Historic Neighborhoods Research Articles

Architectural identity and place attachment in historic neighbourhoods: an empirical study in Sanandaj, Iran

PurposeEnvironmental and functional situations of neighbourhoods can play a significant role in maintaining neighbourhoods’ socio-economic activities and residents’ place attachment. This study aims to examine the relationship between architectural identity components (i.e. symbol, ornament and old pattern) and place attachment in Aghazaman neighbourhood as a well-known historic neighbourhood in Sanandaj, Iran.Design/methodology/approachThe study is quantitative in nature and a questionnaire survey was conducted on a sample of 300 respondents to assess the relationships between the architectural identity components and place attachment.FindingsThe findings indicate a significant and positive relationship between architectural identity and place attachment, indicating that higher architectural identity is associated with high perceptions of place attachment amongst residents. The results further indicate that the most influencing factor in shaping architectural identity is old pattern, followed by ornaments and symbols.Social implicationsAs place attachment is a strong incentive to maintain social interactions in neighbourhoods and to create a sense of attachment towards the residential environment, attention must be paid to the relationships amongst people, place, meaning and identity.Originality/valueThe architectural elements such as motifs and columns give identity to the image of historic neighbourhoods. The use of architectural identity components can help in decision making of planners and practitioners of urban neighbourhoods. The study was designed to develop a guideline so that future developments in Iran could be monitored to sustain strong neighbourhood attachment.

CULTURE-LED URBAN DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE IN A WORLD HERITAGE CITY: THE CASE STUDY OF THE OLD CITY OF DAMASCUS IN SYRIA

Abstract. This paper deals with the process of transformation of a cultural quarter developed at al-Amin district inside the Old City of Damascus. In 2006, approximately 25–30 artists, moved to this historical neighbourhood and settled in its traditional houses, changing their function into studios/ateliers. One year later, the district was called “The Artists’ Quarter” with the acknowledgment of local and international institutions. The presence of artists’ studios and many cultural events in the area has contributed to the discovery of the rich architectural and cultural heritage of the neighbourhood and the development of a new sphere of public encounters. This quarter became a destination for tourists as well as for locals. Unfortunately, during the war in Syria, started in 2011, different negative changes have happened at al-Amin district. The study aims to (1) Highlight the origin and development of the quarter from the point of view of the artists and the dwellers; (2) Study the spatial and socio-economic effects caused by the “Artists’ Quarter”; (3) Evaluate the changes in the traditional houses due to change of their function; (4) Investigate the actual situation due to the war. Information was collected mainly from interviews with several artists, with hotels' managers and shopkeepers in the quarter, in addition to literature review, consultation of maps and plans and on-site observation. Results of the study will help in understanding this model of urban development and try to set up recommendations for integrated development and heritage management of this neighbourhood.

MAPPING AN URBAN CITY CENTRE FOR SEISMIC RISK ASSESSMENT: APPLICATION TO VALENCIA (SPAIN)

Abstract. Seismic risk in urban city centres may be high, even when the city is in low to moderate seismic areas, due to the vulnerability of the residential buildings. To assess the seismic vulnerability and estimate the expected damage in case of occurrence of an earthquake, an up-to-date detailed and comprehensive information of the residential building stock, such as number of dwellings, location, age, geometry, stiffness irregularities, structure, constructive system and practices, among others, is needed. This paper presents the authors experience, describing the step by step procedure followed to obtain the required information to classify and catalogue the residential buildings of the historical neighbourhoods of the city of Valencia into a database. Official sources, like the Cadastral Database, the website of the Urban Planning Service of the city of Valencia, the Municipal Historical Archive of Valencia, and the Historical Archive of the Valencian Architects Society, but also unexpected references are shared, pointing out the information that has been retrieved and its reliability. Additionally, relevant information must be obtained with an on-site data collection. This field work is essential not only to prove the accuracy of the abovementioned data but also to define some of the parameters related to the building vulnerability.The built database, included in a GIS system, has been used by the authors for seismic risk studies. This procedure can be implemented in future assessments at an urban scale.

