Quality of place and resident satisfaction in a historic – religious urban settlement in Iran

Abstract

Purpose Given its ineffective urban control strategies, Iran’s urbanisation experiences indicate highly rapid migration, horizontal expansion, spatial inequality and an imbalanced distribution of public services. Considering the significance of historic fabric for the spatial continuity of neighbourhoods and the formation of the physical identity of cities, this study aims to evaluate the impact of quality of place (QoP) on resident satisfaction in a historic – religious settlement of Sari, a provincial capital city in the north of Iran. Design/methodology/approach Various studies have evaluated resident satisfaction in the old urban fabric, but scarce investigations have focussed on the impact of QoP on resident satisfaction at historic-religious settlements. Conceptually, this research extends theory by reframing QoP as a reflective, hierarchical construct and modelling its impact on satisfaction. A sample of 227 residents was analysed via structural equation modelling. Findings Understanding the contribution of QoP to residential satisfaction is a key element in facilitating sustainable neighbourhood development so as to improve the condition of a historic neighbourhood. QoP is a second-order construct with four dimensions, namely, public facilities, sense of belonging, perception of safety and environmental quality, and is highly reflected by public facilities, followed by perception of safety, environmental quality and sense of belonging. The objective characteristics of the environment and subjective wellbeing perceived by residents play significant roles on resident satisfaction, especially in historic neighbourhoods. Originality/value Analysis of the structural model supports the theoretical findings in the literature that associate high QoP with high satisfaction. The model of this work can be applied for a wide range of human settlements.

Returning to historic neighborhoods: exploring the role of architectural identity elements on the formation of physical identity

“…The result addresses that physical identity elements significantly influence how architectural identity elements affect neighborhood attachment. Although none of the previous studies have examined the relationship between the physical identity elements and the neighborhood attachment, a part of the results of this study regarding the effect of the physical aspect in the place attachment is in line with the results of previous studies, such as Mazloumi (2011), Maghsoodi Tilaki et al (2021), Ramkissoon et al (2013) and Sebastien (2020). Maghsoodi Tilaki et al (2021) argued that residents’ perception of neighborhood image is one of the perceptual factors affecting place attachment in residential neighborhoods.…”

“…The spatial structure of historical cities formed based on the central market (bazaar) in centers of cities and neighborhoods and schools were constructed surrounding the central market (Mortada, 2003). Therefore, as one of the initial fabrics in historic cities, the neighborhood has played a major role in physical identity creation within residents (Maghsoodi Tilaki et al , 2021). Furthermore, other aspects of society, such as cultural, economic and social, collaborate to form neighborhood identity.…”

How Does the Residential Complex Regulate Residents’ Behaviour? An Empirical Study to Identify Influential Components of Human Territoriality on Social Interaction

“…It entails the establishment of appropriate dimensions, spatial arrangement, and permeability in the built environment. Finally, the human-made environment grants symbolic and aesthetic perceptions, experiences, and feelings, which affect users' perceptions of place qualities [39,40]. Desired privacy and spatial relations are created through appropriate spatial arrangement and the establishment of required physical elements in a place [17,41].…”

Mediating role of place identity in the relationship between place quality and user satisfaction in waterfronts: a case study of Penang, Malaysia

“…Studies have determined the influencing factors in the formation of place quality within an environment. The factors usually vary, and no common set of factors has been used on place quality formation (Hedayati Marzbali et al , 2021; Maghsoodi Tilaki et al , 2021). These factors consist of safety and security (Potapov et al , 2016), public facilities (Rozhkov and Skriabina, 2015) and environmental quality (Zenker et al , 2013).…”

“…The relationship between place attachment and place identity remains debated. Whilst some researchers consider place identity as a concept of place attachment (Proshansky, 1978), others suggest that place identity is essential in establishing place attachment (Maghsoodi Tilaki et al, 2021;Shamir and Eilam, 2005). Some researchers also view place identity and place attachment as two distinct constructs (Qazimi, 2014), and many works have tried to explain and determine the connection between people and their backgrounds in different ways.…”