Place Identity

The concept of sustainability is encouraged to preserve natural resources, social values, cultural heritage, and economic capital, which already exist to make available them for the next generations. Moreover, to enhance the level of sustainability in communities, numerous scholars indicated both individual and community identities play a crucial role. Sustainability is attainable and successful if there are compatibility and balance among cultural diversity, social justice, environmental responsibility, and economic equality as well as be able to attract people and appeared in their values and behaviors. Due to the critical role of social identity for improving the capacity of the people by changing their values and behaviors, it can be argued that social identity plays a vital role to achieve and support the concept of sustainability. Besides, place identity is linked to meanings and perceptions held by the people concerning their environment. Thus, the effect of social and place identities to achieve sustainable city has been identified as one of the urban design issues for contemporary cities. In this regard, the main aim is how social and place identities can contribute to promoting sustainability approaches and behavior in communities. The methodology of this study is an integrative literature review based on existing documents and studies. As a result, the research would convey to understanding the dynamic role of social and place identities for enhancing the level of sustainability in urban communities.

The purpose of this study is to exامینe the effects of place identity on the sustainable development of urban spaces. Thus, the components of place identity, emotional attachment, place attachment and social bonding have been measured in three dimensions of (cognitive) the place identity, (affective) emotional attachment and (behavioral) place attachment and social bond. To measure sustainable development, three components of sustainable development, including society, economy, and environment has been considered. The current survey is a descriptive survey. The assessment instrument was the standard questionnaire of Safarnia which has been used to measure the variable of place identity and to measure the variable of sustainable development, a questionnaire has been made by the researcher and has been based on the combined theoretical framework. The statistical population of this research has been the inhabitants of Shiraz city and Hafeziyeh aera. SPSS22 software has been used to analyze the data and exامینed the results of both descriptive and inferential statistics. In inferential statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient has been used to exامینe the hypotheses. In this study, the variable of place identity is high and sustainable development is also in a high level. These results suggest the positive effects of place identity on the sustainable development.

Through the lens of spatial studies expounded in human geography, this paper aims to investigate the dynamics of space and place in the metropolitan context of two twentieth-century novels set in contemporary Sydney titled Indelible Ink (2010) by Fiona McGregor and Five Bells (2011) by Gail Jones. The characters' interactions with city spaces and places will be studied to examine the effects of spatial experience on their lives. Inter-related notions of sense of place, place identity, and topophilia are analyzed in the light of theories expounded by thinkers including Yi-Fu Tuan and John Agnew. This is complemented by an examination of the impacts of landmarks as iconic public spaces on the characters employing ideas put forth by Christophe Den Tandt. One of the conclusions the paper reaches is that characters of both novels fail to establish or maintain stable bonds with places of their dwelling and cityspaces, as a result of which, their sense of place as well as their inner peace and security are disturbed. When place identity is undermined, they suffer from a sense of dislocatedness and placelessness.

Today, places play a significant role in shaping individuals' identities. However, due to phenomena such as urbanization and urban development, places are often under threat and may lose their true meaning. The role of neighborhoods as elements that strengthen and preserve the sense of place identity among citizens is undeniable. As such, this study aims to explore the perceptions of residents and tourists regarding urban heritage identity and the old neighborhoods of Tehran to determine whether these neighborhoods still successfully create a sense of place identity among their inhabitants. The purpose of this research is to identify the aspects of continuity in urban heritage identity in Tehran's old neighborhoods, with an emphasis on the perceptions of tourists and residents. This research is practical and descriptive-analytical. Data and information were collected using library resources, field studies, and questionnaires. The study population includes tourism and cultural heritage experts, tourism officials, as well as residents and tourists who have visited the old fabric of Tehran. To test the hypotheses, a 21-item questionnaire was prepared and distributed among 188 residents and 245 tourists of the neighborhoods, selected through convenience sampling. The findings revealed six components—familiarity and attachment, nostalgia and memories, architecture, security, values, and vibrancy—that can be considered as the components of continuity in urban heritage identity. Furthermore, the findings indicated that residents and tourists have a relatively favorable perception of the components of continuity in urban heritage identity in the studied areas.

The transformation of urban living patterns and the decline of social interactions in contemporary urban spaces have heightened the urgent need to reassess the role of formal structure in creating meaning and strengthening place identity. This study aims to explore how the components of formal structure contribute to enhancing the significance of social interactions that stem from place identity. The importance of this research lies in recognizing that formal structure, beyond its physical dimension, holds perceptual, cultural, and behavior-oriented potentials for generating meaning, shared experiences, and collective memory. Employing a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative) with a descriptive-analytical framework, data were collected through field studies, technical surveys, and analyzed statistically using SPSS software. The historic Qazvin Bazaar, with its rich historical and social identity, was selected as the representative case study. The findings reveal that seven dimensions of formal structure—centrality, functionality, movement, visual and sightlines, physical form, spatial connections, and spirituality—significantly influence social interactions and the overall sense of belonging to place. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the interrelation between physical form, spatial legibility, and perceptual experience provides a fertile and dynamic ground for the reproduction of collective memory. In this respect, historic spaces such as the Qazvin Bazaar are capable of sustaining cultural values while simultaneously playing a more active role in strengthening and revitalizing social interactions. Consequently, attention to the qualitative and multidimensional aspects of formal structure should be regarded as a fundamental strategy for future urban planning and design, positioning it as a key factor in enhancing place identity and ensuring the long-term sustainability and vitality of urban life.