especially in Iran where it is considered as a fledgling discipline. The findings show that, in the current situation of Iran, the power-related criteria (political, administrative, economic and knowledge) attract the highest attention and the criteria related to dialogue, participation and interaction (public participation, legal interaction) are with the lowest levels of attention. An interactive model based on a reasonable balance between top-down and bottom-up approaches, drawing from Foucault’s theory of power and Habermas’s theory of communicative action, is suggested to better realize urban design projects in Iran.
Urban Management
Daryoush Ardalan; zohreh davoudpour; Keramatollah Ziari
Abstract
The high rates of financial and human loss in natural disasters (particularly in recent decades) have led various countries and organizations to seek effective theories in that regard. Since 2005 (the Hugo Summit), the issue of resilience has been pursued seriously, addressing the idea of empowering ...
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The high rates of financial and human loss in natural disasters (particularly in recent decades) have led various countries and organizations to seek effective theories in that regard. Since 2005 (the Hugo Summit), the issue of resilience has been pursued seriously, addressing the idea of empowering cities to perform better in the event of an accident. Iran is a country where a large number of natural disasters occur, and the city of Qazvin is at constant risk of severe earthquakes, as indicated by research, due to the crossing of dangerous pressure faults in its northern part. In Iran, particularly in Qazvin, urban management has delegated responsibility for addressing disasters to a "crisis management headquarters." Given that the structure of the headquarters in Qazvin is similar to those of similar entities in cities with unsuccessful backgrounds of performance in addressing earthquakes in recent years, the main issue in this regard is how to change the structure of the headquarters so that it can perform more favorably upon earthquakes. This descriptive-analytical research considered the proposed headquarters structures and models as described in the UN documentations and those of countries having addressed such events successfully. Moreover, the variables and indicators examined in investigation of institutional resilience were identified. Qazvin’s crisis management headquarters was regarded as a dependent variable influenced by a number of independent variables, and its success depended on the conditions of those variables. In the analysis of the findings, the required factors were first identified according to the conditions of Qazvin through assessment of the variables and indicators using CVR (the content validity ratio). A survey was conducted of 30 urban planning experts, in which a total of 9 variables and 9 indicators were selected to obtain institutional resilience. A questionnaire was then prepared in the format of the Likert scale, where the questions were based on the tasks specified by the law for the different working groups at the headquarters and categorized on that basis, with the variable and the target index for each question specified. After a survey of 110 urban planning experts, the data were analyzed using SPSS. Using a Student’s t-test, the variables were assessed with different indicators for the headquarters under investigation. The results indicated a lack of concern for the 9 effective variables. Furthermore, a comparison of the structure of the headquarters to the models in use around the world demonstrated that it consisted of only two parts, including operating and administrative forces, unlike the successful models, which are composed of four main parts. It was also found that the above two departments of course need organizational reform. Thus, the headquarters needed to consider three measures to achieve institutional resilience. Firstly, the structure needed to be reformed to address the existing drawbacks. Secondly, the attitudes toward management needed to be changed from government to governance. Thirdly, equipment with new hardware and software technologies was needed for preparedness and prevention. The required measures in the above three areas should be taken simultaneously to exhibit the necessary effectiveness.
Urban Sustainability
karen fatahi; nazanin nasrullahi; maryam ansarimanesh; jamal khodakarami; ali emranipour
Abstract
Highlights- Regular outdoor geometry directly affects the feeling of security, satisfaction with the texture and buildings surrounding the outdoor space and thermal comfort.- Regular outdoor geometry indirectly affects the satisfaction of outdoor shape and geometry and thermal compatibility.- The type ...
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Highlights- Regular outdoor geometry directly affects the feeling of security, satisfaction with the texture and buildings surrounding the outdoor space and thermal comfort.- Regular outdoor geometry indirectly affects the satisfaction of outdoor shape and geometry and thermal compatibility.- The type of open space of the central courtyard directly affects the satisfaction of the texture and buildings around the outdoor space, satisfaction of the shape and geometry of the outdoor space, thermal compatibility, sense of security and thermal comfort. IntroductionThe availability of open spaces among buildings plays a vital role in residents’ social interactions, attendance, and security. Maintenance of the right geometrics, location, and proportionality of the surrounding environment has astounding impacts on the creation of attractive outdoor spaces for people. Neglection of the proportionality between the scale of space and surrounding buildings can lead to negative impacts on people’s perceptions and feelings of their surrounding environments. Therefore, assessment (in terms of shape and geometry) of the open spaces within the historic area of the city of Kashan, Iran can affect thermal conditions and provide senses of security and satisfaction with the environmental qualities and attributes. An evaluation was made beginning in September 2018 and lasting 18 days. 17 high-traffic spots and landmarks located in the historic area were chosen and categorized in two separate groups. These included public areas and pedestrian lanes and courtyards in the respective geometrics. The purpose was to investigate whether or not there existed a direct or indirect relationship between the specified factors and thermal comfort.Theoretical FrameworkThe lack of usable open spaces in cities and metropolitan areas has led to numerous issues arising at crisis times, as it disrupts the required balance between the densely packed areas of buildings and the open spaces available in cities. Enhancement of environmental quality and thermal comfort at these spaces can lead to people’s attendance and satisfaction. Security is the capability of the society of lying in a state that maintains its present conditions, identity, benefits, and basic characteristics in confrontation with evolved conditions and threats and the capability of improving the social conditions in accordance with the values and