Journal of Iranian Architecture & Urbanism(JIAU)

Abstract Outdoor thermal comfort in residential neighborhoods plays a key role in enhancing the well-being of residents and pedestrians. This factor is heavily influenced by urban design features, particularly the form and shape of building blocks, which affect parameters like solar radiation, wind patterns, and air circulation, ultimately altering thermal comfort indices. This study investigates the impact of building block forms and edge shapes on outdoor thermal comfort in an urban neighborhood in Sabzevar. Three distinct block forms were generated through variations in the building’s volume, such as protrusions and recessions. Using the ENVI-met software Version 4.4.5, the climatic parameters and thermal comfort indices were evaluated. This software is one of the most widely used tools for simulating climatic conditions and thermal comfort in open spaces, which is a powerful tool for simulating microclimates and evaluating thermal comfort in open spaces. This software allows urban researchers and designers to examine the various effects of urban design, vegetation and environmental features on climatic conditions and thermal comfort. Comparing UTCI and PET indices, the results revealed that Block 2, with a central protruding volume and the separation of the courtyard into northern and southern sections, showed the highest thermal comfort levels. In the summer solstice, the UTCI and PET values were 38.90°C and 46.65°C, respectively, while in the winter solstice, they were -19.10°C and -4.02°C. Block 2 provided the closest thermal comfort to the acceptable range compared to the other forms. These findings offer valuable insights for architects and urban planners, who can optimize the design of residential blocks in similar climates to enhance outdoor thermal comfort.

Abstract Urban public spaces play a significant role in meeting human needs and enhancing social interactions. These spaces serve as primary settings for urban events and gatherings of diverse social groups. However, many public spaces suffer from shortcomings that hinder their attractiveness and functionality, resulting in low levels of user presence. To better understand these deficiencies and propose effective strategies to enhance vitality and increase public presence, it is essential to study changes in human activities over different time periods. This research focuses on the forecourt of the Karim Khan Citadel (Arg-e Karimkhani) in Shiraz as a case study. The study aims to investigate the impact of public events on changes in human activities within this urban space, through a comparative analysis of conditions during the Nowruz festival and the post-event period. Adopting a field-based, descriptive-analytical approach, the research seeks to answer how human activities are transformed during and after an event, and which spatial features influence these changes. To build the theoretical framework, a literature review was conducted using documentary methods, and five key variables were selected: activity patterns, activity nodes, types of activity, duration of presence, and movement paths. In the methodological phase, the hypothesis was tested through Jan Gehl’s behavioral mapping techniques such as tracking, tracing, note-taking, and direct observation in two timeframes—during and after the event. By analyzing the collected data with a focus on the selected variables, the study attempts to logically interpret the dynamics of human activity associated with the presence or absence of events. The findings reveal that cultural and social events significantly increase the vibrancy, diversity, and density of collective activities in the space, particularly encouraging the participation of women and children. However, once the events conclude, these indicators visibly decline. Moreover, spatial design, environmental conditions, and temporary design elements play a critical role in shaping the quality and duration of user presence. Based on the results, the study recommends the regular organization of public events along with improvements in the environmental quality of the forecourt space, to enhance its liveliness and social effectiveness as an urban public space.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), children have the right to express their views about their living environment. They are also entitled to fundamental rights such as access to essential services, participation in decision-making, play, independent mobility and social interaction with friends, and access to safe, green, and accessible spaces within urban neighborhoods. In line with these principles, the concept of the child-friendly city and child-friendly urban spaces has become an important research topic in urban planning over the past three decades. Although extensive research has emphasized the importance and necessity of designing and implementing child-friendly urban spaces, their realization—particularly in developing countries such as Iran—remains limited.
One approach that has the potential to bridge the gap between research and practice in small-scale urban projects while maximizing public participation is tactical urbanism. Recognized as an emerging movement in urban planning, tactical urbanism promotes spontaneous, participatory, and community-led interventions in urban spaces. By emphasizing low-cost, short-term, and high-impact projects, this approach seeks to improve the quality of urban environments through the direct involvement of local communities.
This study aims to examine the application of tactical urbanism in the creation of child-friendly urban spaces and to develop a procedural and content-based framework for facilitating urban design with children through the tactical urbanism approach.
Methods: This applied study adopts a qualitative research strategy to examine the application of tactical urbanism in the creation of child-friendly urban spaces. Within this framework, an appropriate case study was selected, and data were collected from a focus group of 15 children living in the Sang-e Siah neighborhood, located in the historic fabric of Shiraz. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling in response to a public call issued by a local non-governmental organization (NGO) actively working in the neighborhood.
The focus group was facilitated by the researchers and conducted over three sessions comprising four stages, held at one-week intervals in the Moshir Mosque, located in the Sang-e Siah neighborhood of Shiraz. Following the tactical urbanism process, the initial stage focused on building empathy and trust among participants. Subsequently, data were collected through group discussions, children’s drawings, and written essays prepared by the participants.
