Measuring and Evaluating the Role of Physical Changes in the Coastal Cities on the Quality of Public Spaces (Case Study: the Cities of the Western Part of Māzandarān Province)

Document Type : Research article - extracted from the dissertation

Authors

1 Ph.D. student, Geography and Urban Planning, Islamic Azad University, Chalous Branch, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Islamic Azad University, Chalous Branch, Iran

10.22124/gscaj.2024.25482.1267

Abstract

In the rapid urbanization of cities, public spaces face a fundamental change in their physical structure, to the extent that the meaning and importance of these spaces are lost in the requirements of their rapid growth, and the quantity and quality of public spaces are reduced. This research aimed to investigate the role of physical transformations in the coastal cities of the western part of Māzandarān province on the quality of public spaces. It was descriptive-analytical research in nature that was conducted based on a survey-documentary method. The research population consisted of the citizens of the coastal cities of Nowshahr, Chālous, Tonekābon, and Rāmsar. From among them 382 individuals were selected using Cochran's formula through stratified random sampling. Data was collected by library and field study using a questionnaire. The data analysis method was conducted using regression models and structural equations through SPSS-PLS software. Results indicated that the status of physical developments in the studied cities, regarding attention to per capita and standards in the design and creation of urban spaces, as well as the organization of their appearance and landscape, was satisfactory. In terms of public space quality, the components of comfort, convenience, and visual beauty had the highest potential for realization, while the activity component had the lowest in the design of public spaces. Based on the regression model, six components, including attention to the urban appearance and landscape, the development of facilities and services, increased occupancy and changes to the natural landscape, the utilization of urban infill development, and environmental pollution, have a significant impact on the quality of public spaces. According to the structural model of the research, the component of physical transformations has the greatest effect on sociability and the least effect on the comfort, convenience, and visual beauty.

Highlights

- Inadequate development of access routes, the failure to utilize urban brownfields and abandoned areas for the expansion of public spaces, the lack of attention to mixed land use, and the insufficient development of services and public recreational spaces in line with population growth and urban expansion are the main reasons for the declining quality of physical development in the coastal cities of the western part of Māzandarān province.

- Low citizen cooperation with urban authorities to improve the social conditions in public spaces, the lack of dynamism in parks and recreational areas, the lack of integration of public spaces, the lack of diversity in social activities, and the underdevelopment of cultural, artistic, sports, and tourism facilities are among the key factors contributing to the decline in the quality of public spaces in the coastal cities of the western part of Māzandarān province.

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Main Subjects

References

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