Journal of Iranian Architecture & Urbanism(JIAU)

Abstract Extended Abstract Background and Objectives: Commercial services play a significant role in the daily lives of neighborhood residents. However, when we look at the city of Tehran’s development plans regarding local services, they primarily focus on services directly provided by public and government institutions. This has led to an uneven distribution of commercial services in various neighborhoods. As a result, it becomes essential for the municipal authorities to intervene in the distribution and accessibility of neighborhood commercial services. Thus, this research aims to develop a strategic plan for the appropriate distribution and allocation of commercial services within neighborhoods.
Methods: This research, considered an applied research, adopts a mixed-method approach, with a qualitative emphasis. It incorporates various data collection methods, including documentary research, secondary data analysis, non-participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and questionnaires. Data analysis encompasses statistical analysis, qualitative content analysis, and comparative analysis. In order to formulate a strategic plan for the spatial distribution of neighborhood services in Tehran, various aspects affecting the access to neighborhood services have been examined through the bibliographic review of global experiences. In addition, the models for evaluating the pedestrian access to neighborhood services have also been reviewed so that the model suitable for the context of Tehran’s neighborhoods is formulated as a model for measuring pedestrian access to services. After developing the relevant conceptual framework, this framework was used to identify neighborhood commercial services and ways of accessing these services in the selected neighborhoods. In addition to this investigation, the current state of access to neighborhood services, the causes of the formation of services in the current situation of neighborhoods and the needs, demand, patterns and tendencies of the people in using services were identified, and the pathology of the distribution of neighborhood services in the sample neighborhoods was made. This pathology, which led to the classification of problems in the field of distribution of neighborhood services, became the basis for developing a strategic plan for the appropriate spatial distribution of neighborhood commercial services in Tehran.
Findings: In order to formulate a strategic plan for the spatial distribution of neighborhood services in Tehran, various aspects affecting the access to neighborhood services have been examined through the bibliographic review of global experiences. In addition, the models for evaluating the pedestrian access to neighborhood services have also been reviewed, adapting them to suit the unique context of Tehran’s neighborhoods, thus creating a suitable model for measuring pedestrian access to services. After developing the relevant conceptual framework, this framework was used to identify neighborhood commercial services and ways of accessing these services in the selected neighborhoods. In addition to this investigation, the current state of access to neighborhood services, the causes of the formation of services in the current situation of neighborhoods and the needs, demand, patterns and tendencies of the people in using services were identified, and an assessment and pathology of the distribution of neighborhood services within the chosen neighborhoods was conducted. This pathology, which led to the classification of problems in the field of distribution of neighborhood services, paved the way for developing a strategic plan for the appropriate spatial distribution of neighborhood commercial services in Tehran.
Conclusion: The study results show that improving the distribution of pedestrian-based neighborhood services requires formulation and implementation of short-term, medium-term and long-term programs. In the short term, it is necessary to approve and communicate guidelines in relation to the distribution of neighborhood commercial services, access to neighborhood commercial services and needs assessment of neighborhood commercial services in the neighborhood development plan of the city of Tehran, respectively, under the detailed plan of the city of Tehran, the comprehensive plan of integrated transportation of the city of Tehran and the regulations of the neighborhood development plan of Tehran. In order to operationalize the mechanisms related to the promotion of smart access to neighborhood services, it is also necessary to revise the guidelines of Tehran Municipality for the support of startups based on the proposals of this project in the short term. Considering that currently the municipality has no intervention in the process of issuing licenses to commercial services, medium-term plans and measures to promote the distribution of neighborhood services based on the definition of the position of the municipality in the process of distributing neighborhood services (through the issuance of licenses for space acquisition or provision) is considered. In this regard, three scenarios have been proposed. In the first scenario, Tehran Municipality can be added to the process of issuing a business license as one of the permanent authorities for issuing a business license. In other words, the request to set up a commercial business in the neighborhood must be approved by the municipality. In the second scenario, it is not necessary to get an approval from the municipality of the region, but if the license applicants receive documents from the municipality indicating the need for the relevant services, they will be subject to a discount in the four municipal services. In other words, receiving approval from the municipality to obtain a business license will result in taking advantage of the municipality’s incentives. The operationalization of the first and second the scenario requires the revision of the executive regulations on the manner of issuing and extending the business license (the subject of Article “12” of the Trade Union Law) in the medium term. In the third scenario, the municipality does not interfere in issuing a license for local commercial activities. In this particular scenario, the municipality is actively involved in supplying the necessary space for setting up local commercial services, such as fruit and vegetable markets and neighborhood stores. In the medium term, this scenario requires the revision of fruit and vegetable fields services in the statutes of the fruit and vegetable fields management organization of Tehran municipality and the local Shahrvand markets. Long-term plans and measures also rely on the change of the laws in order to grant the municipality the authority to issue business licenses.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Objective and Background: Flagship development projects can perform an effective role in enhancing the environmental quality of urban spaces and present the foundation for strengthening the economic, identity, and social aspects of such spaces. Evaluating infrastructure projects and discovering desirability, suitability, and considering determinants such as space exploitation practices are some of the points that should be addressed in defining a pleasing urban space. Citizens’ content with infrastructure projects related to the environmental qualities of urban space relies on understanding the level of response to the user’s demands, the assessment of which is the objective of this study. Research related to the influence of infrastructure flagship development projects and comparative comparison of urban space environmental qualities before and after the project is quite limited from the inhabitants’ point of view. Hence, this essay intends to provide answers to promote environmental quality in this area by comparing the impacts of the underpass construction project on citizens’ perception of environmental quality elements in the Zandieh complex span.