The data obtained at each stage were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The findings were then categorized into five main themes: (1) characteristics of children’s preferred urban spaces; (2) children’s assessment of the current conditions of their neighborhood; (3) site selection by children for a child-friendly space within the neighborhood; (4) design development and scenario building for the selected site; and (5) the process of evaluating and selecting the preferred design alternative.
Findings: The findings of this study elucidate the tactical urbanism process for creating a child-friendly urban space. The results demonstrate that a thorough understanding of local characteristics and the specific context of project implementation plays a decisive role in informing decisions related to tactical urbanism interventions.
From a substantive perspective, the findings provide valuable insights into the characteristics of child-friendly urban spaces as perceived by children themselves. They indicate that safety and security, greenery, the availability of appropriate play and recreational facilities, and the cleanliness and hygiene of public spaces are the attributes that children consider most important.
From a procedural perspective, the study presents a five-stage tactical urbanism process consisting of empathy, problem definition, ideation, project implementation, and testing. Furthermore, it explains how these stages correspond to the design process of creating a child-friendly urban space at the neighborhood scale, providing a practical procedural framework for participatory urban design with children.
Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that tactical urbanism provides an appropriate framework, both conceptually and procedurally, for implementing child-friendly urban projects. Beyond supporting the realization of the essential qualities of child-friendly urban spaces, this approach enables children—the primary users of these spaces—to actively participate in decision-making and implementation processes.
Furthermore, given the low-cost, rapid, and flexible nature of tactical urbanism interventions, their application is particularly valuable in developing countries such as Iran, where limited financial resources and lengthy bureaucratic procedures often hinder urban quality improvement projects. By requiring relatively modest investment and minimal administrative complexity, tactical urbanism projects can enhance public satisfaction with urban spaces and strengthen residents’ sense of place attachment and neighborhood identity.
The findings of this research provide an initial conceptual and procedural framework that can serve as a practical guide for community-based organizations, urban planners, urban designers, and policymakers involved in urban management. This framework can facilitate the planning and implementation of child-centered tactical urbanism projects in Iranian cities.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: In contemporary urban studies, everyday life serves as an indispensable foundation for critical reflection and plays a central role in the analysis of urban public space. From this perspective, public life is understood as the lived experiences of individuals and the tangible expression of their everyday practices, shaped in response to the operation of dominant social structures within a particular spatio-temporal and experiential context. This study investigates urban public space at the micro scale, aiming to identify the factors that influence women’s spatial practices. It examines how women actively engage with, negotiate, and shape urban space according to their intentions and motivations. These practices are interpreted through Certeau’s concept of the culture of consumption and Lefebvre’s theory of the social production of space.
Methods: Drawing on the critical paradigm in urban studies and grounded in the theoretical perspectives of key scholars, particularly Lefebvre, this study adopts an inductive and interpretive approach to examine everyday urban practices within micro-scale public spaces. The research employs a qualitative methodology, focusing on women’s everyday experiences as a significant and often underrepresented group of urban space users. The study investigates women’s lived experiences in a micro-scale public space-the Khajoo Bridge in Isfahan, Iran- using grounded theory to explore the complex interrelationship between time, space, and everyday life.
This research is cross-sectional in design. Grounded theory is employed to develop a theoretical framework that identifies and conceptualizes the relational factors shaping women’s spatial practices within the Khajoo Bridge environment. Data were collected from three complementary sources: (1) observational data, obtained through mobile (walk-along) observation, behavioral mapping, and participant observation conducted at different times and locations; (2) visual data, including photographs taken during fieldwork and relevant images obtained from news media and social media platforms; and (3) subjective data, collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews.
Behavioral observations were conducted systematically over two one-week periods during the spring and winter of 2019, supplemented by additional non-systematic observations carried out between 2017 and 2019. Participants were selected through purposive sampling and consisted of 11 women who had used the Khajoo Bridge regularly for at least two years. Data analysis followed the grounded theory procedure of open, axial, and selective coding, leading to the development of a theoretical-contextual model that explains the relationships among the identified categories.
The findings are based on the systematic analysis of field observations and interview data. Four complementary observational techniques were employed to analyze women’s practices: time–behavior analysis, place–behavior analysis, actor–behavior analysis (examining practices according to group membership), and tool–behavior analysis (examining the influence of technological devices and tools on behavior).
Findings: The study developed a grounded theoretical model of women’s spatial practices in urban public space. Analysis of the interview data generated approximately 700 propositions, which were coded into 56 concepts, 22 categories, and 12 core categories. The findings were integrated into a theoretical-contextual model comprising causal conditions, contextual conditions, intervening conditions, the central phenomenon, and consequences. The central phenomenon consists of the factors shaping women’s spatial practices at the Khajoo Bridge. These are grouped into four dimensions: antecedent conditions (worldview and political perspectives), contextual conditions (biogeographical and spatio-physical characteristics), causal conditions (gender, cultural, global, and institutional influences), and intervening conditions (social relations, tourism, and crises). Practice, as the core category, represents women’s strategies for appropriating public space through conforming and dissenting practices. Women’s practices generate both positive and negative outcomes. Positive effects include enhanced sociability for women and improved spatial management for formal institutions. Negative outcomes include social alienation, spatial camouflage, and the weakening of institutional control over public space. Field observations and rhythmanalysis identified two forms of women’s practices. Planned practices include livelihood and leisure activities that follow relatively stable patterns but vary according to male presence, weather conditions, and public surveillance. Spontaneous practices, such as participation in music performances, group games, gambling, and social media content creation, are more flexible and diverse, reflecting women’s ongoing negotiation of opportunities and constraints in public space.
