Architecture and Urban Development (IJAUD)

This paper exامینes the structure and form of the Alley spaces in Kampala Central Business District, with purpose to exامینe their uses, and the potential for urban renewal. The study employed multiple methodological approaches and procedures including document review, case study approaches and analysis and deduction of empirical findings, and explanation building. The study findings reveal that alleys in Kampala’s CBD are significant outdoor spaces of linear nature, each with a distinct identity with respect to location, size and quality initially designated for municipal service infrastructure but now taken over by the informal commercial enterprise that sees value of these spaces and from them harnesses a means of survival, henceforth defining their character and quality. The paper concludes that the users most often focus on subspaces of activity concentrations without necessarily noticing the configuration of the whole space. For effective urban renewal to take place and for the alley to perform effectively, it should be perceived not only as a space for movement but also a place of social interaction of a diverse urban population.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the bazaars and shopping centers as public spaces. Given the weakness of public places and consequently the weakness of social interactions, today’s societies are in dire need of social spaces to increase social interactions. Therefore, the review of these two as then and now’s urban spaces could help solve some problems. Bazaars are among the oldest Iranian urban spaces, which are deemed to be the palpitating heart of the Iranian cities, playing different social, economic, and other roles. Shopping centers are adopted from the 20th Century’s models and are considered as an appropriate alternative for Bazaars for the modern human of the 21st Century. Descriptive-Analytical research method is of the case study model, and Space Syntax Software was used for collection of data by library method and analysis. The results show that shopping centers cannot be appropriate alternatives for Bazaars and can be considered as centers for meeting economic needs. Therefore, these centers could not be considered as appropriate collective spaces and as appropriate places for meeting social and recreational needs.

Malay home surroundings is varies in plants pattern as well as a variety of size. The plants species cultivated own their particular reasons. Malay house environment is so harmony with humans, Mother Nature also culture relationship has visualise a unique environmental design. In this accomplishing research, it will provide an understanding of plants adoption of Malay house environment. Environment factor and socio-culture dominates planting pattern of Malay house environment. The cultivated plant species purpose is not only for beautifying the view only but also involve food, medicine, cosmetic, belief and also aesthetic values factor. This research use Paine and Taylor approach that emphasize four factors of nature, culture, view and meaning to obtain wider range of vision from informants in this field to provide a wider point of understanding in comprehending plants adoption pattern. The environment of Malay society life is much near with Mother Nature has influence plants landscape pattern at their home yard/ lawn. The plants selection planted were much influenced with Malay society’s lifestyle.

Pedestrian areas are a type of urban public space, nowadays because of the serious consequences of car-dependency and ignoring pedestrian needs, a consensus on the importance of walking and the necessity for planning for pedestrians movement has been formed among urban designers, planners and people. The concerns about human health and movement in city create a new trend in contemporary urbanism, entitled “pedestrianization movement”. So far, walking in the streets has been defined under the influence of cars and they have always been given a priority over pedestrians. As a result, cars gradually conquer urban spaces, retreat pedestrians from their essential rights to use public spaces. If it is accepted that the quality of urban public areas has a considerable influence on citizens’ everyday social activities, this influence can be seen much greater in car free zones than anywhere else in the city. The main attention of the present study is enhancing social interactions in urban spaces, so the main purpose of the study is finding solutions and providing a model and design criteria to promote social interaction of citizens. The research methodology is qualitative which is based on reviewing literature of pedestrian areas and social interactions. The case of study is Khajoo Neighborhood, one of the oldest and historical neighbors of Isfahan1. The result shows that design of pedestrian zones invite people and residents to spend their time in urban space and have social interactions.

Urban landscapes form the main parts of the city. One of these spaces is urban streets, in which social interactions and urban vitality reach its maximum quality and quantity. One of the principles and properties of urban landscape design is its intelligibility. A viewer who takes a look at an intelligible city and knows it can attract new emotional manifestations of city without damaging its original image. Orientation is also very easy for the viewer and he completely knows the environment he lives in. numerous characteristics influence the legibility of urban landscapes. The current research, which is a descriptive- analytic study, is designed to identify the factors influencing legibility of urban landscape and citizen participation as the main bases of visual preference technique. First we begin with concepts, ideas and attitudes of experts inside and outside the country about “landscape, legibility, urban streets” and identification of visual preference technique by investigating some foreign examples is done by collecting principles and characteristics to coordinate the components of city even more. Finally, considering the citizens (residents and non-residents) participation based on surveys and evaluations that have always carried thoughts and ideas about the environment, it was clarified that in different age groups, no fear should be held for the development of this technique. However, considering the new ideas of citizens, criteria are proposed to create and reinforce legible landscapes for the streets and urban landscapes.

Examining the planning of cemeteries in the urbanism system of Iran does not show a good condition. In fact, cemeteries in the most Persian cities have become large-scale open spaces outside the city. This could cause irreparable damage to the cities because of the partial and/or improper use of the capacity of urban lands. Along with this, historical cemeteries within the cities have been abandoned. However, it seems that urban space with function of the cemetery has a specific sociocultural potential. Cemeteries can be very effective elements in the symbolic network of the city. As a result, it is also an essential element which must be associated with the structure and organisation of the city and the neighbourhoods, not as a waste and marginal element. In addition, exامینing this symbolic space achieve a symbolic dialogue which will result in exploring the beliefs, emotions, dreams, and imaginations of ancestors which means these urban areas need a specific attention. This paper, by using descriptive-analytical research method, attempts to explain sociocultural functions of cemeteries as an urban space, and to scrutinise its pathology through reviewing its position in the urban plans in Iran. In the following, via an emphasis on the sociocultural role of the cemetery, a series of strategies will be expressed for promoting its position within cities.

Housing can be considered as one of the most important needs of each family and the provision of suitable housing for people has always been considered as one of the indicators of progress in any country. Because of the specific attitude to the issue of housing in Iran, in other words, turning it into an investment, the major part of the households' income has been accounted for housing. Given the importance of the matter, housing in Iran is affected by factors that often are considered as markers to assess the recession or boom in this sector. Among these factors, sociocultural, economic, and demographic indicators can be noted that play a very important role in the formation of housing patterns and are considered a basis to assess mutual impressions of each of the above factors in this sector. This paper is aimed to exامینe how each of the economic, cultural, social, and demographic indicators has effect on the current housing situation in Iran. This paper attempts to analyze independent and interactive effects of each of the indicators on the housing sector by the method of content analysis and library and then continues to find ways to improve what is seen in the housing typology. The results suggest that changes in cultural indicators have the most profound impact on housing typology in long-term period, while changes in economic factors affecting the housing pattern is very transient, superficial, and short-term.

Squares as urban spaces are the arena for people formed by physical proportions and variety of functions such as religious, commercial, cultural, etc. Shohada square as a focal point in Mashhad , is one of the main arteries of access to Holly shrine of Imam رضا and makes access to utilities and major axes . According to the former urban pattern and its position in the traditional context of surrounding neighborhoods, access to the Holy shrine plays the memorial and historical role, that presents a very important position of the square. This paper clearly states that Esfahan school characteristics such as unity, diversity and balance, are an appropriate pattern for design and evaluation of urban spaces that can be used for reconstruction of old squares on historical context. The results showed that this pattern does not comply fully with Shohada square and modern architecture is visible in it. Also, serious damage has struck to the identity of the Shohada square by physical transformation with absolutely modern pattern after neglect of strong position of relation between رضوی shrine and Shohada square and religious traditional context and history. Egregious physical duality of new