ideals of the society. Factors directly impacting the degree an extent of thermal comfort include the physical characteristics of the environment such as the geometrics and shapes of buildings, the heights of the building surrounding the open space, the amount and type of vegetation, the orientations and locations of buildings with respect to the open space, the availability of semi-open spaces, and the amount of shading.MethodologyAfter library studies were conducted along with field studies enabling physical evaluation of the areas (viewing and recording site information) at the same time as 788 residents and tourists responded to questionnaires (thermal and environmental conditions), the climatic parameters (temperature, humidity, air flow rate, CO, and CO2) were recorded. Then, the rates of clothing and metabolisms of the individuals were calculated using software called Deltalog10. The resulting information was collected and subjected to another analysis, this time using SPSS24, and the thermal comfort range of the respondents was then specified with software called Ray Man. Next, the direct and indirect relationships between the variables were assessed using the structural equation model based on the Maximum Likelihood method in Amos.Results and DiscussionThe findings demonstrated that the outdoor shape and geometry of an open space as well as its type can affect thermal comfort, thermal compatibility, satisfaction with outdoor shape and geometry, satisfaction with the fabric and surrounding buildings, and people’s sense of security in open spaces. Thermal compatibility was greater at outdoor courtyards than at urban passage open spaces. The results indicated that people were more satisfied with the shapes and geometrics of outdoor courtyards than those of public roads. Moreover, satisfaction with outdoor shape and geometry developed thermal comfort in people. There was a greater sense of outdoor security at courtyards than at outdoor public passages, making people more thermally adaptable at open spaces.ConclusionThe results indicated that the respondents had reached thermal comfort in a temperature range of 20.5 to 34.78°C (PET). Furthermore, organized outdoor geometry had direct impacts on the sense of security, with a coefficient of 0.15, on satisfaction with the fabric and buildings surrounding the open space, with a coefficient of -0.98, and on overall thermal comfort, with a coefficient of -0.8. It also exhibited indirect positive significant impacts on satisfaction with the shape and geometry of the open space and on thermal adaptability. Furthermore, the variable of the type of open space of the central courtyard had direct impacts with the highest coefficients on satisfaction with the compositional fabrics and buildings surrounding the open space, with a coefficient of 1.49, on satisfaction with the shape and geometry of the open space, with a coefficient of 0.97, on overall thermal adaptability, with a coefficient of 0.74, on the sense of security, with a coefficient of -0.23, and on overall thermal comfort, with a coefficient of -0.38. The interesting point to be noted in the analysis and interpretation of the model path concerned the key role played by the security variable as a factor effective in the occurrence of indirect relationships between variables.
Slum Settlements
Mojtaba Arasteh; mohammad hosein pour hasan zadeh; Maryam Baghaei
Abstract
Highlights- COVID-19 has revealed gaps in health management along with a high rate of infectious diseases in informal settlements.- We focused on three components and eight indicators of resilience to evaluate the performance of NGOs in the control of the COVID-19 outbreak.- The vulnerability of informal ...
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Highlights- COVID-19 has revealed gaps in health management along with a high rate of infectious diseases in informal settlements.- We focused on three components and eight indicators of resilience to evaluate the performance of NGOs in the control of the COVID-19 outbreak.- The vulnerability of informal settlements in the city of Urmia, Iran to COVID-19 was based mainly on economic-livelihood components. IntroductionIn recent years, the global crisis of the coronavirus pandemic has placed cities and urban management in difficult conditions. Plenty of evidence and research emphasizes that the pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 was severer in informal settlements due to the low quantitative and qualitative characteristics of these areas. These settlements are always encountered with many problems such as poverty and unemployment, lack of security and various social damages, socio-economic injustice, health-environmental problems, and lack of concern from the municipality. Furthermore, people living in these settlements face greater risks due to the high population density, improper waste management and low-quality drainage systems, and very poor health conditions and high rates of transmission of infectious diseases. In recent years, therefore, it has turned into one of the most important challenges for urban managers in these areas to examine the ways to address and control the spread of this pandemic disease and increase the resilience of informal settlements against it. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the promotion of the resilience of informal settlements in Urmia against the COVID-19 pandemic.Theoretical frameworkPlenty of research investigates various indicators of resilience. This research is focused mainly on the explanation of the components and indicators of social resilience. Based on the theoretical framework, the three main components of social resilience include the socio-cultural, socio-economic, and environmental-physical components. In the following, the effective indicators for promotion of societal resilience in informal settlements are explained.Elimination of the panic caused by problems. When a crisis occurs, residents of an informal settlement should not feel that they are alone, and it is necessary for government institutions and NGOs to support them.Increase in the level of knowledge. Through a rise in the level of knowledge and information of the residents of informal settlements, appropriate conditions can be provided to control crises and increase their resilience.Provision of education to everyone. In many cases, the conditions required for facing a crisis can be provided with inclusive, targeted education, especially upon social, economic, physical, and health crises.Enhancement of participation. An important achievement of NGOs is to enhance public participation and increase social capital, which can establish a powerful link between the society and government.Enhancement of coordination between people and executive institutions. A specific effective role of NGOs is to function as an intermediary between the government and society.Financial and subsistence aid. The social, economic, physical, and health crises that occur in an informal settlement often lead to severer poverty and deprivation, where many families need direct financial and subsistence aid.Employment. Assisting administrative bodies, NGOs are considered as appropriate trustees for the