Conclusion: This study develops a grounded model of women’s spatial practices at the Khajoo Bridge, demonstrating that their everyday activities are shaped by dominant ideological and institutional structures. Spatial restrictions encourage women to adopt creative tactics, enabling them to appropriate public space despite limited opportunities. Their practices are influenced by gendered norms, biocultural conditions, global trends, institutional frameworks, local customs, and artistic culture, while social relations, tourism, and situational contexts act as intervening factors. Women’s responses range from conformity to resistance, expressed through negotiation, compromise, conflict, and subversion. Four modes of spatial practice were identified: empathetic, creative, autonomous, and legitimacy-seeking. These are enacted through temporal, spatial, agential, and instrumental tactics. The consequences are twofold: for women, practices enhance sociability and spatial experience but also lead to concealment and temporary occupation; for formal institutions, they improve social control while simultaneously weakening official legitimacy and encouraging the informal appropriation of public space.

Abstract Extende Abstract
Background and Objectives: Pop art, as one of the major artistic movements associated with postmodernism, emerged in the mid-twentieth century with a particular focus on consumer culture, mass production, and mass media. By incorporating familiar symbols and imagery from everyday life, this artistic movement narrowed the gap between elite and popular art and contributed to the democratization of the artistic experience. Today, manifestations of pop art in urban spaces have become influential tools for redefining public spaces. Given that urban spaces constitute a primary setting for collective experience and social interaction, examining the relationship between pop art and urban art can reveal new dimensions of spatial identity, sense of belonging, and the role of media in the contemporary city. This study aims to analyze the influence of pop art as a reflection of postmodernism and consumer culture in urban spaces. Drawing on contemporary theoretical perspectives, particularly the ideas of Jean Baudrillard, the study examines selected examples of urban artworks that incorporate elements of pop art. The analysis focuses on the ways in which these works represent reality, employ simulation, and reflect the role of media in the production of meaning within urban environments.
Methods: This study employs a descriptive-analytical research method. Data were collected through library research, a review of theoretical literature, and qualitative analysis of the artworks. The study population comprises urban artworks associated with the Pop Art movement. Given the broad scope of this field, purposive sampling was employed to select and analyze four prominent works by leading artists of the movement. The selection criteria included the prominence of the artworks in urban spaces, their relationship with consumer culture, and the extent to which they represent key characteristics of postmodernism. The artworks were analyzed through the lens of postmodern critical theories, particularly Jean Baudrillard’s concept of simulation and his notion of the dissolution of the boundary between the authentic and the artificial.
Findings: The findings indicate that Pop Art, as a media-driven artistic movement, has played an active role in urban spaces by shaping new visual experiences, stimulating social interaction, and redefining the boundaries between art and everyday life. The analysis of works by Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, and Claes Oldenburg provides notable examples of this relationship. Jasper Johns’ Flag, through its simplified, two-dimensional representation of a national symbol, reflects Baudrillard’s concept of simulation in the context of urban art. The work not only offers a critique of symbols associated with nationalism but also challenges the boundary between meaning and image when encountered in public space. Claes Oldenburg, through his large-scale urban sculptures of everyday objects such as hamburgers and clothespins, presents both media-based and physical representations of consumerism in urban space. His Bottle of Notes similarly combines complex visual elements with enigmatic messages, inviting viewers to interact with the artwork. These works not only contribute to the aesthetic quality of urban spaces but also function as catalysts for social dialogue. Andy Warhol, through the repetition of iconic faces and consumer products such as soup cans and Coca-Cola bottles, dissolves the boundary between art and advertising. His works, particularly as reflected in street art, not only represent popular culture but also challenge consumerism through the logic and techniques of mass production. Warhol’s use of screen printing and repetition highlights concepts such as authenticity, reproduction, and meaninglessness in postmodern society. Across all the case studies examined, Pop Art in urban space demonstrates a function that extends beyond mere decoration, operating as a means of cultural critique, social representation, and the stimulation of public participation. By magnifying ordinary objects to monumental scales or repeating familiar consumer symbols, these artworks elevate the experience of urban space from the physical level to media-based and semantic dimensions.
