تحلیل پیامدهای بلندمرتبه‌سازی با تأکید بر اصول مکان‌یابی بهینه در محیط شهری مطالعه موردی: شهر اراک

ABSTRACT
High-rise buildings have historically symbolized power and technological advancement. Today, however, they are increasingly regarded as a strategic response to the rapid population growth and unchecked horizontal expansion of cities. This form of vertical development helps alleviate several urban challenges, particularly land scarcity and housing shortages. The present study aims the implications of high-rise construction in order to identify optimal locations for such development within the city of Arak.The study was designed to address a practical research problem and adopts a descriptive survey-based design. Data were collected through a combination of documentary sources and field investigations. Data analysis was carried out using both statistical and spatial techniques. Statistical analyses, including one-sample t-tests and regression analysis, were performed in SPSS, while spatial analysis focused on development potential assessment, applying the SWARA weighting method and fuzzy overlay techniques within a GIS environment. Findings indicate that residents of high- rise buildings in Arak express the greatest satisfaction with economic factors and accessibility, compared to other dimensions evaluated. Moreover, results from a one-sample t-test reveal significant differences between the mean values observed in the study sample and those of the broader population. Regression analysis further confirms a statistically significant relationship between the independent and dependent variables, with economic considerations, safety, and accessibility emerging as the most influential factors in determining the suitability of high-rise living within the city.Spatial potential analysis also revealed that approximately 48.6081 hectares of the total study area fall into the category of “very high potential” for high-rise development. These zones are predominantly located in the central and southeastern sectors of the study area.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
In recent decades, high-rise construction has expanded across major Iranian cities using advanced building technologies. However, many of these projects have suffered from poor site selection, leading to a range of problems and inefficiencies. High-rise buildings affect various aspects of residents’ lives, including physical, economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Proper planning and adherence to urban design standards in the siting of high-rise buildings can help reduce visual disorder, accessibility challenges, conflicts with adjacent uses, and dissatisfaction among residents. While such buildings can promote sustainable urban development by maximizing land use efficiency, neglecting appropriate location criteria often results in negative urban consequences. This raises a critical question: Where and under what conditions should high-rise construction occur to minimize adverse impacts? Optimal site selection criteria vary across cities due to differences in local conditions, socio-economic priorities, and historical contexts. Given the multi-criteria nature of site selection, it is essential to use an integrated framework to assess both quantitative and qualitative indicators. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the social, economic, and spatial impacts of high-rise buildings on residents' lives in the city of Arak. It also seeks to identify optimal locations for future high-rise development based on scientific and spatial indicators.
 
Methodology
This research follows an applied-developmental approach. To assess the effects of high-rise buildings in Arak, a structured questionnaire was designed based on eight indicators: physical-spatial, economic, socio-cultural, environmental, accessibility, security, aesthetics, and sense of belonging. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. To identify optimal locations for high-rise construction, natural and infrastructural criteria (e.g., topography, geomorphology, climate, infrastructure, and demographics) were evaluated. The importance of each indicator was weighted using the SWARA method, and the criteria were standardized using fuzzy logic functions. Final spatial suitability was mapped using the Fuzzy Overlay technique. In the next stage, mean scores of the eight indicators from the questionnaires were analyzed across five urban districts in Arak. These results were also mapped and combined with the physical suitability analysis to produce a comprehensive final site selection map.
 
Results and discussion
The integrated analysis reveals a nuanced portrait of high-rise living in Arak. Survey results indicated residents reported higher satisfaction with economic conditions and accessibility relative to other dimensions, a finding reinforced by regression analysis identifying these factors, alongside security, as the most significant predictors of overall living experience. This pattern of satisfaction likely stems from the strategic location of many high-rises in central, well-serviced areas, offering proximity to employment, commerce, and amenities. It suggests a resident willingness to tolerate compromises in other life domains when core utilitarian needs are met. However, this pragmatic acceptance is counterbalanced by marked dissatisfaction concerning socio-cultural, environmental, aesthetic, and place attachment dimensions, underscoring a systemic neglect of qualitative life factors in planning paradigms that have prioritized quantitative housing delivery and economic yield. This oversight is spatially evident; lower security scores in Districts 3, 4, and 5 are linked to poor physical quality like narrow alleys and dilapidated fabric, while higher satisfaction with aesthetics and place attachment in Districts 1 and 2 highlights the critical role of contextual amenities such as green space and better microclimate.
Complementing this perceptual data, the spatial suitability analysis objectively delineated approximately 48.61 hectares of the study area, predominantly in the central and southeastern districts, as possessing "very high potential" for future high-rise construction, aligning with zones of established infrastructure and demographic density. This derived suitability map serves as a vital planning tool, providing a scientific basis for channeling vertical development towards areas with genuine capacity while deterring construction in high-risk or constraint-prone zones (e.g., southern, western, and southwestern areas due to faults, steep slopes, and unsuitable topography), thereby preventing undue infrastructure strain and mitigating urban crises. By innovatively integrating statistical and spatial methodologies, this study proposes a comprehensive evaluation model that captures the complex interplay between physical, social, economic, and environmental dimensions. It enriches the discourse on dense settlements by emphasizing "soft" dimensions (place attachment, social relations) alongside "hard" infrastructural and economic considerations. While aligned with broader literature on spatial efficiency, the research makes a distinct contribution by highlighting the pronounced gap between human-centered design theory and on-ground reality in the Iranian context, demonstrating that technical or structural optimizations alone are insufficient to ensure the socio-environmental success of high-rise projects.
 
Conclusion
An examination of the utilized indicators revealed that residents of high-rise buildings are highly satisfied with economic conditions and accessibility but express lower satisfaction regarding social-cultural, environmental, and aesthetic conditions. The potential mapping of suitable locations for high-rise construction indicated that the city of Arak possesses significant potential, with over 40% of the study area classified as having very high and high potential.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.