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Improving urban life through urban public spaces: a comparison between Iranian and Australian cases
Abstract
Urban public spaces are considered to be a prerequisite for enhancing urban life and play significant role as catalyst for social transformations. A dominant theme in studies on urban public spaces is their uses and meanings in people's everyday life which have been investigated extensively since 1960s (e.g. Jacobs 1961, Hall 1959, Lynch 1961, Harvey 1989, Low 2000, Low and Smith 2006). Urban public spaces in Iran can be considered their extraordinary meanings and uses in addition to everyday experiences of space users, however few studies have been framed within the social and cultural context of urban space in Iran especially in English literature. This paper is a review of my undertaking PhD thesis which aims to find out "how social interactions might transform the meaning of urban public spaces". Framed within a qualitative approach, the research involves a multiple case study of a number of urban public spaces in Iran (Tehran) and Australia (Melbourne). This provides insights into similarities and differences of urban public spaces in various social context.
... As the scenery of the public life, these places are of prime significance in various fields of study in urbanism and the history of city planning [1,2]. Various types of public spaces are significant elements of any habitable, sustainable urban development [3][4][5]. The concept of a public space raises different functions of outdoor public assembly spots [6,7] and neighboring spaces between buildings [8,9]. ...
The purpose of this study is to derive the subjective perception about COVID-19 of public space employees and to identify the characteristics of COVID-19 related issues. By using the Q-method, 24 workers in four public spaces located in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA were selected as P-Sample and Q-Sorting was conducted. Three types of perceptions were identified; Type 1 (Expansion of Non-Face-To-Face Service), Type 2 (Expansion of Professional Labor), and Type 3 (Expansion of Welfare Service Type). All three types recognized that when a confirmed case occurs in a public space, the right and safety of users or communities to know is important, and accurate information must be provided, because it is necessary to prevent the spread of infection. Above all, these results show another side of the COVID-19 situation, as the participants in this study are currently in charge of various tasks such as quarantine and service provision in public spaces. This study can be used as basic data for policy response and system improvement of public spaces in the event of an infectious disease such as COVID-19 in the future.
... This helps to sustain the humanization of the society through gathering, lingering, wandering through and engaging together into various human activities and can make significant contributions to the cultural development of communities. Public square play a major role as a catalyst for social change and provide a place for gathering different community groups (Hajjari, 2009;1998). A public space is an urban form that draws people together for passive enjoyment (Jackson JB, 1994). ...
In a time of rapid development and urbanization, many cities are threatened with an irreversible transformation of their form and character and perhaps in turn, with loss of identity especially public squares in urban areas. In Malaysia, most prominent public squares are located at the town centers and they in addition, happen to be in the historic areas which were designated by the local authority. Medan Bandar in Alor Setar, Kedah is one of the examples of an urban square which has a vibrant image, but getting to lose their function in meeting people's needs towards the places. However, being the vibrant square as it is, Medan Bandar also had undergone to a certain extent a transformation. The transformation has changed the overall look of Medan Bandar to make it completely unfamiliar. With all the changes and transformations, the issue now is whether image, identity and function of Medan Bandar Alor Setar can withstand the process of change and transformation but need to remain the character of Malay Royal town itself. Medan Bandar in Alor Setar is not fully utilized as a meeting and gathering space. Public open spaces have to succumbed to a new projects, which this results in the loss of their social and cultural functions. In fact, the loss of public open spaces in the city centers stigmatizes place identity and characters of the city that negatively affects people's. In light of all mentioned above, issues concerning about the public square and the current studies mainly objective to investigate the design factors of public square in a Malay Royal town that is not attractive to the public and to propose design public square in Malay Royal town.
... Public spaces play a major role as a catalyst for social change and provide a place for gathering different community groups (Hajjari, 2009;1998). Public space is the space we share with strangers, who are not our relatives, friends or colleagues, is the space for politics, religion, commerce, sports, space for peaceful coexistence and impersonal encounter. ...
This article reviews extant literature in the field of the effective use of public square.This review has been undertaken with a specific focus on understanding the meaning of ""effective use"" and the factors that work towards effect use in perspective of square. Starting with a historical overview that provides genesis of this thought, the review moves into analysis of current definitions of ""effective use"". After providing a thorough picture of effective use, the article deals with physical factors. At various points in the article and at the end, future research directions that follow the relevant sections are discussed as propositions.
... However exploring the soundscape was one factor in the walks with the teenagers. Discourses on agency often occur within research on the structure and design of urban planning, the use of and design of places are often negotiated between different agents who hope to achieve in general some economic goal alongside the construction of social structures (Amin and Thrift 2002;MacLaran 2003;Zukin 1992;Hajjari 2009). Although some projects, such as the H.A.R.P plan, were seen to actively engage with the community, I wanted through the soundwalks to see if a process of public dialogue had created a space for teenagers. ...
This paper explores the voice of teenagers in the experience of sound within the urban landscape. It focuses on the methodological approach adopted by the researcher in examining the phenomenological experience of sound. The methods used in this project were influenced by previous research within the arts, music and acoustic ecology, as well as traditional qualitative sociological methods. The area chosen for the research was a space, which has undergone significant redevelopment in an attempt to rejuvenate it, both economically and socially. In exploring this space, which many argue has failed in both design and social inclusion, I wished to have the voices of teenagers, formerly under represented in discourse on urban design, heard. I wanted to highlight how sound can impact on teenagers use of and relationship to, space primarily because they have to adapt to spaces created around them.
The public open spaces are the inevitable part of the cities. These spaces act as a focal point which reflects the culture and the pubic life. There are in-numerous cities which are known for their public life while many are still struggling to satisfy their users need. This difference could be due the local significance and the context of the city. Therefore, the research paper will identify the factors of public open space in Indian context. The research paper has employed qualitative as well as quantitative methodology which is performed through literature review followed by questionnaire survey. Three different Public open spaces of New Delhi, India including New Friends colony, Saket, Nehru Place has been taken as site study over which questionnaire survey has been performed. The questionnaire design is based on the ‘Likert scale’ ranging from 1 to 5 i.e. from ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’. The factors have been derived through literature review which is further analysed through questionnaire results. Each factor is divided into different construct having three to four questions which is analysed through Cronbach’s alpha in order to evaluate the authenticity of response by users. Further, exploratory factor analysis using IBM SPSS software has been employed to explore the factors of Public open space in Indian context. The factors are further confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis using Amos software. The research findings shows the significant factors namely, access and linkages, uses and activities, urban elements/Amenities, visual image and identity, maintenance and management and microclimate are the major factors of public open spaces in India.
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