Conceptual model of the role of urban pause space in promoting social interactions

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Urban pause refers to those places where social interactions, human communication and the presence of people, which is the identity and meaning of the environment, are formed and are a place for citizens to gather. In fact, it is a pedestrian area or a public place for urban open space. In modern applications, the social interactions of citizens in today's cities, including Tehran, have been severely damaged. The purpose of this study is to achieve a conceptual model including principles and criteria to increase social interactions of citizens in 15 Khordad Square in Tehran, Iran to determine how to realize the appropriate urban pause space, increase social interactions of residents and passers-by in this area.METHODS: The present study has been done in a descriptive-analytical manner and based on a survey strategy with an exploratory and mixed approach, various aspects of urban space, urban pause space and citizens' social interactions are examined. The statistical population included researchers and academic elites with knowledge relating to the research topic, as well as urban planning experts, senior managers and social science experts working in Municipality of Tehran. Using a snowball sampling method, a researcher made questionnaire were distributed to 100 people. Cronbach's alpha test was performed in order to achieve reliability and validation of criteria and sub-criteria of field measurement tools. Spss software were used to analyze the obtained data. FINDINGS: The results showed that based on the standard deviation calculations, the average score of all propositions (sub-criteria and criteria) was higher than 4 (based on 5 and average 3) accepted by experts and specialists. The standard deviation of the propositions below 1 showed that 3 functional, physical and semantic dimensions and a total of 18 components and 54 indicators in the formation of the final research model were accepted and approved by experts and specialists.CONCLUSION: Social interactions in parts of the city not only lead to the identity of the neighborhood and the region, but also lead to human communication and the presence of people and personality and give meaning to specific places with historical and nostalgic background in the city. Biological, spiritual and psychological needs and the most important aspect of the principles of urban management. Such a city can be the main link between dynamic urban spaces and tourists.

Keywords

• cultural and social values
• social interactions
• sustainable urban development
• urban pause space