Conclusion: The findings of the study indicate that Pop Art, in connection with urban art, has provided a suitable platform for the development of interactive, participatory, and meaningful spaces in contemporary cities. By dissolving the boundary between high art and popular art, this artistic movement has contributed to the democratization of art and strengthened citizens’ sense of belonging to public spaces. Pop Artworks in urban spaces serve not merely a decorative function but also act as tools for fostering dialogue, cultural critique, and the formation of urban identity. From an architectural and urban planning perspective, the application of Pop Art concepts and approaches can offer effective solutions for designing spaces characterized by identity crises, environmental coldness, and a lack of social interaction. Urban spaces that accommodate Pop Artworks not only become aesthetically richer but also provide a platform for public participation, meaning-making, and the formation of collective memory. In the context of contemporary Iranian cities, given the increasing prevalence of spaces lacking a distinct identity and the growing departure from vernacular architecture, the conscious incorporation of Pop Art elements into the design of public spaces can contribute to improving citizens’ lived experiences, strengthening urban identity, and enhancing social participation. This study therefore suggests that future urban design, particularly in newly developed or regenerated urban areas, should consider the potential of Pop Art and seek its effective integration with local culture.

Abstract Extended Abstract Background and Objectives: Pedestrian paths are essential components of urban public spaces, serving much more than just transit routes. They offer platforms for social interactions, recreational activities, and help foster a sense of connection and attachment to the urban environment. The quality of design and landscape elements in these spaces can significantly impact the mental health of city dwellers. The historical and cultural Chaharbagh-e-Abbasi Street in Isfahan, one of the most iconic pedestrian pathways and urban symbols, holds particular significance in this context. This research aims to model the interaction between the landscape elements of pedestrian paths and citizens’ mental health. It investigates how sensory, spatial, functional, socio-cultural, and environmental dimensions can contribute to stress reduction, enhance emotional resilience, and improve psychological well-being. Methods: This study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining both theoretical and empirical methodologies. The research sample consisted of 150 regular users of the pedestrian path, selected through random sampling. Data collection was carried out using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) to assess psychological well-being, and a researcher-designed questionnaire to evaluate perceptions of landscape elements. The data analysis employed Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using Smart PLS software to determine the relationships between the independent variables (landscape elements) and the dependent variable (mental health indicators). The landscape elements were categorized into five dimensions: sensory-experiential, spatial-dynamic, functional-supportive, social-cultural, and environmental-ecological, with each dimension encompassing specific criteria and observable variables. Findings: In this model, the path coefficients represent the intensity and direction of the influence between the latent variables (constructs). The path coefficient of 0.552 between the pedestrian path landscape and mental health indicates a direct, positive, and statistically significant impact, though moderate in strength. This suggests that the quality of pedestrian path landscape design positively influences the mental health of citizens. The highest path coefficient (0.853) is observed between the pedestrian path landscape and the functional-supportive dimension, highlighting its key role in the design and spatial organization of pedestrian environments. Other dimensions also show significant effects, including the socio-cultural dimension, with a path coefficient of 0.842, confirming its role in fostering social interactions and a sense of belonging. The spatial-dynamic dimension, with a path coefficient of 0.754, emphasizes the importance of spatial organization and accessibility in pedestrian path design. The sensory-experiential dimension, with a path coefficient of 0.724, reflects its essential role in shaping users’ psychological and emotional experiences. Finally, the environmental-ecological dimension, with a path coefficient of 0.704, underscores the importance of integrating environmental sustainability and natural elements into landscape design.
In the proposed model, the R² values indicate the proportion of variance explained by the independent variables for each construct. The R² value for mental health is 0.301, meaning that 30% of the variation in mental health can be explained by the landscape elements of pedestrian paths. The functional-supportive dimension has the highest R² value (0.875), reaffirming its crucial role in landscape design. Other dimensions also demonstrate substantial R² values, including the socio-cultural dimension (0.709), the spatial-dynamic dimension (0.668), the sensory-experiential dimension (0.524), and the environmental-ecological dimension (0.564), reinforcing their significance in shaping pedestrian path landscapes. Conclusion: Numerous studies have emphasized the impact of the built environment on individuals’ mental health, examining the relationship between landscape elements and urban settings through various indicators and analytical approaches. This research, through a literature review and expert consultation, classifies the key landscape elements affecting mental health in the Chaharbagh-e-Abbasi pedestrian path in Isfahan into five primary categories: sensory-experiential, spatial-dynamic, functional-supportive, socio-cultural, and environmental-ecological elements. The results indicate that functional-supportive, socio-cultural, and environmental-ecological factors significantly influence the quality of pedestrian path landscapes and act as key dimensions affecting users’ mental health. The strong relationship between the functional-supportive dimension and pedestrian path landscape quality highlights the necessity of improving functionality and support structures in pedestrian spaces to enhance user experience and psychological well-being.
