The impact of built environment qualities on vitality and social cohesion (Case study: Sanandaj city neighborhoods)

Document Type : Independent Research Articles

Author

Department of Urban Planning and Design, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran

Abstract

Social cohesion includes interpersonal dynamics and a sense of connection between people. Increasing social cohesion can bring various physical and mental health benefits. The main purposes of this research are to investigate and analyze the components of environmental quality with vitality and social cohesion, and also to determine the relationship between these variables at the level of the neighborhoods of Sanandaj city, which have different textures and typologies in terms of the qualities of the structural environment. The data of this research were prepared through two methods of library studies and questionnaire. The statistical population of this research is 300 residents of 28 different neighborhoods of Sanandaj city. Structural equation modeling and AMOS were used to analyze and test the conceptual model of research, and determine the relationships between variables. Two components of urban vitality and social cohesion were considered as hidden variables and the artificial environment was used as an obvious variable. The general results have shown that at the level of neighborhoods in Sanandaj city, urban vitality has a positive relationship with artificial environment variables, such as distance from the city center, neighborhood density, access to local facilities, access to public transportation, and green space. However, access to local facilities and green spaces, play the biggest role in the vitality of the neighborhoods of this city. In terms of the social cohesion of Sanandaj’s neighborhoods, some variables of the artificial environment, such as the distance from the city center, and the density of the neighborhood, have negatively related to the cohesion of the neighborhoods of the city. Finally, policies and executive strategies were presented to improve the quality of the environment in order to increase vitality and social cohesion.

Keywords

References

 
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Urban Structure and Function Studies
Volume 10, Issue 34
February 2023
Pages 155-178

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History

  • Receive Date: 21 July 2022
  • Revise Date: 07 October 2022
  • Accept Date: 25 February 2023

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