implementation of job preparation, vocational training, entrepreneurship, and marketing and creation of a business environment.Public health. Through improvement of public health in an informal settlement, the quality of the environment can be raised, and the spread of infectious and pandemic diseases can be reduced.The quality of the environment. The quality of the residential environments in these settlements is often low, and many citizens living in these areas do not have proper access to services, facilities, infrastructures, and public spaces.MethodologyThis is a descriptive-analytical study with a quantitative approach. The research population includes all NGOs in the city of Urmia, Iran that are active in the field of countering COVID-19. The simple random sampling method was adopted using a lottery. The data were analyzed using descriptive mean statistics and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Friedman tests in SPSS.Results and discussionThe results demonstrate that the activity of NGOs to improve the resilience of informal settlements in Urmia against COVID-19 in the socio-cultural component is above average, with a score of 3.66. Moreover, the economic-livelihood component exhibits an average of 2.95, which is equivalent to average and below, and the environmental-physical component shows an average of 3.11, which is evaluated as a moderate score.Hence, it can be stated that the NGOs in Urmia have failed to provide a balanced, coordinated, fair approach with respect to the socio-cultural, economic-livelihood, and environmental-physical components due to the lack of coherence and integrated management in the face of unexpected crises such as the COVID-19 disease. The similarity of this research to others lies in the unified, integrated, coordinated management of government and local institutions upon crisis. Moreover, most researchers emphasize the management authority and social power of NGOs. Generally, it should be stated that NGOs must be equipped with effective financial, support, and educational tools in order to increase the resilience level of the residents of the settlements against crises. They should be strengthened to facilitate institutions’ provision of financial services, economic empowerment, and job creation.ConclusionOverall, we conclude that NGOs have performed appropriate activities to improve the resilience of informal settlements in Urmia against the COVID-19 disease. However, their performance has been different in a comparative analysis of components and indicators. The results of the Friedman test on the indicators demonstrates that the NGOs in the informal settlements of Urmia have exhibited effective activities on most socio-cultural and environmental-physical indicators (such as essential skills against COVID-19, provision of sanitary products, prioritization of disadvantaged people, encouragement of the benefactors to help the poor, disinfection of the environment, and encouragement of residents to help clean their neighborhoods). However, most economic indicators have failed to function effectively. Finally, we suggest that NGOs focus on attraction of financial and economic support from the governmental institutions, because this study shows that this pandemic disease has the most tangible impact on the economy of residents of informal settlements. It is also necessary to pay particular attention to provision of incentives and financial support packages to protect the health and economic and social security of people living in these settlements.
Urban Planning
ق ش; ش م
Volume 2, Issue 8 , December 2013, , Pages 71-81
Urban Planning
shahram mohamadi
Volume 4, Issue 13 , February 2015, , Pages 71-82
Abstract
Cities are the pinnacle of human civilization and urban centers are the heart of cities. Urban centers are special areas within cities which have witnessed historical trend of upheavals and are a result of a profound connection between the territory and its inhabitants, a connection which reflects the ...
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Cities are the pinnacle of human civilization and urban centers are the heart of cities. Urban centers are special areas within cities which have witnessed historical trend of upheavals and are a result of a profound connection between the territory and its inhabitants, a connection which reflects the whole society itself, linking the changes of the human community to the central limits of the city. When modernization came to Iran, the city became a reasonable place and urbanism changed to a desirable style of living. Urban centers in Iran have not only been close to modernistic changes but also have experienced the highest scale of urban changes and problems. Zanjan city as a city which has not been far from recent changes is a clear example of undesirable and unwanted changes in the center of a city. Lack of adaptation to the new style of living in the old and historical structure of the center of Zanjan city is a problem which has resulted in numerous undesirable events in the existing space and structure. The existence of a close and intricate link between the numerous problems related to the city center is like a puzzle, the right solution to which is in a solution different from the current trend. Multilateral links between the capabilities and opportunities of this area with a glance at the existing undesirable status is an idea which again challenges the definition of what has occurred. In this regard, Strategic Thinking Approach was used as a strong approach with such characteristics as creativity and logical thinking in the process of strategy development for analyzing and identifying issues and problems. Among the numerous models propounded, the Iranian model of Ghaffarian & Kiani was used to achieve the strategic thinking needed for analyzing the spatial-physical structure of the limits of Zanjan city center. The objective for selecting such an approach was to assess and identify important factors creating problems within the physical spatial structure of the city. The research purpose, method of evaluation, and collecting the findings was accomplished through library research, surveys and questionnaires. The survey sample size was 153 people selected among Zanjan citizens. The analysis of the obtained data was carried out using descriptive and analytical methods of AHP and Fishbone. The results of the research demonstrate that the factors which created issues and problems in the central area of Zanjan city were, in order of importance, traffic, shortage of parking space per capita, shortage of entertainment, recreational, and cultural facilities per capita as well as lack of free time enjoyed by people. In terms of eliminating each of the aforesaid problems, traffic associated with the influence of other problems and difficulties requires the most effort. By eliminating the identified problems and difficulties using the Strategic Thinking approach, the central limits of Zanjan city will enjoy the maximum benefits resulting from the identified opportunities in this area. We also conclude that Strategic Thinking approach has considerable capacities for analyzing the spatial-physical structure of the central area of Zanjan city.