Enhancing the spatial-dynamic, sensory-experiential, socio-cultural, and environmental-ecological dimensions, in order of priority, can be an effective step toward improving the pedestrian path landscape and the mental health of users. The findings of this research suggest that improving the landscape conditions of urban pedestrian paths should be regarded as a fundamental priority in urban planning and design policies. A comprehensive, user-centered approach to public space design can contribute not only to physical and mental well-being but also to strengthening social identity and interpersonal interactions. Such measures can play a crucial role in creating sustainable, livable, and health-oriented cities, providing urban policymakers and designers with practical tools to enhance the quality of public spaces.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: Behavioral science is a dynamic and evolving field shaped by the context of its broader environment. This evolution is marked by a bidirectional relationship involving a two-way interaction, where behavioral science both influences and is influenced by other scientific disciplines. Consequently, research in this field adopts various perspectives, tailored to factors such as age, gender, physical, and environmental conditions, depending on the study’s objectives. The diversity of perspectives results in a wide range of valid research methodologies, with each study employing distinct methods, tools, and approaches to meet its goals. However, despite this diversity, there is a notable lack of consistency and coherence in the methodological approaches used across behavioral science studies. This inconsistency affects multiple aspects of research, including data collection and analysis tools, methods, strategies, aims, and overarching paradigms. The outcome is a proliferation of varied research approaches that often lack alignment, leading to dissonance among different research components. This methodological inconsistency presents significant challenges, limiting researchers’ ability to effectively achieve their objectives. Given the inherent complexity of urban issues within behavioral and social sciences, there is a strong need for innovation throughout all stages of research. This need extends from the initial phases of problem formulation and the definition of objectives and hypotheses to the development of various theories. Achieving such innovation and ensuring research effectiveness in this field requires the creation of a systematic methodological framework. This study aims to address this critical gap by proposing a suitable methodological framework to improve the efficiency, coherence, and overall vision of research in behavioral sciences. To achieve this, the study utilizes a Meta-Method approach, reviewing methodological considerations in behavioral sciences research conducted from 2011-2023.
Methods: The research methodology for this study is qualitative, involving a comprehensive content analysis of existing behavioral sciences studies related to behavioral sciences. The approach is grounded in Meta-Method considerations, which offer a structured framework for the analysis. The Meta-Method approach follows a seven-stage process: 1) Formulation of the research question, 2) an extensive literature review and selection of relevant articles, 3) a systematic review of the articles, 4) data extraction, 5) data analysis and findings, 6) presentation and interpretation of findings, and 7) drawing conclusions based on the analysis. Initially, 70 articles related to the research topic were identified from reputable domestic scientific databases. A rigorous selection process was then applied to exclude articles with minimal relevance, involving a detailed review of titles, abstracts, and full texts. This ultimately led to the selection of 30 articles for in-depth analysis. To further refine the methodological framework, the onion model of research was used in analyzing these studies, with the aim of proposing an appropriate methodological model for conducting research in behavioral sciences.
Findings: The analysis of the selected studies uncovered a significant gap in the methodological orientation of behavioral sciences research. Many studies lack a clear methodological framework that aligns with their research objectives, often concentrating narrowly on one or two behavioral aspects, such as walking or standing, without using a structured methodology. Furthermore, most of these studies are field-based and focus on micro-urban and meso-urban scales, reflecting a localized and indigenous approach to problem-solving. While this localized focus is valuable, it limits the ability to generalize and apply findings to broader contexts within behavioral sciences research. Additionally, these studies primarily follow a pragmatism paradigm, employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Common tools include interviews, questionnaires, observations, and statistical analysis, all aimed at practical, applied research rather than foundational or developmental studies.
Conclusion: To address the identified gaps, this study presents a new methodological model tailored to the specific research questions and objectives in behavioral sciences. This model provides a clear research pathway, outlining the appropriate methodological approach based on the nature of the research question. According to this model, behavioral sciences research can be divided into three distinct types. The first type includes revelatory and descriptive studies that focus on “what” questions, using strategies like surveys, ethnography, and case studies to explore user behaviors within the environment. The second type consists of explanatory and understanding studies that tackle “why” questions related to urban issues, employing a combination of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods, along with strategies such as surveys, correlation studies, ethnography, and case studies. The third type involves intervention studies, which focus on “how” questions, following the stages of revelation, explanation, description, and understanding. These studies use mixed methods within a pragmatism paradigm, incorporating a survey strategy aimed at achieving environmental and behavioral change.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: In the modern world, urban spaces, on the one hand, and contemporary citizens, on the other hand, are heavily influenced by the effects of smart and virtual spaces and technologies. Hence, it is pivotal to establish spaces that would simultaneously meet the health needs of contemporary humans and pay special attention to the smart dimensions of contemporary life. The concepts of a healthy city and a smart city are emerging ideas that were introduced towards the end of the twentieth century, driven by the rapid growth of urban populations and the resulting challenges, along with economic and technological changes brought about by globalization. The concept of healthy cities was developed within an initiative framework by the World Health Organization and was introduced in the wake of the search for promoting health by a general entity of the international sphere (Taylor, 2010). The concept of smart cities was also initiated by technological companies in the private sector and refers to the utilization of innovations and technological sources in urban infrastructure and services. Accordingly, just as there are a large number of innovative approaches, there are common indicators used both in healthy cities and in smart cities. Assuming a general health priority, the subject of smartization in urban space is regarded as a strategic objective, causing the fatality of pandemic and non-pandemic diseases to be fewer and thus helping to create a prosperous and competitive economy. The present study aims to explain the components affecting a smart and healthy urban space and to provide a general conceptual framework in this connection.
