The Sense of Place: Components and Walkability. Old and New Developments in Dubai, UAE

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This research attempts to address the question “which of the “physical”, “social” or “perceptual” aspects of a place has had a more significant impact on walkability?” The main goals were to identify, quantify, and compare the tangible (physical) and less tangible (perceptual, social) aspects of urban walkability as well as how they impact urban walkability in the new versus traditional developments in Dubai. The significance of this research lies in higher weight it places on the quantitative rather than merely the qualitative features of walkability, in order to provide more practical guidelines and measurements. This emphasis reflects a gap in the literature on walkability which is focused more on the latter than the former. Planners, public and city officials can use these findings in their decisions. The findings indicate that the sense of place in the historical fabric of Bastakiyah (old part of Dubai) is totally higher than the new development of Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR). But it has more been the physical aspect, rather than less-tangible factors of the place, in both cases, that normally has improved the whole sense of the place felt by visitors, inhabitants and users. Yet, the behavioural and perceptual criteria need to be improved, in comparison with the mere physical attractions, in order to create a more balanced place for walkability in Dubai. In this study, the combinations of qualitative and quantitative methods have been used. Urban dimensions and their effects on walkability have been qualitatively identified and categorized through administering a survey questionnaire. These dimensions were then measured in Dubai. Lastly, the collected data have been statistically analyzed and described with the SPSS program.