Research on flagship development project has focused more on the introduction and analysis of the chief affecting variables, as well as the ones influencing the success of such projects and the satisfaction of residents with the results of their implementation. To date, however, there has been little independent research on comparative analysis of how citizens understand the environmental qualities of urban spaces affected by them in the two periods: before and after a development stimulus project. This matter is the principal goal of this study, and in fact, it is a novel aspect and innovation of this research. Another foremost objective of this investigation is the comparative analysis of citizens’ perceptions of the environmental qualities of urban spaces in the two periods before and after the development of a development project. In fact, this study seeks to answer the question, “Has the perception of citizens of the elements of environmental quality of Zandieh complex as a significant urban space in Shiraz altered after the construction of an underpass on Karim Khan Zand Street?”
Methods: In this study, the underpass construction project of Karim Khan Zand Street in Shiraz and the urban spaces carried out in the area of Zandieh Historical Monuments Complex (Bazaar-e-Vakil, Arg-e-Karim Khan, and Bagh-e-Nazar) are selected as case studies. In this study, descriptive-analytical and survey methodologies are adopted. The statistical population of this research involved all businessmen, employees, and citizens over the age of 18 who continuously used the urban spaces within the extent of the underpass project constructed. Because of the ambiguity of the exact number of the statistical population, the sample size of the sample group was 384, and the sample size was calculated using Cochran’s formula. Environmental components, namely access, security, legibility, identity, attractiveness, adaptability, social interaction, and economic efficiency are presented in the form of four dimensions: functional, perceptual, aesthetic, and environmental, to progress the study. Moreover, citizens’ perceptions of the status of each of these elements in two periods, before and after the construction of the project, are studied and analyzed using the questioning technique. The Wilcoxon nonparametric test was adopted to compare items related to each quality before and after the project.
Findings: According to the respondents, the findings of this test confirm that the most difficult problem is the environmental quality of access with an average of 1.78. At the same time, the environmental qualities of legibility and economic efficiency, with an average of 1.87, are next. While environmental qualities of security, interaction, and sustainability are relatively improved. The average score of each item in all nine environmental qualities is less than 30, which is the average. This matter means that the respondents are unsatisfied with the current situation in all aspects. The repeated measurement test results and the T-test with Bonferroni generalization reveal that the access situation is not significantly different from the environmental qualities of legibility, adaptability, and economic efficiency. But it differs significantly from other dimensions and is less than all of them. The environmental quality of legibility with an average score of 1.87 does not significantly differ from the dimensions of access, identity, adaptability, attractiveness, and economic status. But it significantly differs with environmental quality, sustainability, security, and interaction, and has a worse situation than all of them. Environmental quality of security with an average score of 2.33, which has the best situation among the studied environmental qualities, significantly differs from the environmental qualities of access, adaptability, and economy. The environmental quality of identity with an average score of 0.27 is significantly different only from the environmental quality of access and has a better position. The environmental quality of the interaction with an average score of 2.26 is significantly different from the environmental, accessibility, and economic environmental qualities and has a better position than these three environmental qualities. The environmental quality of sustainability with an average score of 2.24 differs significantly from access, legibility, and economic environmental qualities and has a better position than them. The environmental quality of compliance with an average score of 2.02 is not significantly different from any other environmental quality. The environmental quality of attractiveness, with an average of 2.18 differs significantly only from the environmental quality of access and is better positioned. Eventually, the environmental quality of economic efficiency with an average score of 1.87 differs significantly from the environmental qualities of security, interaction, and sustainability.
Conclusion: According to the respondents, the findings of this test confirm that the most affected component is the environmental quality of access, with an average of 1.78. The environmental qualities of legibility and economic efficiency, with an average of 1.87, are next. Furthermore, in this study, solutions have been suggested to increase the environmental qualities of urban spaces that are related to flagship development projects.

Abstract City entrance is among the most significant city spaces that can have a constructive role in promoting and reinforcing the position of entrances and other elements relating to it, by connecting the outer environment with the main city structure. The present research seeks to study and evaluate the most important performance components affecting the provision and reinforcement of the link between city space and the environment and points of entry of cities. This study uses survey research method and the required data are gathered through the distribution of a questionnaire as the instrument among 200 citizens and passengers above 18 years in the quintuple entrances of Dezfoul city. The sampling method of this research is systematic random sampling. Pearsonand Spearmancorrelation coefficient, KMO and Bartlett's test and Factor Analysis are used in the statistical analysis. The reliability of the questionnaire is calculated using Cronbach's alpha. The results of the used tests reveal that by implementing city design components, an appropriate link can be created between inner city space and its entry spaces. Moreover, the most significant performance components influencing the promotion of the points of entry of cities in descending order of importance include good accessibility, readability, permeability, flexibility, transformability, conductivity, security and receptivity.