THREATS TO NORMAL VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE OF HISTORICAL CITIES IN CHINA: A CASE STUDY OF HISTORICAL CITIES AND TOWNS IN LIAONING PROVINCE

Abstract. Located in the northeastern part of China, the stretch of land named Liaoning is a region historically characterised by the convergence of multiple ethnicities and cultures. It used to be the northeastern boundary of central China with an array of military cities and fortresses intensively built for military defence. Unlike palaces and gentry residences, vernacular residences and urban tissue existing widely in historical towns are excluded in the national protection schedule and have thus experienced different levels of damages. They feature a paradox that the general city form is well preserved whilst architectural forms are changed to a large extent. Most vernacular buildings have endured centennial baptisms, as evidenced by their architectural layouts, structures, roofing, walls, decorations etc. As most historical Chinese cities are not renowned tourist destinations, they are faced with various threats and are on the verge of extinction. The threats include the departure of young residents, decay of historical architecture, insufficient financial and technical support for architectural renovation, improper modifications by residents and demolition of entire historical neighbourhoods. Such threats are widespread in Chinese historical cities which are struggling to survive. Prior to the implementation of professional interventions, the urban forms and vernacular architecture of such historical cities should be studied. Through on-site investigation and query of historical data, especially the historical satellite city maps of U.S. Geological Survey, this study analyses the current life conditions in the context of traditional architecture, reveals problems in the use of historical architecture, identifies potential threats and summarises the underlying reasons. Suggestions benefitting local architectural conservation are then put forward.

Interrater Reliability of Historical Virtual Audits Using Archived Google Street View Imagery.

Impaired mobility occurs in up to half of community-dwelling older adults and is associated with poor health outcomes and high health care costs. Although the built environment impacts mobility, most studies of older adults lack information about environmental-level factors. In-person observational audits can be utilized but cannot assess the historical environment. We applied a 78-item checklist to archived Google Street View imagery to assess historical residence access and neighborhood characteristics. Interrater reliability between two raters was tested on 50 addresses using prevalence-adjusted and bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK). The mean PABAK for all items was .75, with 81% of the items having substantial (PABAK ≥ .61) or almost perfect (PABAK ≥ .81) agreement. Environmental assessment using archived virtual imagery has excellent reliability for factors related to residence access and many neighborhood characteristics. Archived imagery can assess past neighborhood characteristics, facilitating the use of historical environment data within existing cohorts.

Imagining Environmental Justice “Across the Street”: Zine-making as Creative Feminist Geographic Method

This article builds on and extends geographic calls for creative methodologies and critical geographic pedagogies, by tracing the formation of the zine, “Across the Street: An Environmental Justice Zine about Kids, Industry, and Health”. Central to a study of toxic poisoning in the East Cesar Chavez neighborhood of Austin, Texas, one of five historic neighborhoods of color in the city, we demonstrate ways to think about, produce and engage with zines as both an instructive geographic method and a form of critical pedagogy. Reflecting on the process of this zine’s production, we argue that zines can be both instructive in the analysis of research and a compelling way to engage students in difficult dialogs in and beyond the classroom. Both practices are central to producing feminist geographical work that is committed to accessible, disruptive, transformative and decolonial knowledge.

Social aspect of quality of urban life: how does social capital affect desire of residents to continue living in historical neighborhoods? Evidence from Tehran, Iran

Purpose The purpose of this study is on the social aspects of regeneration of historical neighborhoods in Iranian cities. For this purpose, the authors investigated the effect of the social capital of the residents of historical neighborhoods in Tehran on their subjective quality of life and on their willingness to continue living in these historical districts. This study was motivated by the fact that the primary issue in regeneration of Tehran’s historical districts is to stimulate the residents’ desire to continue living in their neighborhoods, thereby preventing the population from decreasing. Design/methodology/approach A review of the theoretical literature revealed that the subjective quality of urban life could act as an intermediary construct that explains the link between social capital and willingness to continue living in a district. With this assumption, the authors administered a questionnaire to 389 residents of different historical neighborhoods who had been randomly selected by cluster sampling. The analysis of the data and the relationships among the constructs was conducted using structural equation modeling. Findings The results suggest that increase in the participants’ social capital, including neighborhood bonds, civic participation, social networks and trust, could increase both their life satisfaction (i.e. subjective quality of urban life) and their willingness to live in the historical district. As indicated by the structural model of this study, the social capital both directly influences willingness to continue living and has an indirect effect on it through the intermediary construct of subjective quality of urban life. Practical implications The findings of this study can help the policymakers of historical districts in Tehran to determine high-priority strategies for regenerating these districts. Some of the most practical policies that can be applied to the context of Tehran include provision of facilities for enhancement of social networks and bonds, formation of non-governmental organizations and using neighborhood bonds to improve the environmental conditions of neighborhood units. Originality/value This study has several advantages. First, the measures used that were taken from the literature have been adjusted to the context of the study with the help of a group of experts. In other words, although the constructs have their roots in theory, their measures are of a local and context-based nature. Second, the obtained results would direct the current approaches to regeneration of historical districts in Iran, which primarily have a physical, economic and elitist basis, towards additional social and participatory approaches.