Urban Design
Firouz Armoun; seyyed yahya KH; E K
Abstract
Place names, as identity roots of those places, are able to convey the nature and flavor of the place and space through reconsidering its connection with the contextual and temporal needs. As soon as the name is heard, an image of its wholeness and figure is shaped in our mind. The connection between ...
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Place names, as identity roots of those places, are able to convey the nature and flavor of the place and space through reconsidering its connection with the contextual and temporal needs. As soon as the name is heard, an image of its wholeness and figure is shaped in our mind. The connection between a place’s name and the natural or build environment can be the same connection between the formal and conceptual components. When the original name of a city, neighborhood, alley or a specific place is mentioned, it will be illustrated with its unique characteristics in one’s mind. A place could be physically destroyed for a long time, but its name may stay in the minds of people and recall the quality, concept and feature of the place and its inhabitant’s mood and taste. Whether or not a place’s name is consistent with its objective reality and existing attributes can be considered as a significant measure of transparency and readability. However, the identity, quality and subjective dimensions of names are ignored in contemporary urban developments. Urban studies do not address the connection between the objective-subjective and semantic-physical factors of place names in the urban and landscape design. The purpose of this paper is to recognize the importance of connection between urban areas and places and their naming. It focuses on explaining its reflection and its force on the urban place’s perspective. The case study is Ardabil city and its historical fabric. It is of utmost importance to investigate this matter due to the historical-cultural eminence of Ardabil with more than 30 centuries of history. Most of the old neighborhoods and alleys in the historical fabric of the city have historical names, in a way that the old passages of the city are still called by the same historical names. This study is in need of credible documents and sources. The research method in this study is the mixed approach. To identify the original names of the places, the descriptive-analytic research method was used, which is based on documentation (texts, maps, images) along with field studies. The research results showed that political, economic, social, cultural and environmental factors had significant effects on traditional naming of urban places, especially in Ardabil. In addition, in some cases, the physical form and soul of a place is determined by its formation process. Such processes give more weight and color to the holiness of the city and its political and commercial dimensions. It seems that the names are metaphors representing the same things that were, are or could be in the city’s landscape, capacity and subjectivity.
Urban Planning
Hani Arbabi; Siyamak Alishahi; Mohammad-Hosein Sobhiyah; Sahar Taheripour
Abstract
Highlights: Comparing the findings of both empiricist and rationalist methods in identifying the most critical stakeholders is very convergent Map of stakeholder communication shows the most critical stakeholders based on the different index of SNA. Introduction. An important aspect of ...
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Highlights: Comparing the findings of both empiricist and rationalist methods in identifying the most critical stakeholders is very convergent Map of stakeholder communication shows the most critical stakeholders based on the different index of SNA. Introduction. An important aspect of improving the quality of urban life is existence of appropriate facilities and infrastructures on urban passages, including the design and construction of urban overpasses and underpasses, as a large-scale urban project. One of the goals of urban development projects is to reduce traffic load in cities and to address people’s demands and solve their problems in that regard. Implementation of such projects will undoubtedly be effective in improvement of the quality of urban furniture and provision of comfort and welfare for citizens. They involve a wide range of stakeholders with different levels of interest, and there is an essential need for adequate communication and exchange between them. The present study addresses stakeholders’ prioritization and communication in a project involving the construction of an intersection with multi-level crossroads in the city of Urmia, Iran using the interest-power matrix as an empirical method and social network analysis as a rationalist method. Theoretical framework. Improper management of stakeholders in an urban project can cause political, social, and cultural problems. The created challenges are not purely technical, and require the management of stakeholders based on their social, cultural, and political backgrounds with different strategies and goals (Aaltonen & Kujala, 2016). In the literature, methods of stakeholder analysis are divided into two categories: empirical and rational. Empiricists assert that knowledge is inductive and obtained through experience; therefore, the analysis of stakeholders is based on a small number of them (the key stakeholders). This model is based on the fact that the key stakeholders have a great deal of information about their expectations and other stakeholders. Decision-makers can make optimal decisions making subjective judgments in that regard. However, many researchers have criticized this approach for several reasons, including the negligence of some stakeholders and their mediating measures affecting other stakeholders and, ultimately, the project. Moreover, the accuracy of the results decreases as the complexity of the project increases, resulting in the formation of a rationalist approach to stakeholder analysis. The basis of knowledge acquisition in the rationalist approach is knowledge independent of experience. In this approach, trust in results is enhanced through an attempt to involve all stakeholders rather than to focus on the key ones. The decisions reflect the actual relationships between stakeholders, making up an excellent way to identify hidden stakeholders who may have little evident impact. However, they can cause overall disruptions in urban development projects (Yang, 2014). Methodology. In this qualitative research, which was performed using a one-sample case study, documents on the project and semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. The purposeful sampling method and the snowball technique were used, and 17 stakeholders were finally identified for the project. The data were analyzed using the interest-power matrix (with the brainstorming technique) and the NodeXL software (for social network analysis). Results and discussion. The results demonstrate that the primary stakeholders in the interest-power matrix include the municipality, people, city council, and residents, in that order. Moreover, the municipal stakeholder, who has gained the greatest interest and power to influence the project, has been the implementer as well. On the other hand, the Water and Wastewater Company, the Department of Electricity, and the Telecommunications Company have obtained the least interest and power in the project. As for the distribution of stakeholders in the interest-power matrix, no specific focal points were achieved in the upper quarters of the matrix. In the social networks analysis, however, people, municipalities, city councils, and contractors exhibited the highest priorities, and suppliers, the environment, and oil companies had the lowest priorities. The residents, city council, and municipality played the most crucial role in the communication between all the stakeholders. In terms of communication power, the military organization was highest, located adjacent to the project. Furthermore, the response times between the stakeholders and the frequency of response were relatively unfavorable. Finally, an urban development project could achieve different results in terms of its stakeholders’ importance and prioritization through changes in its use and framework although it has a significant impact on the city, and involves a wide range of stakeholders. Conclusion. The comparison between the findings of the empiricist and rationalist methods in the identification of the most crucial stakeholders exhibits high convergence. There are differences, however, in the identification of the least important stakeholders. Use of empiricist and rationalist methods can help identify, prioritize, and manage stakeholders. To some extent, they cover each other’s shortcomings, and use of a combination of the two methods to analyze stakeholders can perhaps be the right solution. The findings of this research can help the managers of urban transport development projects that involve large numbers of stakeholders to manage them as successfully as possible and to identify and analyze the positions and importance of the stakeholders involved in such large-scale projects, especially those who seem to have less prominent roles but greater influence. The project may gain better cost, time, and quality during the construction phases, which involve the greatest fund and longest time, by spending less time and cost but involving a wider range of effective stakeholders in the initial phases.
