Explanation and Evaluation the Impact of Environmental Factors on the Formation of Behavioral Patterns in Urban Spaces (From Theory to Practice: Study of Tajrish Square)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qazvin Azad University, Qazvin, Iran

2 Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Statements of problem: The presence of people in urban areas with the aim of "being in space" is one of the components contributing to vitality of urban spaces, which leads to the promotion of social relationships, the increase of natural security, the sense of belonging to the place by increasing the possibility of occurrence of individual and collective memories and reducing the crime rate in the city. Finding the right solution to find the basis for the design of spaces is a problem that has been particularly striking urban architects and designers in recent years and refers to the necessity of this research. The lack of non-mental methods that can be used to study and analyze behaviors in space, both in architecture and in urban planning, is quite tangible.
Goal: The purpose of the present research is to explain the forms of occurrence and behavioral patterns in urban spaces. By studying one of the important urban spaces of Tehran, Tajrish Square, we try to provide a comprehensive analysis based on the recognition of behavioral patterns in this urban space. The main question of this research is about the relation of various dimensions of urban space with the formation of behavioral patterns. Other questions are also raised, including: What are the different dimensions, criteria, and indicators of urban space affecting behavioral patterns? What is the impact of different dimensions, criteria, and indicators mentioned on occurrence of different behaviors of citizens in the urban space, and in particular in Tajrish square?
Research method: For the analysis of urban spaces, Tajrish Square has been selected as an urban space with high level of actions and diverse activities. Qualitative analysis and observation using behavioral mapping techniques, interviews, and photo analysis were conducted to assess the status and to answer the research questions.
Conclusion: In this research it is proved that various behavioral patterns including walking, standing and sitting is under the influence of three main components of functional-activity (including indicators of variability of land use, type of activity, public activity and type of Urban sidewall), environmental-physical (including indicators of passages and access roads, flexibility, facilities and services, valuable perspectives and visual qualities) and cultural-social (including indicators of social presence features and social interactions). Behavioral patterns are heavily influenced by land use and presenting amenities in urban spaces that encourage citizens to develop different behavioral patterns. The visual qualities are one of the important criteria for making communication between strangers in the urban space and the indicator of selective activities in inspecting the criteria of social interactions is strengthened or weakened by environmental conditions.

Keywords


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