Urban Ecology
h d
Volume 6, Issue 23 , August 2017, Pages 3-16
Abstract
According to Tehran environmental prospect document, Tehran 1404, by 1404 Tehran will be a clean, green city in compliance with latest standards of global cities. Based on this document, in the light of divine elevated instructions, by then, citizens of Tehran will have institutionalized environmental ...
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According to Tehran environmental prospect document, Tehran 1404, by 1404 Tehran will be a clean, green city in compliance with latest standards of global cities. Based on this document, in the light of divine elevated instructions, by then, citizens of Tehran will have institutionalized environmental ethics and demand for preservation of unique natural resources. But, in the literature of sustainable cities, to have a green city as desirable as future Tehran necessitates that urban management organize responsible treatment of nature by providing physical, technological, institutional and legal infrastructure and, accordingly, lead individuals to treat nature ethically based on policies of sustainable urban development. Therefore, ethical treatment of nature is defined as obeying rules and norms that control methods of distributing and possessing natural resources. In such a case, people are regarded as law-abiding and hence respectful of ethics.
Although there is a law for protecting and expanding green space in cities which is guaranteed by all powers (judiciary, executive and legislative) as well as urban management, as the administrator within their duties and authorities, gardens are still being damaged in Tehran. It is theoretically assumed that friendly behavior of citizens with nature can be guaranteed by changing environmental governance through institutional, policy and lawful mechanisms. This study, which is ontologically based on the interpretivist paradigm, conducts deep interviews with key informants using theoretical sampling method to define the process and elements that damage gardens in Tehran within the framework of grounded theory.
The results indicate that ignoring the role of environmental laws in society and lack of credit for the law of preservation and expansion of urban green space as social norms convince individuals that the society recognizes breach of environmental laws and destruction of environment to obtain profit. The crisis of environmental ethics as an internal agent also facilitates destruction of gardens. In other words, it makes people ignore their conscience while destroying gardens and avoid feeling ethical commitment to preserve gardens.
But individuals’ strength of will to destroy gardens in order to gain profit, in spite of the law of preserving and expanding urban green space, is affected by consequences, costs and benefits they expect from destroying gardens. Regarding the lack of decisive judiciary and disciplinary institutions to stop destruction of gardens, individuals dare to destroy gardens by exerting deception, force and influence and disobeying the law of preserving and expanding green space. They expect to gain profit because urban management lacks sufficient competence and prefers urban management over the law of green space. Absence of supervision and sensitivity for executing the law of green space as well as the dependence of urban economy on profit aggravate this issue. Even if judiciary and disciplinary institutions are decisive in punishing disobedience to the law of green space and prohibition of destruction of gardens, the profit gained from destroying gardens will exceed the costs for preserving them; this is because of the confusion in related laws. Therefore, one would have a positive attitude towards profit gain as the main reason for destroying gardens.
In view of the above, it seems that treatment of environment is affected by internal and external factors. Ethical treatment of environment cannot be defined as obeying rules and norms that control methods of distributing and possessing natural resources in society. Ethical treatment of environment is rather a persuasive issue that is not confined to any place and time and is achieved by dignity of ego, but accomplishing it through legal principles and rules will not be feasible and desirable due to its restrictions in comparison with ethics.
Urban Design
fatemeh biniaz; toktam hanaee
Volume 6, Issue 23 , August 2017, Pages 17-28
Abstract
Perception of urban space is the first step in communicating with the environment. This perception leads to the formation of an image of city and thus a person’s cognitive map of space. The age group, sex, as well as the level of the familiarity of an individual with the environment have a significant ...
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Perception of urban space is the first step in communicating with the environment. This perception leads to the formation of an image of city and thus a person’s cognitive map of space. The age group, sex, as well as the level of the familiarity of an individual with the environment have a significant effect on shaping this process. In fact, perception occurs when it affects human senses. Therefore, the more distinct the urban spaces are, the more complete can be the picture formed in the minds of people. It should be noted that people of different ages have different expectations of space and remember the urban space accordingly. Therefore, it can generally be said that a more perceptible and easy-to-understand environment can be grasped easier and a more complete picture of its structure can be shaped in people’s minds.