Urban Planning
z m; h sh; a r
Volume 2, Issue 7 , July 2013, , Pages 73-88
Abstract
Abstract: The history of the old city centers , due to the geographical center , easy access , and feature historic center of economic gravity - the cultural potentials are high , despite the positive features of downtown , the texture of physical problems ( exhaustion ),environmental problems , in the ...
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Abstract: The history of the old city centers , due to the geographical center , easy access , and feature historic center of economic gravity - the cultural potentials are high , despite the positive features of downtown , the texture of physical problems ( exhaustion ),environmental problems , in the context of complexity and poor infrastructure suffer. With such a central feature of the city center is the city of Khorramabad The core fabric of the city is mostly worn and in need of restructuring andRehabilitation. The main objective of this research is to broaden the scope of the problem in this context the following objectives of sustainable development is the development of these tissues . In this regard, research on how to achieve physical and environmental dimensions of sustainable development in the context of Rehabilitation core has Khorramabad. The purpose of this study applied descriptive - survey is to introduce the basic concepts and methods of data collection in the library and in the documentation gathered through field studies (questionnaires, interviews and observation's). Methods This study was a descriptive - survey and data collection documents two studies and field) Interview questionnaires and observation's (Population of residents part of the fabric core with a population of over 2797 people in Khorramabad are. According to consider the characteristics of the economical, social , physical and environmental scope of the case study and data analysis of the combined AHP-SWOT methods, the results of the final evaluation of SWOT within the AHP model shows that in the group of strengths , the existence of valuable historical element ( final weight ,./ 272) , existence of activity axis along the Imam Khomeini and Shohada streets ( final weight , ./176 ) and easy access to other parts of the city ( final weight , ./134) are the most important strengths and low quality buildings ( final weight ,./206 ) , microlithic parts ( final weight , ./161) and the narrow and impermeable streets ( final weight , ./135) are the most important weaknesses . However, the high potential of uncultivated area ( final weight ,./ 239) , the potential of constructing tourism spaces ( final weight , ./183 ) and the historical area and promoting an inclusive culture ( final weight , ./139 ) in series are the most important opportunities of the case study, also neglecting adapt to changing demands (final weight ,./266 ) , insecurity and impermeability passages ( final weight , ./194 ) and not defining public open space in quarters ( the final weight ,./143) are the most important threas to the desired range .The overall results indicate that most physical problems and After that, the environmental problems ,economic problems , management problems, social problems , most of it is devoted to . Well as the physical aspects of, poor quality buildings , including the most difficult passages microlithic parts and impermeable tissue study.are . According to final analysis,in this study pivotal offers in order to exploit these strengths, opportunities, reducing weaknesses and threats in the form of SWOT model key strategies for improving the old texture of the city of Khorramabad in the text has been stated in detail which the components of sustainable urban development have been applied.To achieve the goal of sustainable urban development in the sustainable urban development will be stable with a high quality of life for all residents. Thus, in order to improve the quality of life offered as a guide decisions on development strategies, planning and creating new instruments of communication between decision-making factors, decision making and enforcement of the emphasis is.
Urban Management
M H; N S
Volume 3, Issue 12 , November 2014, , Pages 73-86
Abstract
Two decades after the Urban Collection Bill being passed in Iran, there are still some profound doubts both in theory and in administrative-organizational dimension. Many studies have been conducted in this field and even a great deal of experience in urban planning has as yet to make authorities achieve ...
