Document Type : Research article
Authors
Department of Urban Planning, School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
A B S T R A C T
Dysfunctional urban tissues exhibit the cycle of changes in physical, social and environmental urban conditions to wear and tear. Urban revitalization is a comprehensive and comprehensive approach to solving the problems of inefficient structures. In this research, the smart city approach has been used to achieve urban renewal. The current research is aimed at using the principles of smart city neighborhoods to bring about creative methods to improve the quality of life of the residents. This research is applied and its method is mixed. In the qualitative part, effective indicators were extracted in the field of smart city neighborhoods and revitalization by studying authentic texts. In the quantitative part, using the method of exploratory factor analysis, the main influencing factors in the smart city neighborhoods were extracted and in the regression analysis, the effect of the factors of the smart city neighborhoods on the dimensions of renewal was used. In this research, research tools such as questionnaires and field observations in the Nizamabad neighborhood were used, and in order to analyze the questionnaire data, exploratory factor analysis method and step-by-step regression calculations were used between the factors of smart city neighborhoods and the dimensions of the urban renewal approach. The old neighborhood of Nizamabad has been chosen as a study sample due to wear and tear and numerous physical failures. By applying the principles of smart city neighborhoods in the social dimension with a variance of 12.1%, in the economic dimension with a variance of 62.1%, and in the physical-environmental dimension with a variance of 19.8%, it is possible to promote urban revitalization in Nizamabad neighborhood. This issue indicates that a significant part of changes in the economic dimension of revitalization is expressed by the factors of smart city neighborhoods.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
One significant problem in cities is the existence of dysfunctional tissues that need to be rehabilitated. Dysfunctional urban contexts are one of the most important challenges for cities. The normal physical, social, and environmental cycle of changes over time cause the exhaustion of urban tissues. Although, these areas used to be the centre of wealth and power of the cities; in the current situation they are weak and physically unhealthy in terms of infrastructure and urban services. In these areas, the phenomenon of urban quality decline occurs. Many cities in the world at some point in their life have experienced decline and deprivation inside and around those, and this has gradually led to the formation of ruined and impoverished areas. The old urban fabric is one of the urban diseases that cause many anomalies in its economic, social, health, cultural, and security aspects. To solve such problems, these areas must be rehabilitated. Such urban areas, for various reasons, have not been able to adapt to the structure and process of development and transformation and have not been able to revitalize as expected. Such urban textures often suffer from natural erosion that results from years of people relocation. In these areas generally, urban decline occurs in various economic, social, environmental, and physical dimensions. This phenomenon occurs gradually. If this phenomenon is not addressed, it will reduce social justice, access to services, and quality of access network and increases crime and delinquency. Finally, the decline in quality of life causes, the departure of key residents and middle-class families and the replacement of immigrants and elderly people, and consequently, the fabric of the city suffers from physical and functional erosion and disappears. Urban regeneration is a comprehensive and all-inclusive approach to addressing the problems of dysfunctional tissues. In this research, the smart city approach has been used to achieve urban revitalization. The present study aims to apply creative methods to improve the quality of life of the residents of these areas by applying the principles of smart city neighbourhoods and creating innovations in dysfunctional contexts and thus helping to recreate such neighbourhoods.
Methodology
This work is an applied research type and the combined method is used. In the qualitative part, many credible domestic and international studies are referenced and effective indicators of smart city neighbourhoods and revitalization were extracted. In the quantitative part, the main influential factors of smart city neighbourhoods were extracted using the exploratory factor analysis method. Further, by the regression analysis, the impact of smart city neighbourhood factors on the dimensions of renewal is addressed. In this work, research tools such as questionnaires and field observations have been used in the field and the Nizamabad neighbourhood is studied as an example area.
Results and discussion
To analyze the data from the questionnaires, we used the method of exploratory factor analysis and calculation of stepwise and non-linear regression between the factors of smart urban neighbourhoods and the dimensions of the urban regeneration approach. In this study, the Nizamabad neighbourhood has been selected as a suitable sample. The Nizamabad old neighbourhood of Tehran severely needs reorganization due to burnout and physical defects, unfavourable environmental conditions (types of pollution), and many economic and social issues, including increasing crime, declining quality of life, reducing the quality of access network, etc.
Conclusion
This neighbourhood has changed due to changes in biological needs over time and now lacks the necessary performance. Finally, we showed applying the principles of smart city neighbourhoods can promote urban regeneration in the Nizamabad neighbourhood, in the social dimension with a percentage of 12.1% variance, economic dimension with 62.1% variance, and in the physical-environmental dimension with 19.8% variance. These results indicate that a significant part of changes in the economic dimension of urban revitalization in the Nizamabad neighbourhood are expressed by the agents of smart city neighbourhoods.
Funding
There is no funding support.
Authors’ Contribution
All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work.
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.
Keywords