Neighborhood Dynamics and Long‐Term Change

Patterns of change in neighborhoods can be discordantly different, even within the same city district. A little understood factor in how urban neighborhoods form and grow is structural inertia, which is the tendency of an urban area to resist change due to its existing physical and socio‐economic fabric. This study explores how patterns of buildings, plots, blocks, and streets affect change or inertia in neighborhoods over time. We integrate Conzenian morphology and space syntax approaches within a geographic information system (GIS) framework to study two historic neighborhoods in Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C. at four points in time over a 96‐year span. Aerial images, historic maps, and GIS sources help to create spatial configuration and building data for each time period. We then analyze these data to identify statistical and map‐pattern morphological and syntactic relationships both in the aggregate and in detail. Our research finds that most of the independent variables of block size, plot size, building footprint, global integration, local integration, and connectivity predicted long‐term change measured in building inventory in almost every occurrence. Our study also suggests design implications and possible future tools and research for measuring change and its relation to the physical characteristics of our cities.

Evidence-based urban design studio: an action research approach

ABSTRACT Designing public space can take an interdisciplinary approach to urban space design by highlighting the relationship between urban design research and practice. This research attempts to educate students as ‘researcher-designers’ by applying practical techniques such as Place-check and Gehl’s public life-tool in a review of how public space design is taught in a studio course on our Master’s degree in Urban Design. This study uses action-research to engage 30 students attending the course entitled ‘urban design studios’ which focuses on Tehran’s historic neighborhoods. The results indicate that applied ‘evidence for design’ based on soft and hard evidence can provide improved practical understanding of environmental quality issues in urban space design. Findings indicate that inviting citizens’ opinions during the design phase leads to more reliable and useful design and planning processes. These initial steps in encouraging designers to solicit citizens’ feedback could prove the stimulus for further participative action research which builds on students’ improved understanding of design contexts.

Development of Bonded Natural Stone Pavement Using Ultra-Rapid-Hardening Mortar

Bonded natural stone pavement has been typically used in historical neighborhoods to satisfy functional and architectural aesthetic standards. Despite its advantages, it has been barely applied to places for heavy traffic volume or high travelling speed because of various structural failures in joints and bedding courses. Ultra-rapid-hardening mortar for natural stone pavement was considered as an alternative to minimize these failures. The objective of this study is to develop bound stone pavement using the ultra-rapid-hardening mortar for high traffic volume and evaluate throughout by carrying out material tests, plate load test, accelerated pavement test (APT), and falling weight deflectometer (FWD) test. For the tests, four types of pavements, asphalt, concrete block, and two bound stone pavements, were produced in a testing facility. The bearing capacity of the sub-base course, which was asphalt and concrete, showed values 1.62 and 2.64 times higher than deemed satisfactory. Additionally, rut depth was measured using a transverse profile logger during the APT test and the test was terminated at 1.97 million cumulative equivalent single axle loads (ESALs). In the rut depth measurements, the deepest deflection (16.0 mm) was made in the asphalt pavement and the depth of the concrete block pavement was 4.5 mm. Vertical displacements of 3.0 and 1.5 mm were obtained in stone pavements A and B, respectively. The maximum pavement vertical deflection response was recorded at 0, 0.4, and 1.97 million ESALs. The response results revealed that they were influenced by the material types of either bedding or sub-base courses. With these outcomes, it would be possible to apply the baseline data for designing rigid small element pavement for heavy traffic volume or high travelling speed roads.

Effect of urban transformation on the values of historic sites around mosques: Two cases in Manisa, Turkey

This study presents a framework for assessing the cultural asset values of historic sites around mosques. Case studies are selected from provinces of Manisa, Turkey, namely, Çarşı in Salihli with its new urban development and Pazaryeri in Gördes that is abandoned and currently considered as an archaeological site. Literature review, archive research, historical research, comparative study, and site survey are carried out to evaluate the urban development of site neighborhoods with a retrospective perspective. An approach presenting the effects of urban transformations on the cultural asset values of the historic neighborhood centers is proposed. The cases reveal that the urban aesthetic is nearly all lost today, but the holiness of each site preserves its authenticity while the historic land use is sustained. Their preservation problems are lack of maintenance and abandonment due to disasters, illegal interventions, inappropriate development plans, and unsuitable restoration approaches. The principles proposed for managing these historic environments consider their cultural asset values in relation to urban history, development of coherent strategies for their presentation, and participation of all actors to their preservation and development.