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Two decades after the Urban Collection Bill being passed in Iran, there are still some profound doubts both in theory and in administrative-organizational dimension. Many studies have been conducted in this field and even a great deal of experience in urban planning has as yet to make authorities achieve an optimum and accepted model for managing and planning urban collections. The major reason is lack of attention to spatial and organizational realities and the structure of decision-making in Iran, lack of close scrutiny of administrative mechanisms and ignoring the necessity of planning approaches adapted to the administrative and planning structure of the country. The research in this adaptive investigation aims to make recommendations for some approaches to improve the management and planning of urban collections. This was carried out in three stages by referring to documents, books and articles related to this subject and studying the planning and management experiences in the two cities of Sydney and Toronto. As such, the facts and differences in Iran’s structure of decision-making and administration were considered. Selecting suitable and adaptable case studies is the key to success in comparative research. Thus, samples were selected based on the two criteria of (1) the macro-structure of planning in countries being studied (level of regionalism) and (2) the success of the selected metropolitan regions in planning and managing the growth. The research results lead to two types of general (pertaining to the macro level of planning) and regional (pertaining to urban collections) problems. Two groups of approaches are then suggested: (1) structural-management: to improve the administrative structure and the system of macro-decision-making; and (2) planning-management: to qualitatively improve the content of plans and programs of urban collections. The major approaches are to create an organization regionally responsible for urban collections to appropriate the duty of decision-making to regional bodies rather than regional branches of ministries, and to create a think tank that includes representatives of the institute managing regions to make major decisions. In the area of administration and programming problems, the suggested approaches include planning for land use, transportation and housing, emphasizing the principle of competitiveness and simultaneous synergy in the region (stress being on a strong relation between peripheral cities), and taking a cyclic approach rather than hierarchical planning for outlines.
Urban Planning
Rasoul Farjam
Abstract
Physical urban growth has had different social, economical and physical outcomes. From the perspective of social effects, urban population displacement and mobility could be the most important outcome. Physical dimension of rapid urban development can be defined in terms of urban sprawl, spatial fragmentation, ...
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Physical urban growth has had different social, economical and physical outcomes. From the perspective of social effects, urban population displacement and mobility could be the most important outcome. Physical dimension of rapid urban development can be defined in terms of urban sprawl, spatial fragmentation, different urban forms and changing of urban mixed land uses. Consequently, changes in the combination of appropriate, consistent and diversity of land uses has become more evident in central parts of cities. These changes have been very prominent in the case of Shiraz. From the perspective of location efficiency or land use intensity, Shiraz central part has had a combination of appropriate, consistent, diversity and mixed land uses in the past. Whenever those conditions have changed, urban decline has emerged too. On the basis of Hoppenbrouwer and Erik Louw’s research on Rowley’s concept, we can develop typology for mixed land use from a spatial perspective and represent four dimensions: shared premise dimension, horizontal dimension, vertical dimension, and periodical dimension. Therefore, this survey has focused on this basic question: what is the relation between urban mixed use dimensions and land use intensity? The main objective of the research is tied to the question, so the research wants to define urban mixed use dimensions as one of the effective variables for analyzing urban land use intensity and zoning inner city intensity. The study domains of mixed land uses and inner-city decay are different. Therefore, one of the challenges of this study is to find a model capable of extracting the relationship between the phenomena of inner city decay and mix use development. Attempts in this line of inquiry led to the selection of the evaluation method regarding locational strength of the urban land uses. This method is based on micro economy theories since they deal with areal extent regarding the intensity and strength of urban land uses. This model is well applied to those areas which accommodate mix land uses, especially the new ones. It tries to find out whether mixed land use pattern is an effective measure or not. It determines the areal extent of both strengths and weaknesses of land uses regarding well-designed and pleasant spatial structure. Therefore, the research method is a combination of Yinan and Chen’s land use intensity zoning control and mixed use dimensions. The application of Yinan and Chen urban land use model and its extension based on analytical hierarchical process and Arc GIS software package regarding determination of areal extent and zoning of degree of strength and weakness of the land uses is being considered as the best method in this regard. Spatial analysis is an appropriate method for analyzing their relations. Also, other statistical methods such as Chi-Square Test, Pearson Correlation, ANOVA and Coefficients have been used. As a result, it is argued that share premise; horizontal, vertical, and periodical dimensions of mix used development approach are capable of explaining 19.1 percent of spatial behavior of Shiraz inner city decay. Regression coefficient associated with both dependent and independent variables indicates that with 1 unit increase in dimension of urban mix land uses located in Shiraz central part, one could see 4.6 unit decrease in the level of inner city decay.
Urban Planning
Akbar Asghari Zamani; Shahrivar Roostaei; Nader Zali; Seyedeh-Samira Shafiee-Masuleh
Abstract
HighlightsThe greenery (shady trees and vegetation) and seating areas provide a good sense of going out in the city‘Gardens and parks’ are one of the variables of the desirability of the urban night landscapeThe majority of nightlife consumers consider their perceived safety to be more due ...