Methods: From a goal perspective, the study was applied, and from the nature of information and its analytical perspective, it was qualitative, falling under documentary research. The present study was also considered a mixed research method. In this direction, the dimensions and components of a healthy and smart city, raised by professionals and experts, were first collected and were then coded by using content analysis, leading to the determination of a general healthy and smart city framework. Next, the determined indicators were firstly incorporated and then scored and ranked by ten experts by using the five criteria of urban space scales, health and smartization relevance, easiness of access to information, measurability, and spatial diversity changes via the Goeller scorecard method. Because the five criteria are not equally important, the AHP method and Expert Choice software were used to assign weights to the criteria. To calculate the final score, the score of each indicator was multiplied by the weight of the relevant criterion, and then all the scores resulting from the indicators were added up, leading to a final score of 10. The indicators that received a score of higher than 5 were selected and the “general conceptual framework of a healthy city with a smart city approach” was explained. Finally, to control the quality of the extracted framework, the Cohen’s Kappa Index was used to compare the researcher’s view with an expert’s to finally provide an ID of indicators.
Findings: The explained conceptual framework consisted of 5 economic, social, managerial, physical and environmental dimensions, encompassing 12 components and 52 indicators of a healthy and smart urban space. The economic dimension consists of the component of economic prosperity and the indicators of strengthening local markets, tourism, and business diversity. The social dimension consists of the component of social communications with the indicators of social engagement, social and ethnic plurality, participation in social life, the component of social facilities with the indicators of accessibility and the awareness-raising of cultural events, accessibility and the awareness-raising of recreational events, access to sports amenities, access to welfare services, access to high-speed Internet, wireless coverage, and finally the component of health with the indicators of access to healthy food, promoting bodily exercises, awareness-raising and training health principles, and access to healthcare services. The managerial dimension consists of the component of urban management that involves the indicators of cultural heritage preservation (regeneration), citizens’ satisfaction with urban management performance, administrating the effective programs of garbage collecting and recycling and traffic management. The physical dimension consists of five components titled as accessibility with the indicators of access to public transportation, access to pedestrian zones, access to cycling paths, access to places of rest, access to green spaces, access to clean public spaces, access to washrooms, access to parking lots, safety with the indicators of the safety of cycling paths, the safety of pedestrian zones, traffic safety, the quality of urban pathways, security with the indicators of lighting and illumination of urban spaces, 24-hour land uses, the new generation of rescue police, social monitoring (urban smart cameras), transportation with the indicators of various and diverse options of vehicles, providing the Internet in public transportation, timers indicating the time of arriving at the destination, the applications showing the position of the public vehicles, the quality of public transportation (using sensors to improve public mobility), non-motorized public transportation (EVs, hybrids, and scooters), and environmental design with the indictors of land use diversity, design proportionate to peoples’ needs, diverse greenery, the quality of urban furniture, and place attachment. The environmental dimension consists of two components of energy with the indicator of using renewable sources and the environmental quality with the indicators of air, sound, and visual quality, water quality, and surface water collection and disposal.
Conclusion: According to the scores calculated, the environmental dimension with a score of 9.4 held greater importance than other dimensions and should be paid special attention in urban planning and designing. As all indicators of environmental quality received a score of 9.9, a key requirement for creating a healthy urban space with a smart city approach is to focus on air and water quality, reduce sound and visual pollution, and manage and collect surface waters effectively. The physical dimension with a score of 8.6 ranked second, followed by the social dimension (a score of 8), and economic and managerial dimensions with scores of 7.6 and 6.9, respectively.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: Elderly individuals, those over 60, represent a growing demographic worldwide. By 2050, this group is projected to comprise 22% of the global population. Aging has emerged as one of the demographic and social challenges of the 21st century. To tackle this challenge, the World Health Organization has introduced the concept of age-friendly cities, considering the increasing urbanization in the coming century. Neighborhood-centric approaches are central to this concept. Consequently, age-friendly cities establish neighborhoods that are designed to accommodate the needs and limitations of elderly individuals by distributing functions and services in a spatially organized manner. In these neighborhoods, elderly residents can access services and facilities with minimal reliance on others. Additionally, they have particular requirements and preferences regarding the utilization of public spaces and their involvement in community activities. Urban neighborhoods, as spatial-social units of cities, should offer suitable environments for the social interactions of their elderly residents. Understanding the features of neighborhoods that promote social interactions among the elderly is a notable gap in urban design studies. This study aims to identify and prioritize the spatial and social qualities that affect the social interactions of elderly residents in neighborhoods, taking into account their preferences. To achieve these goals, Dardasht neighborhood, located within the historical context of Isfahan, was selected as the research study area. This neighborhood, which has a history of approximately 400 years, is home to a substantial number of elderly residents.
