Comparative Survey of Environment Quality in Urban Neighborhoods Using Sustainable Development Approach (Case Study: Khiaban and Elgoli, Two Neighborhoods in Tabriz)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 M.A. in Urban Planning, University of Arts

2 Assistant Prof., University of Arts

Abstract

Each City as a dynamic and alive organic, in order to attainment health and survival for residents, needs to have a good quality urban environment. In fact, this property means everything that leads to improving people’s quality of life and their relationship with city. Nowadays, Iranian cities in terms of quality of life face with a variety of problems of economic, social, physical, governance, infrastructural and environmental issues that related directly with urban environment quality. The most important problem in this issue is the significant differences between various spaces in urban neighborhoods. Unfortunately there is no comprehensive study for identifying the indicators of environmental quality for assuming the difference of manmade places. This problem can cause a gradual decline at quality of life and environment. Continuing consequence of this issue can lead to decrement of human excellence which is the most important requirement for sustainability of present and future generations. There fore, among the main goals of this research is Such as explanation the urban quality factors as well as surveying the differences between organic and planned communities in orders of this features. Therefore, for achieving the Mentioned goal, Khiaban and Elgoli neighborhoods were selected as organic and planned communities in Tabriz. This Research is based on two hypotheses. The first Hypothesis examines that physical- spatial and factors environmental are better quality in planned neighborhoods, against the organic community have upper quality related to socio-cultural criteria. Theoretical framework and factors affecting the quality of environment in this thesis are extracted through Lynch, Appleyard, and Nasar ones. Appraisal model of sustainable urban environmental quality is creative in five main modules: physical–spatial, social–cultural, economic, and environmental and governance – management. This model is a form of hierarchy structure with ‘top-down’ approach that is called a “value tree” .The main methodology of this research is descriptive-analytical approach and AHP method ()hierarchy process)( is applied for analyzing the data. For collecting the necessary information field observation, expert interviews and questionnaire are used. The most interview respondents are consisting of each neighborhood residential. The findings and the showed that any of the organic and planned neighborhoods in the different urban contexts have difference qualities about indicators of urban environmental quality. As a consequence, the authors found that, Elgoli planned neighborhood with 0.656 point is more qualified than organic Khiaban community with 0.344 point. The factors such as physical, spatial, environmental ones have better position in Elgoli neighborhood while socio-cultural and economical criteria are better in Khiaban neighborhood. The main determinant of environmental quality in Elgoli neighborhood is the objective and functional indicators. Dwelling quality, accessibility quality and function, activities quality can better define this neighborhood quality. Adherence to traditions, Top social interactions, Efforts to achieve justice and Poverty reduction class Causes Improving the quality of social and cultural factors in Khiaban neighborhood. Governance factor are alike in both neighborhoods. In total, counting the five values and priorities of the main components environmental quality, Tabriz Elgoly neighborhood as a planned Environment is confirmed than Khiaban neighborhood as an organic urban context. The desirability of 80% of residents also want them to live in planned neighborhoods are confirmed.

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