INVESTIGATING AND ASSESSING THE VITALITY INDICATORS OF PEDESTRIAN PATHWAYS AND PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED STREETS, IN COMPARISON OF ISTIKLAL PEDESTRIAN PATHWAY, ISTANBUL, TURKEY AND 30 TIR PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED STREET, TEHRAN, IRAN

Document Type : Scientific Research

Authors

• Behnam Pezeshki ¹
• Maryam Alidjani ²

¹ PhD candidate in Urban Planning, Department of Urban Planning and Architecture, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran

² M.Sc., Architecture, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran

Abstract

Highlights

1.INTRODUCTION

Pedestrian movement is the most natural, oldest and most necessary form of human movement in the environment, and walking is still the most important opportunity to see places, activities and feel the excitement of life and discover the hidden values and attractions in the environment. (Pak Zad, 1383) On the other hand, social interactions are the most essential human needs for spiritual and physical growth and excellence, and human beings need these relationships to promote spiritually and socially. According to Rob Carrier, urban spaces are spaces that have three characteristics, geometric order, enclosure and social interactions (Carrier, 1991). In fact, social interactions in urban spaces are the vitality of urban space. Decreasing the vitality rate in urban spaces is one of the problems that can reduce the sense of belonging in the city. However, in the study of vitality and its factors, it should be noted that vitality is not only related to physical issues and includes a wide range of quantitative and qualitative factors such as diversity of uses, identity and semantic issues, and economic, social and cultural issues. Pedestrian oriented streets and pedestrian pathways are in great need of vitality as centers designed for maximum social interactions on foot, and also as pause spaces and variety activities in the urban space. Examining the vitality characteristics of pedestrian pathways together with examining and comparing the vitality of Istiklal Street, Istanbul, Turkey and the 30 Tir pedestrian oriented Street of Tehran and determining their strengths and weaknesses can be helpful in providing solutions and suggestions in different dimensions that would lead to increase their usefulness and the sense of satisfaction for tourists and belonging for city dwellers.

2. Methodology

This research is an applied type that has done by descriptive and analytical method. In this study, information is collected through field study of the desired locations and also through library study, documents and maps. Finally, the collected information is analysed by the SWOT model and effective strategies to increase pedestrian pathways and pedestrian oriented streets vitality are presented in comparison of the two mentioned axes.

3. Discussion

It can be said that several factors, including qualitative and quantitative factors, are effective in the vitality of pedestrian axes, examining the experts’ theories in expressing the pedestrian axes characteristics and their theories about the factors affecting the vitality of urban spaces. In other words these factors can be divided into physical and functional factors, social, cultural and economic factors, environmental factors and identity and semantic factors. Physical and functional factors, in this category, are more concerned with manner of uses and also the quality of access and a set of functional criteria, urban design and urban planning. On the other hand, an important part of the vitality factors of pedestrian axes are related to economic, social and cultural issues, however semantic and identity factors emphasize more on the qualitative characteristics affecting vitality. Moreover, a set of characteristics from climatic factors existed in the traditional architecture of ancient cities to new perspectives on sustainable development and sustainable cities are divided in the form of environmental factors affecting the vitality of pedestrian axes. (Writers) In the past Istiklal axis in Istanbul, Turkey has been known for the high speed of cars and the pedestrians’ inconvenience, which in recent years has become a safe pedestrian promenade. The most important vitality factors of this pedestrian pathway, that can be noted, are the use of historical identity, proper separation of riders and pedestrians, use of trams in the route, uses integration, coordination of height of facades, general coordination of surrounding views and using lighting and creating a sense of continuity (Ranjbar, 1389). But in relation to Tehran's 30 Tir pedestrian oriented street, most of its vitality is related to historical identity and also landmark buildings on a national scale such as the National Museum of Iran, the old building of the National Library of Iran and several religious and cultural buildings including church, mosque, synagogue and temple and the new museums in this area. By the way, creating infrastructures such as paving and street cafes and restaurants are among the factors affecting the nightlife of this street, and factors such as macro scale uses, lack of proper integration of uses, lack of proper night uses, lack of continuity in the facades, especially land uses, lack of lighting, lack of proper separation of riders and pedestrians are the most important reasons in vitality decrease of 30 Tir Street in Tehran, despite the presence of historical elements and national monuments in this street compared to Istiklal, Istanbul pedestrian pathway  in Turkey. (writers,1399)

4. Conclusion

Creating vitality is one of the most important goals of pedestrian pathways in today's cities. In this study we have tried to express the concept of vitality and also the concepts of pedestrian pathway and pedestrian oriented street and examine the experts theories in this regard (Tables 1 to 4) and its relevance to vitality in pedestrian pathways and pedestrian oriented streets, the main effective characteristics In vitality and subsequently, the dimensions of the sense of place and the sense of belonging in citizens mind and the strengthening of being memorable in the tourists should be examined. Moreover, the factors affecting the vitality of sidewalks were classified into 4 groups: semantic and identity factors, cultural, social and economic factors, physical and functional factors and environmental factors, which have a wide range of physical and semantic  factors affecting the vitality of pedestrian pathways (Table no.7), which are actually the answer to the main question of this research. It should be noted that the concepts of vitality and vitality factors of pedestrian pathway and pedestrian oriented street are in fact a dual or multiple concept based on the physical-semantic axis. Besides, to better understand this concept, two case studies of Istiklal pedestrian pathway of Istanbul and 30 Tir pedestrian oriented street of Tehran were examined and the obtained indicators in the vitality of pedestrian pathways in these two axes were compared with each other. After that the Weaknesses, strengths, opportunities and threats of these two pathways were evaluated by SWOT technique (Tables 8 to 13) and the future ways to improve vitality in these two pathways are also expressed as follows: According to conducted studies on the Istiklal pedestrian pathway of Istanbul, strengthening valuable contemporary uses and landmarks along with the urban furniture adaptation and adaptation of this axis for the disabled persons and children and the possibility of biking to strengthen this axis is recommended. On the other hand, using usage integration and balancing uses along the street, proper urban furniture, controlling the riders movement with intersections on the pedestrian oriented street, becoming a 24-hour activity and also using street arts such as theater And street music and strengthening valuable historical and contemporary buildings are recommended in order to increase the vitality level in the 30 Tir axis of Tehran, which will finally lead to an increasement in citizens' sense of belonging and reminiscence.

Keywords

• Pedestrian pathway
• vitality
• 30 Tir street
• Istiklal pedestrian pathway
• SWOT technique

Main Subjects

• Urban Development