By analyzing citizens’ cognitive maps and deducing their perceptual similarities, one can measure how the legibility of an environment influences the cognitive perception of adults of different ages. This article seeks to achieve this goal with the aim of creating a legible urban space for adults. Data collection methods in this study include: literature review, descriptive statistics, and cognitive mapping technique. The library method was used to formulate research background, theoretical principles and research framework. Field methods, questionnaires, cognitive maps and routing techniques were used to understand the cognitive perception of adults of different ages and to recognize perceptual similarities with respect to the indicators defined in the theoretical framework. In fact, with this technique, one can deduce perceptual similarities by using cognitive maps and studying the presence of five elements of Lynch – i.e. landmark, path, node, edge, district and range – in cognitive maps drawn by individuals of 15-28, 29-40, 41-52, and 53-64 years age groups. Chi-square test was used to determine the relationships between variables. The target group of the study is also 15-64 year old individuals who are either residents, businessmen or users of the environment. The sample size was calculated using Cochran’s formula to be 132 individuals.
The findings of this study suggest that cognitive similarities between adults in the 15-64 years age group are more affected by node and landmarks, and that other Lynch elements do not play a role in shaping the adult mental image of the study environment. Also, easy routing by people in urban spaces is not only affected by order, symmetry, complexity, and guidance signs in the environment. Cognitive maps also show that the vast majority of adults have mapped the environment based on sequential order according to Appelard classification. It should be noted that there is a direct relationship between elements of the environment and its readability for adults of different ages. Studies on readability of the node element also show that the activity alone cannot cause spatial differentiation and legibility of the node. Also, the façade and elevation of buildings alone cannot enhance the visibility and legibility of an edge.
Urban Design
Volume 6, Issue 23 , August 2017, Pages 29-38
Abstract
Privacy is conceived of as an interpersonal boundary process by which a person or group regulates interaction with others. The desire for privacy is a public deed, but it is related to variables such as culture, age, gender, personality, and physical environment. It appears that some cultures have a ...
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Privacy is conceived of as an interpersonal boundary process by which a person or group regulates interaction with others. The desire for privacy is a public deed, but it is related to variables such as culture, age, gender, personality, and physical environment. It appears that some cultures have a stronger preference for privacy and have more privacy needs than others. The differences in desire for privacy are not limited only to cultures, they actually exists in sub-cultures too. Iran has many sub-cultures which respond to privacy differently, but there have not been any research on the effect of culture on privacy. The present paper focuses on how Iranian women in different sub-cultures look at surveillance in their privacy. The primary purpose of this study is to examine whether women in Iranian sub-cultures (Gilaki, Kurdish, Turkish and Yazdi women) differ in their desired and achieved levels of privacy in parks. Another purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the desired and achieved levels of privacy and the experience of crowding in parks. The final purpose is to describe the cultural differences in the experience of crowding between Gilaki, Kurdish, Turkish and Yazdi women. This research uses a designed questionnaire to collect data. A number of 1173 women were randomly selected in Shahr (Rasht), Mellat (Sanandaj), Baghmisheh (Tabriz), and Azadegan (Yazd) parks. Chi-square test, Pearson correlation coefficient, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) tests were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that women in Iranian sub-cultures significantly differ in their desired privacy levels. Yazdi and Turkish women have higher needs for privacy (desired privacy) in the public spaces than other women. However, Gilaki women’s achieved privacy level is higher than that in other sub-cultures. On the other hand, the results indicate that Yazdi women perceive urban parks as more crowded than others. The crowded women (for all groups) have a higher mean of crowding score than the isolated and the optimum women. Regardless of culture, women’s desired and achieved privacy levels are related to the level of perceived crowding in public spaces. According to Hall, contact cultures are often found in tropical countries (Arabic countries, Mediterranean area, Middle-East countries, and Eastern Europe) while non-contact cultures are usually found in cold weather countries (north of Europe, north of America). Accordingly, Iran is regarded as having a contact culture. The results of this study, however, indicate that in different Iranian sub-cultures there are also differences in people’s tendency for privacy and social interaction in public places. There is no correlation between the results of this study and Hall’s taxonomy. Yazdi (dry and warm) and Turkish (cold, mountainous) people have contact cultures while Gilaki (Caspian mild) and Kurdish (very cold mountainous) people live in non-contact cultures. The main reason for this difference stems from the investigation of perceived crowdedness and tendency for privacy in public sphere. The behavior of Iranian women and their social interactions with others in public places are strongly affected by tradition and religion.