Methods: The methodology of the current study is qualitative, forming an in-depth examination of the social and spatial lived experiences of elderly residents in the neighborhood. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 older adults, aged 60 to 75 (mean age 66 years; 11 males and 12 females), each having resided in the neighborhood for a minimum of three years or more. Before conducting the interviews, pedestrian and bicycle surveys were conducted to gain a general understanding of the capacities and barriers that elderly residents face in social engagement within the neighborhood. These surveys also aided in designing more effective interview questions. In four stages, all interviews were systematically coded, categorized, and conceptualized. In the initial stage, initial concepts were derived from the interviews through open coding, consisting of phrases or sentences that were directly mentioned during the interviews. In the second stage, secondary concepts were organized by categorizing the initial concepts based on semantic similarities. In the third stage, sub-themes and their associated locations were derived from these secondary concepts. Finally, during the thematic synthesis stage, researchers identified and formulated the main themes.
Findings: Using a four-stage coding process, 337 codes, 15 sub-themes, and eight main themes were identified from the interview texts. The eight main themes, ranked by importance, include: 1. preserving the social and historical roots of the neighborhood related to historical sites and native neighbors; 2. ensuring physical comfort; 3. enhancing public spaces; 4. engaging in physical activities safely and comfortably in streets and parks; 5. sequential availability of complementary activities, optional and mandatory activities; 6. mental security, including an increasing sense of safety, eliminating others’ abnormal behaviors, and having personal space; 7. spiritual atmosphere related to mood and religious places; 8. women’s presence in their own secure and tranquil spaces. The study demonstrated that the elderly residents’ sense of social-historical belonging to their 400-year-old neighborhood was essential. They were profoundly attached to the physical and historical aspects of the space, which was evident in their strong desire to preserve the neighborhood’s original character. Additionally, the sense of belonging that older adult residents experienced in these social spaces was underscored by concepts such as neighborliness and a willingness to participate in activities and socialize within the neighborhood. Also, the resistance to multiculturalism in the neighborhood and efforts to limit the number of non-Iranian residents may support this finding.
Conclusion: This research identified and prioritized the spatial-social qualities that influence social interactions among elderly residents in neighborhoods through a qualitative study. Ultimately, by discussing these findings within the existing research context, the study developed its findings into a proposed model. This model formulates the socio-spatial characteristics that impact the social presence and activities of elderly residents in residential neighborhoods. The model consists of 8 main key concepts and 15 secondary concepts structured hierarchically within an integrated framework. This model also enables researchers and urban designers to thoroughly understand and examine the spatial-social aspects required for elder-friendly public spaces in neighborhoods, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Implementing and testing this model in various neighborhoods could uncover new insights, potentially leading to changes in the research’s exploratory priorities or the discovery of new characteristics.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: The psychological restoration is considered one of the important psychological variables among those who refer to urban parks. In Iran, this category has received less attention. Besides, the level of psychological restoration of visitors in different natural environments is not the same. In this research, the rate of psychological restoration in various areas of urban parks are compared and a valid, and indigenous tool to measure the rate of psychological restoration was introduced (Restoration Scale Localized Questionnaire: Rs) in these environments.
Methods: The strategy of this research was logical reasoning, and its tactic to evaluate the spatial configuration of urban parks was the Space Syntax method. In the space configuration analysis section, using the Space Syntax method, the parameters of connectivity, integration, depth, control, line length, entropy and intelligibility of the entire park bed (and especially in selected points) were analyzed. Moreover, in the section of measuring the mental state of citizens referring to urban parks, standardized and localized RS (restoration scale: The main output of the present research is also the introduction of this localized standard questionnaire in Persian language), and finally using statistical analysis to express the relationship between the spatial classification and psychological restoration of citizens (In fact, the park consists of two main geometric and organic parts, and in a number of points of both parts, the state of configuration variables and psychological restoration of citizens using a localized questionnaire was calculated and investigated).
Findings: The results of this research showed that the parameters of connectivity, integration, entropy, control, line length and intelligibility in geometric part are more favorable than organic part, but the depth of organic part is more than geometric part. The results of the mean comparison test also showed that the variables of depth and intelligibility have significant differences between the two geometric textures, but no significant difference was observed between the other parameters of the spatial configuration in the two textures. In addition, the results of the mean comparison test show that the depth of the geometric texture is lower than the depth of the organic range, but the intelligibility of the geometric texture is higher than the organic texture. Also, the analysis of relationship between spatial configuration and restoration due to the coefficient of determination showed that 46.8% of the changes in (psychological) restoration variable are related to spatial configuration variables and the restoration changes are mostly related to depth, control and entropy variables. The results of investigating the effect of spatial configuration variables on each dimension of mental (psychological) restoration also showed that 38.9 percent of the changes in the emotional dimension are related to spatial configuration variables, and this relationship is generally significant, more detailed analyzes of this parameter prove it that the relationship between intelligibility and line length variables was not significant and these variables did not have the ability to predict the restoration variable and the restoration changes are mostly related to connectivity, depth, control and entropy variables. Also, 38.3% of cognitive dimension changes are related to spatial configuration variables, and this relationship is significant. More detailed analysis of this parameter also revealed that the relationship between connectivity, control, intelligibility and line length variables was not significant and these variables could not predict the restoration variable, and the restoration changes are mostly related to the depth and entropy variables. In addition, 43.5 percent of the changes in the behavioral dimension are related to spatial configuration variables, and this relationship is significant, more detailed analyzes of this parameter also show that the relationship between connectivity, control, intelligibility and line length variables was not significant and these variables could not predict the restoration variable, and the restoration changes are mostly related to the depth and entropy variables.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this research (and supplementary studies), the design of parks with secluded and uncrowded spaces, and minimal disorder in the layout (in terms of spatial aspects), which minimize visual (and motor) control and permeability, is recommended for the improvement of the spatial configuration of city parks. This is proposed to enhance the mental health of park visitors. This suggestion is directed towards researchers, decision-makers, and urban planners and designers in urban design and landscape.