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HighlightsThe greenery (shady trees and vegetation) and seating areas provide a good sense of going out in the city‘Gardens and parks’ are one of the variables of the desirability of the urban night landscapeThe majority of nightlife consumers consider their perceived safety to be more due to ‘activities/people on the streets, etc.’The spatiotemporal flow of evening and night-time activities leads to more revenue and financial turnover for the city and municipality IntroductionNightlife and night-time economic attractions are a proper way to expand a working day and the impetus for national growth and development. The present study sought to answer the basic question of how the city of Rasht, Iran could provide a suitable platform for the spatiotemporal flow of activities in the evening and at night.by adopting an analytical framework of time geography and quantitative analysis of nightlife consumption practices in the city center.Theoretical FrameworkThere have been many studies outside Iran on urban nightlife, most of which refer to a combination of social science studies on alcohol and the night leisure industry (Aresi & Pedersen, 2016; Pedrero-García, 2018; Søgaard, 2017). Studies conducted in Iran on nightlife have addressed the topic differently from the research performed outside Iran; these studies have been focused on geography and tourism planning (Shaykh-Baygloo & Soltani, 2019), urban vitality (Ghazanfarpor et al., 2019), cultural factors (Anizadeh, 2018), urban night leisure planning (Kashfi, 2012), and urban night landscape with an emphasis on lighting (AkhavanSaraf et al., 2014). Against this background of research, the present study sought to complement the previous geographic research by adopting an analytical framework of time geography and a quantitative analysis of nightlife consumption practices at the center of Rasht. The innovative aspect of the present study, adopting an analytical framework of time geography, was the combination of two fields, namely nightlife consumption and perception of safety.The perception of safety, that is, the experience of the subjective feeling of being secure (Tulumello & Falanga, 2015), has been known as a key component of a well-functioning city (Cozens & Tarca, 2016). It is influenced by many factors, including the built environment and activities (Bennetts et al., 2017; Piroozfar et al., 2019; van Nes et al., 2016) as an attribute of safer places (Llewelyn-Davies & Partnership, 2004). The literature (Heshmati & Charehjoo, 2018; Park & Garcia, 2019; Piroozfar et al., 2019; Yaran et al., 2019) suggests that the activity factor alone cannot cause spatial differentiation, concentration and thus a greater sense of safety. The solution is to create a high-quality environment by providing different types of complementary opportunities and activities and thoughtfully designing spaces to minimize inconsistencies so as to host a variety of uses and users. This is doubly important in the discussion of nightlife.Urban spaces attract a large number of people at night. The most easily distinguishable time-space layer is that of life and business in the evening and the early hours of the night (usually during 9-11 PM, but sometimes during 6-11 PM) (Rowe & Bavinton, 2011). After evening business, night-time business (11 PM to 2 AM) begins, and the number and diversity of nightlife users decreases dramatically, resulting in fewer services, especially public transportation. The expected outcomes of the present study were the urban nightlife ideals: to identify nightlife consumption practices and evaluate the spatiotemporal flow of activities in two layers of time-space, i.e., evening-downtown Rasht and night-downtown Rasht, in terms of perceived safety, diversity, and inclusivity.MethodologyA questionnaire was used for the data collection. The participants were asked to provide information on the following:(1) geographic locations of night-time activities in the city; (2) types of nightlife activity, including the movies, cafes/restaurants, parks/green spaces, bazaars/shopping malls (commercial centers, hypermarkets, etc.), walking/running, gymnasiums, etc.; (3) arrival time and duration of the last night out; (4) companionship, involving group size and group composition in terms of gender and ethnicity.In a part of the questionnaire, the respondents were asked to evaluate their feelings of safety/lack of safety at a specific (nightlife activity/entertainment) location and state the reason. In addition, the questionnaire included questions about the respondents’ more general patterns of going out and their demographic and socioeconomic statuses. The respondents were asked how often they went out on average and where they often went for nightlife. They were also asked about their genders, ages, lifestyles (living conditions, place of residence), social classes (academic degree, occupation, and type of work), and ethnicities. The data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistical methods (chi-squared test and two-step cluster analysis) using the SPSS 26 software.Results and DiscussionThe cluster analysis indicated significant differences in the types of nightlife consumption in downtown Rasht. Nevertheless, the heterogeneity in the space-time paths of nightlife downtown could be summarized in two distinct patterns: going to the park and shopping. These patterns are diverse in many ways, but could be identified at a part of the city center (Sabzeh Meydan Park). The key predictors included the following in descending order of significance: group ethnicity (1.00), group gender (1.00), group size (1.00), type of nightlife activity/entertainment (0.82), average duration (0.60), living conditions (0.48), ethnicity (0.42), location (0.33), gender (0.27), and academic degree (0.18). In this study, occupation and type of work, place of residence, and age played insignificant roles. The findings demonstrated that the majority of nightlife consumers in downtown Rasht felt safe, and this perceived safety could be accounted for mainly (78.2%) by the factor known as activities/people on the street, etc. In the study area, women had a pivotal role in the social production of space, which could be attributed to their perception of the feeling of safety in the nightlife of downtown Rasht.ConclusionAccording to the above findings, the average time of arrival at the first nightlife activity/entertainment (19:28) and the average time spent downtown (3.21 h), Rasht can be a suitable platform for the spatiotemporal flow of activities only in the evening and the initial hours of the night (during 6-11 PM). To conclude, three practical suggestions are made simultaneously for revision of the current procedure: to diversify the activities performed downtown, to manage the area by improving the quality of urban spaces and supporting longer hours of night-time activities, and to provide frequent late-night public transport.AcknowledgmentThis article has been extracted from a doctoral dissertation entitled The Impact of the Physical Environment Attributes on the Perception of Safety and the Patterns of Space Use in Downtown Rasht Using Evaluative and Behavior-Based Mapping, developed by the fourth author under the supervision of the first author and the advisory of the second and third authors at the University of Tabriz.
