In-between spaces and social interaction: a morphological analysis of Izmir using space syntax

Abstract

This research tackles the intermediate spaces between buildings and the street, by examining the definition and importance of spatial configuration in relation to urban morphology and social relations. It also analyses how the organisation of in-between space affects social interaction in different urban forms. To understand the complex relations and socio-spatial structure of the city, it is important to use mixed methods. This research utilises various methods to focus on three dissimilar urban morphologies in Izmir, Turkey. Two inner city quarters and one modern housing estate of middle-and high-income groups are compared using space syntax analysis and snapshot observations. These neighbourhoods are selected according to their syntax measures from more integrated to segregated neighbourhoods in the axial analysis. And for a detailed zoomed-in analysis, similar diameter areas are covered for observations. Subsequently, activity patterns are observed at different times of the day, one weekday and one Sunday in three cases. In each neighbourhood, syntactic measures of all selected streets are correlated with these recorded activities. This study reveals that connectivity of streets is important for supplying niches that trigger long-duration activities and social interaction. In modern estates, stationary activities are not correlated strong enough with movement as it is in inner city neighbourhoods. Additionally, in-between spaces increase the frequency of social interaction and co-presence of people particularly in more integrated areas. However, this is only one element in developing sense of community. Further research is needed especially in correlating space syntax with environmental issues, as well as people's behaviour.

How Do Community Planning Features Affect the Place Relationship of Residents? An Investigation of Place Attachment, Social Interaction, and Community Participation

“…The negative relationship between circulation planning and social interaction ( Figure 9) seems to be in contradiction to some studies [30,34,35]. Since community scales in Taiwan are relatively small, circulation and accessibility of the community imply more externally rather than internally.…”

“…A handful of studies have investigated features of the built environment at the smaller site scale. These studies have revealed that social interaction can be enhanced through the presence of outdoor courtyards [34], common gardens [35], and trees and grass [36,37] in apartment complexes and public housing communities, and also front porches and narrow setbacks in traditional community layouts [28,38,39]. Research concerning factors that enhance community participation has concentrated on individual characteristics, such as socioeconomic and demographic variables, or social networks and shared norms [10,40,41].…”

Spatial Configurations for The Revitalization of a Traditional Market: The Case of Yukgeori Market in Cheongju, South Korea

“…Hillier and Iida (2005) measured the correlation between measurements of space syntax and pedestrian traffic to identify, from a geometric and topological perspective, how the spatial configuration of street networks influences the movement flows of cities, thus affecting the evolution of land-use patterns [30]. Additionally, Can and Heath (2016) showed that spatial configuration influences social activities by examining the importance of the configuration related to urban morphology and social relations [31].…”

Lessons from Baghdad City Conformation and Essence

“…The old urban fabric and its morphologies were, formally or informally, influenced by the wave of modernism and replaced later by the new urban context, which resulted in the loss of the relationship between built forms and streets [36]. The urban renewal operation that took place as a part of a comprehensive development plan in Baghdad critically recognised the old urban fabric and determined an efficient process to preserve this vital sector of the city.…”