Abstract Extended Abstract Background and Objectives: The examination of users’ emotions through social media has developed into an impactful domain across diverse scientific fields, appealing not only to business proprietors and politicians but also to general users. In the meantime, this field has infiltrated urban studies and has been used by urban planners and designers due to its methodology; whether in the form of research that aims solely at emotion analysis or as an integrated layer within broader research endeavors. The aim of this article is to explain this field in the analysis of urban emotions as modeling methods in order to identify the position of this field in urban studies by examining the importance of emotion and the methods of its study in the city.
Methods: This research used the supervised machine learning approach and analyzed the sentiments of tweets related to eight major cities in Iran. The data collection consists of 930 tweets that were collected in a period of 10 years from 2011 to 2022. Initially, over 5000 tweets were collected, and during the tagging process, 80% of them were excluded due to their limited relevance to the city, emphasizing tweets related to urban space. The name of cities and tourist areas were searched to establish a balance between positive and negative data. The tweets are downloaded through Twitter streaming API and the metadata along with the text, including the number of retweets, number of likes and tweet ID, language and location. The data sets have been used for machine training after standard and normalization steps. In this research, the ratio of training data to testing data is 80 to 20. According to the supervised approach, the data were labeled by the researcher with three negative, neutral, and positive labels, and where the researcher had doubts, the opinions of two other experts were used. In general, both machine learning and deep learning have been used. In order to check the validity of the model and to test it, the confusion matrix has been used.
Findings: Firstly, the machine was trained based on 3 algorithms that were used in many research related to text sentiment analysis. Based on the test results presented on the confusion matrix, the accuracy of the trained machine in determining the polarity of the text in three polarities was defined. Among the three used algorithms, support vector machine and random forest have performed better than other algorithms. Given that the model’s highest accuracy was approximately 70%, deep learning was employed to train the machine in order to assess the potential for achieving improved results. In the following, machine learning with a convolutional neural network algorithm and a hybrid algorithm were considered. At first, the machine was trained using a convolutional neural network. The results of the accuracy of the model showed that the model is predictable by up to 75%. Next, an attempt was made to improve the predictive accuracy of the model by writing a hybrid algorithm based on the convolutional neural network. The architecture of this network is such that two types of data are considered as input to the neural network, text data and other features in the data set, including location, number of retweets, number of likes, city codes and searched content (as metadata). Therefore, based on this input and output (classification based on the polarity of the text by the researcher), the machine was trained and finally tested. As depicted in the structure of the hybrid algorithm, the significance of the text is assigned a weight of 90%, while the importance of metadata is weighted 10%. It should be noted that different percentages were given to the importance of each of the inputs and the predictability accuracy of the model was checked. As the model test results show, the designed algorithm has improved the predictability of the machine by 4%.
Conclusion: In this article, sentiment analysis based on model-oriented methods - machine learning and deep learning - was scrutinized, and therefore, while comparing it with traditional methods and lexical methods, the process of urban sentiment analysis was developed and the different levels of the process were described in detail. As stated, these methods have many advantages and can be useful for analyzing the current situation or predicting different urban projects. Besides, compared to traditional methods, they are less expensive, faster and have sufficient accuracy. According to the appropriate capability of the trained machine, this machine can predict the polarity of the data. This means that by using the text data published in social networks, it is possible to analyze the feelings of users. Certainly, when these data are geodatabases, there is also the capability to geolocate emotions. This approach allows for a swift, accurate, and cost-effective general assessment of city spaces. By identifying areas where users perceive negative emotions, the reasons can be investigated and addressed accordingly. This research has been innovative in two aspects, 1) preparing a collection of data related to the sentiment of Persian language users related to the city and 2) analyzing urban sentiment in the country using machine learning in the field of urban planning and design. Some limitations of this research include limited access to all data published on Twitter using Twitter streaming API; the small amount of available and relevant data; low use of Twitter by users due to filtering; and the unavailability of financial resources to prepare and use a larger set of data.