Urban Planning
Reza Ramyar; Esmaiel Zarghami
Volume 6, Issue 23 , August 2017, Pages 39-52
Abstract
Objectives:
Residential and neighborhood open spaces are more than a simple space. They are the most important places for people living in urban areas and are part of their sense of living. The literature of neighborhood environments has always been attempting to describe neighborhoods in terms of the ...
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Objectives:
Residential and neighborhood open spaces are more than a simple space. They are the most important places for people living in urban areas and are part of their sense of living. The literature of neighborhood environments has always been attempting to describe neighborhoods in terms of the criteria of their overall quality. Social and individual attachment are two major factors having an important effect on the overall quality of residents’ lives. Psychological and sociological aspects of people’s behavior in these spaces are addressed in the disciplines of environmental psychology and sociology. These two knowledge areas have evolved with development of new methods and knowledge improvements. In these two disciplines, different and almost independent, sometimes contradicting, theories have been proposed to in a complementary way. Finding a relationship between the proposed theories in these two fields is rarely considered. Investigating one of the most important concepts in environmental psychology, i.e. place attachment, and using this concept to improve social life of residential neighborhoods, this paper tries to establish a link between these separate disciplines. Most studies conducted on place attachment and meaning of place have been at the individual level addressing mostly individual emotions and experiences. Also, in the social domain, only social emotions and experiences have been discussed. Focusing on social participation and place attachment, this research first tries to show the complexity and multi-dimensionality of these concepts and then attempts to from a framework for social planning in common areas like residential open spaces.
Research method:
Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), as a vigorous regressive multivariate analysis technique, is used to examine the hypotheses in this research. SEM is a multivariate statistical analysis technique suitable for analyzing structural relationships. Its ability to define relationships between unobserved constructs (latent variables) and observable variables has made it a common justified method in social sciences. In the modeling method here, we use SEM that allows complex relationships between one or more independent variables and one or more dependent variables.
Findings:
Based on the findings, place attachment and participation have a significant impact on social capital. The direct correlation between participation and social capital is stronger than that of place attachment, showing higher significance of participation in affecting social capital. Participation has also a great impact on place attachment.
Results:
Place attachment is a complex process that significantly affects social factors. It spreads and gets shaped over time. It is not only the place, but also social relationships produced in that place that support the maintenance and development of local community relations. Places are formed by individuals, groups and neighborhoods, and neighborhood groups are shaped by their place. According to this research, certain places with a strong sense of identity, higher communication, social capital and collective actions such as participation create a higher sense of attachment in the residents.
Urban Planning
Volume 6, Issue 23 , August 2017, Pages 53-68
Abstract
District 1 of Ahvaz is one of the busiest and densest sites in the city due to the presence of many shopping centers, official departments, entertainment centers and inter-city connecting paths. Also, the worn-out urban fabric and Akhar Asphalt neighborhood has caused many problems in this area, such ...
