The Role of Physical Characteristics in Enhancing Social Interaction and Use of Urban Space (A case analysis of neighborhood center of Soltan Mir Ahmad, Kashan)

Abstract

The present study investigates the effect of spatial features of urban space on enhancing user-space through increasing social interaction. In recent years, the rate of presence and occurrence of social interaction in public places such as neighborhood centers have been noticeable. This issue can play an important role in recognizing the social relations, in environmental quality, in revealing social life as well as the culture. The present study was done in Sultan-Mirahmad neighborhood. It is considered that legibility, complexity, accessibility, the hierarchy of spatial as well as identifying features affect the occurrence of different usages and the variety of activities during the daily life in the neighborhood. To investigate the role of spatial features, 50 available local residents and newcomers (tourists) were selected and a questionnaire was designed to do the survey. The Cronbach alpha validity came 0.75. Analyzing the data, three factors were identified including legibility, complexity and accessibility with every factor including some sub-factors. Based on this study, a model can be compiled to show how these three factors interplay in enhancing social interactions. The rate of effectiveness of the factors depends on the various sub-factors that make them up. The results showed that these three characteristics of spatial features are the most important in significantly enhancing the social interaction and use of urban space.