Becoming Historic: Unsettling Preservation as “Activism” in the Memphis Neighborhood of Central Gardens

Based on an interdisciplinary research course for graduate students, this paper describes a project that combines arts-based research, walking methodology, and posthuman theories to design a research-creation. The purpose of this assemblage of photographs, archived newsletters, online information, maps, and other materials is to aid in the suspension of linear thinking and offer a unique contribution to the discussion of what gaining “historic” status can do in a particular place/time. This paper describes how the neighborhood association, formed 50 years ago, had the primary mission to lobby for historic status in order to protect property values and prevent multi-dwelling homes and businesses from moving in. By embarking on a multisensory inquiry employing walking methodology, I demonstrate how this insular, exclusive, historic neighborhood continues to be entangled within the surrounding geographic areas, as well as within the socio-politico-and economic dimensions of the city.

What's that garage for? Private parking and on-street parking in a high-density urban residential neighbourhood

High-density inner-city residential neighbourhoods are often characterised by serious parking pressure and illegal parking. We study parking choices in a historical neighbourhood in Dortmund, Germany, using a household survey. Specifically, we look at the availability of and distance to private parking, the use of available private and on-street parking, and search duration. Additionally, we look at simple measures of satisfaction with parking and with the neighbourhood in general. Our results show that available private parking is not necessarily used where there is little control of illegal on-street parking. Furthermore, search durations and distance to cars parked on-street suggest that parking pressure is lower than commonly perceived in the neighbourhood. Private parking is under-utilised to the extent that we estimate that illegal parking can be reduced by 28 to 49% if private parking were consistently used by those who have it available. Even more substantial reductions in illegal parking can be achieved by deviating from standard sizes for public parking spaces. From our results we draw conclusions for urban parking policy. These include introducing parking fees, coupled with paid parking permits for residents and, perhaps, employees; defining short-stay parking zones; providing parking spaces of different sizes; and increasing the level of enforcement.

Virtual Disassembling of Historical Edifices: Experiments and Assessments of an Automatic Approach for Classifying Multi-Scalar Point Clouds into Architectural Elements.

3D heritage documentation has seen a surge in the past decade due to developments in reality-based 3D recording techniques. Several methods such as photogrammetry and laser scanning are becoming ubiquitous amongst architects, archaeologists, surveyors, and conservators. The main result of these methods is a 3D representation of the object in the form of point clouds. However, a solely geometric point cloud is often insufficient for further analysis, monitoring, and model predicting of the heritage object. The semantic annotation of point clouds remains an interesting research topic since traditionally it requires manual labeling and therefore a lot of time and resources. This paper proposes an automated pipeline to segment and classify multi-scalar point clouds in the case of heritage object. This is done in order to perform multi-level segmentation from the scale of a historical neighborhood up until that of architectural elements, specifically pillars and beams. The proposed workflow involves an algorithmic approach in the form of a toolbox which includes various functions covering the semantic segmentation of large point clouds into smaller, more manageable and semantically labeled clusters. The first part of the workflow will explain the segmentation and semantic labeling of heritage complexes into individual buildings, while a second part will discuss the use of the same toolbox to segment the resulting buildings further into architectural elements. The toolbox was tested on several historical buildings and showed promising results. The ultimate intention of the project is to help the manual point cloud labeling, especially when confronted with the large training data requirements of machine learning-based algorithms.

Historic Neighborhood Design Based on Facility Heatmap and Pedestrian Simulation: Case Study in China

Abstract With the rapid growth of tourism in China, the spatial conflict between tourists and the host community has become a major issue in historic neighborhood design. This study employed big da...