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District 1 of Ahvaz is one of the busiest and densest sites in the city due to the presence of many shopping centers, official departments, entertainment centers and inter-city connecting paths. Also, the worn-out urban fabric and Akhar Asphalt neighborhood has caused many problems in this area, such as decreased sense of security, mostly for the local women. Therefore, the goal of this research is to study the sense of security in women living in the said neighborhood. This study is an applied research using descriptive and survey methods, including structural equation modeling, to collect data. Data collection was carried out by a questionnaire consisting of 7 indicators (supervision, social, behavioral, skeletal, furniture, environmental, and accessibility factors) and 35 items based on the answers of the local women with a sample size of 381. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS21 and smart-PLS software. The results show that supervision, both official (police supervision and CCTVs) and unofficial (citizens), has the most impact on the sense of security. Due to the warm climate of the city, some areas of Ahvaz become deserted during the hottest days making the city look like the city of the dead, an issue that causes the transportation to be done in a stressful atmosphere. For the same reason, most of the street usage in Ahvaz happens in the nighttime. After supervision, the skeletal factor has the highest impact on women’s sense of security. District 1 consists of the most worn-out urban fabric. It also encompasses Akhar Asphalt neighborhood with its inappropriate social and skeletal conditions. The accumulation of buildings and dense urban texture in this area has made the skeletal indicator one of the most influential ones on the sense of security. The next influential factor is social factor due to overpopulation of the area because of its migration opportunities, the multi-racial quality of the area, presence of stranger passengers who aim to shop, and presence of parks in which the young people hang out regularly. The next indicator affecting the sense of security of women in this district is the environmental factor covering such items as noise pollution, dirty streets full of trash and sewage, abundance of nuisance animals/pests, and buildings with inappropriate and scratched appearance, again due to the worn-out urban fabric, slum conditions, and usage of all free spaces by boards and traffic signs. Based on the research findings, the respondents believe that the high number of bus terminals and taxi stations, did not let the women feel safe and secure enough. Also, density, worn-out urban fabric, and lack of sidewalks has decreased the feeling of security in women. According to the respondents, external indicators, such as skeletal and environmental factors, have the most effect on the behavior of urban women. They believe that the behavioral indicator has less effect than the environmental one. As for the furniture indicator, aside from the brightness item, other items such as the quality of pathways, traffic signs, and the usage of colors have less importance according to the respondents. This makes the furniture indicator the least effective factor on women’s sense of security.
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 Transport
Hamid Farhad; Bahador Bazrafshan Moghadam; Toktam Mohtashami
Volume 6, Issue 23 , August 2017, Pages 87-97
Abstract
Objectives
The rapid increase of motorized transport in cities, especially in metropolises, has caused severe environmental problems such as pollution, traffic congestion, time waste and accidents, and has affected sustainable development of urban transport. Mashhad city, with 3,218,000 inhabitants, ...
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Objectives
The rapid increase of motorized transport in cities, especially in metropolises, has caused severe environmental problems such as pollution, traffic congestion, time waste and accidents, and has affected sustainable development of urban transport. Mashhad city, with 3,218,000 inhabitants, hosts many pilgrims from different parts of Iran over the year. Transportation is one of the most important concerns for this metropolis. One of the solutions to this problem is development of Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) systems in this city to facilitate public transport. Given the importance of BRT projects in developing Mashhad and strategic importance of sustainability of future projects, the question is that what indices measure the economic, social and ecological aspects of BRT projects. This study seeks to answer this question from the perspective of urban transportation experts. The aim of this study is to develop an ex-post evaluation framework for Mashhad BRT system by using assessing methods and weighting effective factors in evaluating transport systems. This framework includes economic, social and environmental performance of the system and therefore involves all aspects of sustainable development that is expected to be considered in the future development of Mashhad transport system.
Method
Study indicators were selected by reviewing the literature on BRT system in recent years and based on sustainable development criteria. After determining effective factors in evaluating the performance of BRT system, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to prioritize criteria based on questionnaires and interviews with experts in the field of transportation and urban management.
Results
After creating a decision tree in EXPERT CHOICE software and entering information collected from the questionnaires, pair comparison of consistency rates was conducted for each matrix in order to ensure the reliability of the questionnaire. The inconsistency rate for all indices was found to be less than 0.1, a value that insures the consistency of selected criteria. Based on the findings, the User Benefits criterion – involving comfort, consumer saving, travel time saving, vehicle operating costs, reduction of social exclusion, and transport diversity indicators – has the highest priority of 0.426. The Externalities and Environmental criterion (weighted 0.377) ranked second. Among various indicators of these criteria, Safety (weighted 0.437) and Air Pollution (weighted 0.305) were determined to have the highest priority in evaluating the performance of BRT system in Mashhad. The sub-criteria of employment, including both direct and indirect employment in the construction process, has the highest relative weight (0.454) among different sub-criteria of the “indirect effects” due to the increasing the demand for stores, restaurants, etc. After determining the relative weights of the criteria and sub-criteria, the final weight of each of the different indices of BRT system assessment was calculated. The inconsistency rate was obtained to be 0.07, suggesting compatibility and reliability of answers. From the experts’ point of view, “cost savings” is the most important sub-criteria in evaluating the performance of BRT system. Accordingly, reduction of vehicle and fuel costs may reorient the related funds to other consumption areas that may contribute to the realization of sustainable urban development in the long term.
