Analyzing the Impact of the Physical Form of Neighborhoods on Walkability

Abstract

Physical health influences the wide‏ area such as: urban design,‏ physical activities, walking behavior)‏ and‏ generally‏ needs accurate‏ laboratory‏ methods‏ and‏ tools to assess. A large number of studies considered ‏walking‏ behavior‏ as one of the‏ aspects of physical health.The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the‏ physical form in‏ neighborhoods on‏ the walkability to‏ explain the effect of the urban element on physical activity. Haft Hoz (with‏ grid pattern)‏ and‏ Bagh-e-Feyz (with‏ organic pattern) were selected due to the different‏ spatial configurations. The social‏ and‏ economic‏ conditions were identical to avoid the‏ impact of‏ intervening variables. The spatial configuration and order were investigated by using the‏ space syntax‏ technique‏ and‏ Depth Map Software‏. The‏ typology and field survey methods were used to evaluate the characteristics‏ of the‏ blocks‏ and parcels and land use, respectively. ‏In addition to‏ examining‏ the physical forms in the neighborhoods objectively,‏ the subjective‏ technique was used by interviewing‏ the‏ residents‏ and‏ getting‏ to‏ the theoretical‏ saturation. Based on the‏ results, spatial configuration, ‏blocking pattern and parcel, and land use affect the walkability.