Introduction to Special Section: 1989 and the Value of Historic Neighborhoods in East Central Europe

Introduction to Special Section: 1989 and the Value of Historic Neighborhoods in East Central Europe

A Holistic Approach for Measuring Quality of Life in “La Condesa” Neighbourhood in Mexico City

This paper presents our approach for computing an index of quality of life1 (QoL) through a data science methodology considering quantitative and qualitative measures. Our methodology seeks to help to promote the maximisation of a holistic2 return of investment that we propose and name elasticity of quality of life (E-QoL). E-QoL models and calibrates variables associated to social, economic, cultural, psychological, health perspectives to find an “optimum” composite benefit including economic and “wellbeing” aspects. Our notion of return of investment expressed by the E-QoL is holistic because it considers different objective and subjective perspectives to provide a multi-facet understanding of QoL and the way it can impact the perception of citizens about their wellbeing (e.g., happiness, self-fulfilment, satisfaction). Wellbeing is an immaterial perception difficult to measure. Yet, supported by studies on the impact of quality of life on wellbeing perception, our claim is that studying measurable variables and combining them in a Mathematical model it can be possible to analyse and understand wellbeing subjective perception. Studying wellbeing subjective perception under different objective and subjective views to provide a holistic study of QoL. Thus, the model would help us to experiment and explore different perspectives of citizens’ wellbeing perception and how changes in the urban environment impact it. This work has chosen the historical neighbourhood La Condesa located 4 Km. from the Historical Downtown Area of Mexico City as case study where governmental programs have been designed to promote the construction of social lodging and in consequence bring inhabitants, leisure activities and business life to central territories. It seems that the growth in economy, population increase in the neighbourhood has not been compatible with citizens QoL and wellbeing perception and has not led to the increase of the quality of life index observed in the neighbourhood.

Neighborhood, community and consumption: Study on the socio-spatial structure during two boosting epochs in Shanghai

The modernization of Shanghai has experienced two boosting periods. The first appeared in the 1930s, when it formed the civil society of Shanghai and initially facilitated the trade port into an international metropolis. The second started after the nation's reform and opening-up, which attempted to promote the city into a global metropolis in the 2010s. In order to evaluate the socio-spatial transitions of communities in Shanghai during the process, Lilong historical neighborhoods in the 1930s and 2010s are successively chosen as research objects. Meanwhile, three specific neighborhoods in each period are selected for case study, so as to depict different symbiosis patterns of the socio-spatial structures under different spatiotemporal conditions by means of a cross-sectional analysis of the consumption level. By pointing out Shanghai in the 1930s was marked with social integration and local-based consumption, while it was inundated with administration tendency and global-oriented consumption in the 2010s, the article believes the dual integration of local-based and global-oriented consumptions is an alternative solution for Shanghai. Finally, the article proposes that Shanghai's current urban regeneration should rely on the multi-centered symbiotic structure to create a compound network, during which territorial socio-spatial structures and basic living needs of the plebeian can be simultaneously preserved.

Social organization and homicide rates in Chicago neighborhoods: the role of structural stability and change

ABSTRACT A life-course perspective on neighborhood effects suggests that levels of and changes in neighborhood structural conditions may impact neighborhood social organization, collective efficacy, and reciprocated exchange, with implications for changes in homicide rates. Results indicate changes in neighborhood disadvantage – though not in immigrant concentration or residential stability – disrupt both reciprocated exchange and collective efficacy. However, neither mechanism appears to mediate the change-homicide relationship, nor do the two mediators significantly interact in their association with homicide rates. Findings suggest both contemporary and historical neighborhood disadvantage is significantly related to homicide rates, supporting a dynamic view of the links between conditions, social mediators, and homicide.

Shrinking Historic Neighborhoods and Authenticity Dilution: An Unspoken Challenge of Historic Chinatowns in the United States through the Case of San Francisco

Despite a rising amount of urban shrinkage research, little attention is paid to the shrinking historic ethnic neighborhoods, where authenticity plays a vital role in maintaining local heritage, identity, and livability. This article concerns the historic Chinatowns in the United States that are largely confronting the evident decline of the ethnic Chinese population and authenticity dilution. Taking San Francisco’s historic Chinatown as a case study, the research portrays an alternative face of urban shrinkage at the neighborhood level with a specific integration of authenticity discourse. Through combining quantitative statistical analysis and qualitative research on the basis of interviews, the paper presents how neighborhood shrinkage and authenticity dilution are perceived and characterized and further reveals the interactive process of neighborhood shrinkage and authenticity dilution, and their impacts on social sustainability. The study also demonstrates the notable necessity and possibility to incorporate the issue of authenticity into the discourse of urban shrinkage, which enables a deepened understanding of the cumulative effects of urban shrinkage on local lives and social sustainability, and establishing a more comprehensive and targeted framework of strategies, particularly for those carrying significant social, cultural, and emotional meaning.