Seyyed Mohammadmahdi Hosseinikia; Negar Khiabanchian; Hadi Rezaei Rad
Abstract
A successful urban space has a wide range of subjective and objective components, and paying attention to physical indicators plays a decisive role in creating a "successful" place. One of its strategies is the development of pedestrian zones in cities. This research has been carried out in search ...
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A successful urban space has a wide range of subjective and objective components, and paying attention to physical indicators plays a decisive role in creating a "successful" place. One of its strategies is the development of pedestrian zones in cities. This research has been carried out in search of the answer to what factors can contribute to the success of pedestrianization projects and place development. This article deals with the comparative analysis of the pedestrianization project of two streets leading to the central square of Hamedan City before and after implementation to investigate the qualitative and quantitative components of the place. The research method combines qualitative and quantitative methods, and observations, interviews, and questionnaires are used to collect information, along with library and documentary studies. The research findings indicate that in this case study, unlike sociability, the three indicators of accessibility, uses and activities, comfort and mental image creation have not improved much. In addition to that, there is a strong relationship between interconnectedness and sociability. Furthermore, improving the quality of the place cannot be done in a one-dimensional way and with a narrow view of specific components. It requires that pedestrianization projects are implemented considering all the components.
Keywords: Pedestrian Zone, Successful Place, PPS Matrix, Spatial Arrangement, Urban Square.
Introduction
Extensive studies in the field of pedestrianization implementation have become a new topic in the development of Iran. Most of these researches are in three categories: 1- feasibility studies, 2- evaluation of the social effects of the implementation of such projects, and 3- providing solutions to carry out this process. Studies have been conducted on various social, historical and urban design consequences. The commonality of the current research is in the investigation of the spatial components of pedestrian construction with these investigations, and its special place among these studies is the measurement of the qualitative components of the pedestrian place with a comparative approach to investigate the quality success.
Methodology
This practical research is considered a subset of qualitative and quantitative analysis. To answer the research question, that is, how and to what extent pedestrianization can lead to the improvement of the quality components of the place, and to collect the required information, in addition to library and document studies using tools and analysis, and observing primary qualitative information through review, observations, identification, descriptions and characteristics of the study area (Imam plaza) were done in terms of the environment. Then, interviews were started by distributing questionnaires among the people using the study area. The questions were set by putting the sociability items in the PPS matrix and using the Delphi method. In the end, the answers were explained. Due to these, urban sidewalks are one of the urban public places, and the opinion of urban field experts about the success of an urban public place, the PPS matrix was the closest model to these components. Furthermore, a quantitative measurement tool was needed to analyze space syntax to clarify the hidden dimensions of the components of the place in the qualitative investigation.
Results & Discussion
The findings indicate a special relationship between the correlation index in quantitative analysis and the qualitative sociability index. As a result, the quantitative test confirms the results of the qualitative analysis regarding the promotion of sociability in the field of Bu-Ali after the implementation. The reason for this is the higher macro-intermediate connection in Bu-Ali compared to Ekbatan. This is despite the local connection being more in Ekbatan than Bu-Ali. It shows the ratio of comparisons of sociability with connectivity in the two axes of Bu-Ali and Ekbatan before and after the implementation of pedestrianization. It also confirms the relevance and complementarity of qualitative and quantitative research presented in previous studies and knowledge.
Conclusions
It shows examples of holistic and not reductive urban design to create a "successful" place. It also states that a quality and sustainable design cannot highlight one aspect and expect growth in full force. The development of pedestrianization should consider the use of land and buildings as well as urban infrastructure and "access and links, comfort and image, applications and activities" in the design considerations. In future studies, other aspects, such as the economic component, can be addressed, and the current research results can be used for such scientific studies.
