Problem Statement: Social justice, as one of the fundamental concepts in contemporary urban planning theories and approaches, plays a decisive role in shaping the quality of public spaces and residents’ lived experiences. However, a substantial body of previous research has primarily examined spatial justice from physical and distributive perspectives, while paying limited attention to its perceptual, behavioral, and procedural dimensions. This reductionist perspective has consequently narrowed the understanding of social justice in the design of public spaces.
Research Objective: This study aims to conceptualize and operationalize the principles of Rawls’s theory of justice within the design of public spaces in residential complexes and to identify the key factors contributing to the realization of spatial, social, and perceptual justice in residents’ lived experiences.
Methodology: The research adopted a mixed-methods approach with a sequential explanatory design. In the quantitative phase, 286 questionnaires collected from residents of the Fadak Residential Complex in Urmia were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software through structural equation modeling (SEM). In the qualitative phase, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, field observations, and residents’ perceptual narratives, and subsequently analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Finally, the quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated during the interpretative stage.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that social justice in public spaces is a multidimensional construct emerging from the interaction of physical, social, and perceptual components. The structural model revealed that equitable access and perceived justice exert the strongest influence on the realization of social justice, while sense of place attachment emerged as its socio-emotional outcome. The results further demonstrate that Rawls’s theory of justice can be effectively applied to the design and evaluation of public spaces in residential complexes and may contribute to enhancing urban quality of life and social cohesion.