Urban Design
A. K.; M. B.
Volume 2, Issue 6 , June 2013, , Pages 75-87
Urban Design
A M; n n
Volume 3, Issue 11 , August 2014, , Pages 75-84
Abstract
Taking into consideration the aesthetic aspect of a physical environment is to deal with the sense of sight which leads to a cognitive-perceptual link of urban spaces for users of space. In analyzing the environmental aspects of visual themes, factors affecting perception of space, mechanisms of ...
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Taking into consideration the aesthetic aspect of a physical environment is to deal with the sense of sight which leads to a cognitive-perceptual link of urban spaces for users of space. In analyzing the environmental aspects of visual themes, factors affecting perception of space, mechanisms of the visual system, social and environmental characteristics play a significant role. Thus, this article analyses the visual quality of the newly designed “Imam Hussein Square” and its effect on observers' perceptions, based on parameters that simultaneously monitor both visual and perceptual aspects as a coherent goal. In fact, the strategic role and location of Imam Hussein Square, which was built for the purpose of holding religious, cultural and folkloric ceremonies, calls for providing a well decorated and equipped space for users and so must have capacity of relating to space and users of space in a desirable manner. Thus, the main question of this paper is whether the design of this new cultural-folkloric plaza has established a good relationship with the citizens of the area and is in accordance with the visual and cognitive capacity of its users both in terms of physical space and visually. It further seeks to ask whether its visual-aesthetic components affect users’ cognitive image. Given the nature of the research, the Square was qualitatively surveyed by concepts of “visual perception theories, on the bases of elements of visual organization and the four features of perception". Thus, the authors surveyed the visual quality of Imam Hussein Square based on qualitative method to obtain the assessment goals and data was gathered through observations and interviews. Observation was carried out in the Square at randomly selected times (ordinary days or special events) over a period of 5 months and the visual information gathered was based on elements of visual organization (spatial, structural, regulation) such as sketch, elevation, detailed or panoramic images. In-depth semi-structural interviews based on four perceptual aspects (cognition, emotion, interpretation and evaluation) was undertaken with 24 citizen users of the Imam Hussein Square until saturation point (repeated data) was reached. In conclusion, the researchers found that the most significant incapability of the square`s design is that it is incapable of preparing meaningful communication between its additional elements and context and on another level, between people and the physical environment despite having a pre-determined scheme, special character, and accepted visual characteristics. This fact impacts spatial visual perceptions and results in misunderstanding of space. Therefore, the interactions between the visual and perception features affect other aspects of newly designed squares, such as presence and participation in events. Indeed, the quality of an urban place can be improved by improving its visual quality and positive impact on citizens' perceptions and understanding of an urban space. In other words, because the act of envisioning means receiving meaningful organized elements, the most important duty of an urban designer at that location (The Imam Hussein Square) is coordinating an appropriate relationship between visual and perceptual factors and creating a meaningful place for people according to context.
Slum Settlements
akbar mohammadi; Kasra Ashouri; mohammad bashir robati
Volume 6, Issue 22 , May 2017, , Pages 75-88
Abstract
Nowadays, due to different reasons such as low financial affordability, high cost of standard housing, lack of affordable land in cities (especially for a particular population), lack of scientific criteria in finding location (for housing) or in urban development, and as urban development processes ...
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Nowadays, due to different reasons such as low financial affordability, high cost of standard housing, lack of affordable land in cities (especially for a particular population), lack of scientific criteria in finding location (for housing) or in urban development, and as urban development processes surpass rational urban planning and managemen, most cities and urban habitats are located in sites which are exposed to a variety of human-made threats because of natural hazards or technological progresses. In this regard, in the case of a crisis, efforts to achieve circumstances which provide the possibility to restore the conditions before crisis or increasing the flexibility of those cities and habitats are of high importance. Resilience is a new approach proposed as a novel perspective to deal with rapid changes and increasing needs and complications of cities. In most cases, this approach is used to face the unknowns or uncertainties. Resilience is also emphasized over vulnerability. The concept of resilience has evolved over time; in the recent decade, it has peculiarly been the center of attention in scientific and political debates. The present applied research tries to recognize and evaluate the effective factors on social and institutional resilience in Naisar detached urban district of Sanandaj. It also attempts to optimally adapt those factors by using descriptive, analytic and comparative methods. Naisar district is located at the northeast of Sanandaj. It is 309.5 hectares making it the largest spontaneous settlement of the city. At the beginning, this area was in the form of a village in Sanandaj suburbs, but, due to lack of residential land in the city (Sanandaj has many hills unsuitable for residential construction), the village turned into a satellite area for the overflowing population of the city in the 90s. In the census of villages in 1996, the population of Naisar was announced to be 938. The interesting point is the rapid increase in Naisar population over the past 15 years. The population of Naisar was 12480 in 2006. In 2011, it increased by 29.5% and reached 27377. Like many such settlements, Naisar has a very low resilience in the face of incidents. The purpose of this research is to investigate the social and institutional resilience criteria in this settlement. To this end, the indices and influential factors on social and institutional resilience in these settlements were first identified and defined operationally through library research. Then, the resilience level of the spontaneous settlement of Naisar was determined through AIR, RIF and CIR formulas. The results of the research indicated low levels of resilience in this settlement. Based on the findings, it seems that more factors are effective on the evaluation of the resilience level of the spontaneous settlement of Naisar due to its unfavorable conditions. The results also indicate that, in Naisar detached urban district, as one of the particular settlements of Sanandaj which has been recognized as an informal settlement, social resilience has a more favorable situation than institutional resilience.
