Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

• Seyyedeh Ashraf Sadat ¹
• Mohammad Sadegh Taher Tolou Del ²

¹ Ph.D. Candidate in Architecture, School of Architecture and Urban Design Engineering, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran.

² Associate Professor, School of Architecture and Urban Design Engineering, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify and categorize the views of experts in order to facilitate pedestrian movement in residential complexes in District 22 Tehran. Given the absence of prior studies specifically focusing on empirically investigating expert perspectives on improving pedestrian mobility in residential complexes within District 22, Tehran, this research is deemed exploratory and pioneering.
Methods: Due to the absence of established theoretical foundations for identifying key factors influencing pedestrian movement within residential complexes, this research is considered exploratory. The Delphi method was employed to uncover expert viewpoints, and Q-type factor analysis was used for expert opinion categorization. In the initial stage, an open-ended questionnaire was administered to generate ideas. Subsequent stages utilized structured questionnaires where participants rated each item on a Likert scale, quantifying their opinions. A nine-choice Likert scale questionnaire was designed to measure participants’ perspectives in the second and third stages. After collecting data in these stages, Q factor analysis was applied. In the third stage, participants were given the opportunity to review and revise their responses as needed. Following the completion of the Delphi process and Q factor analysis, including factor extraction and rotation, the factors were detailed and interpreted. To interpret each factor, emphasis was placed on variables with exceptionally high or low scores that were common among participants within each factor, indicating strong opinions. The selection of participants was purposeful and non-probabilistic, comprising 20 experts, primarily university professors from prominent institutions such as the Department of Architecture at the University of Science and Technology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tarbiat Modares University, and Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, many of whom have designed renowned residential complexes in the Tehran region. The study’s geographic focus is Zone 22 of Tehran Municipality. Sampling adequacy was assessed using the Kaiser-Mayer-Olkin (KMO) test, which confirmed adequacy with a KMO measure of 0.564. The research tool was developed through an initial phase of document analysis, starting with a review of relevant literature and employing a descriptive-analytical approach and logical reasoning. In the realm of residential architecture, this research introduces a fundamental component that influences the movement and dynamics of residents. 
Findings: In the first stage of the Delphi method, a total of 40 physical, functional, and semantic variables were initially identified and presented to experts. Following the results of this initial stage, in addition to the existing variables, two new variables, namely spatial coherence and location, were discovered and incorporated into the variable list. Ultimately, a questionnaire for the second stage of Delphi was formulated and administered, encompassing a total of 42 variables. The second stage data underwent Q factor analysis, revealing the presence of six factors. These factors were derived from 28 common variables that received either notably high or low scores among the experts. Consequently, 14 variables were eliminated during the second stage of Delphi. The remaining six factors are considered acceptable due to the presence of shared variables exhibiting very high or low scores among the experts. These six discerned factors align with the six distinct cognitive patterns. In essence, expert opinions were classified into six clearly interpretable categories. These six patterns, namely legibility, permeability, happiness, mobility, responsiveness, and territoriality, emerged from the theoretical consensus among experts. They collectively influence cognition, meaning generation, and the physical impact on space, forming three interconnected composite patterns, each maintaining its unique identity within the subject matter. This conceptual model not only provides insights into the path of knowledge but also fosters an adaptable insight that shifts from “method within the environment” to “method within research,” possessing the potential for growth and evolution over time. 
Conclusion: The data derived from the Delphi process were analyzed by the Q factor, leading to the categorization of architecture experts based on their common views. Notably, 28 variables exhibited commonality, with experts assigning either very high or low scores. In essence, this implies that 14 variables were excluded during the second stage of Delphi. Subsequently, the findings were presented to the experts for controlled feedback. Based on these results, a total of 76.70% of the influential factors pertaining to pedestrian movement within residential complexes in District 22 Tehran could be confidently identified and subsequently interpreted through expert interviews. It is noteworthy that nearly 80% of respondents concurred on this topic. The primary intellectual trend can be attributed to the first group of experts, represented by the first factor, which accounted for 15.56% of the overall variance. In the context of general categorization, these patterns can be divided into responsiveness (15.56%), territoriality (15.00%), mobility (13.60%), happiness (9.60%), legibility (9.45%), and permeability (7.55%).

Graphical Abstract

Highlights

- Ensuring the mobility of residents in residential complexes is one of the necessities of a vital housing. 
- Physical factor, function and Semantic are three connected and independent composite patterns in the field of residents’ mobility. 
- Responsiveness factor of the physical environment is one of the important factors in meeting the mobility needs to vitality of residents.

Keywords

• Mobility Facilitation
• Residential Complex
• Mental Model
• Specialized Factor Analysis

این مقاله برگرفته از رساله دکتری نویسنده نخست با عنوان «سرزندگی در فضاهای جمعی مجموعه‌های مسکونی میان مرتبه با رویکرد حرکت‌آفرینی» می‌باشد که به راهنمایی نویسنده دوم در دانشگاه دانشگاه تربیت دبیر شهید رجایی تهران انجام گرفته است.

This article is derived from the first author`s doctoral thesis entitled “Vitality in the Public spaces in mid-rise residential complexes by the move-genic approach”, supervised by the second author, at Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University.