Evaluating Sustainable Communities, Case of Renovation Project in Navab District, Tehran

International Conference on Civil Engineering Architecture & Urban Sustainable Development

٢٨&٢٧ November ٢٠١٣, Tabriz , Iran

Evaluating Sustainable Communities,

Case of Renovation Project in Navab District, Tehran

Oldouz Nejadi *

١. Urban And Regional Planner, [email protected]

Abstract This article explores social sustainability in local communities of a new residential district in Tehran. The focus is on concept of ‘sustainable communities’ in a recently built residential district part of a large redevelopment project The evaluation process considers the post-construction stage of Navab redevelopment project and includes qualitative analysis of current features of neighbourhoods on basis of three main criteria: accessibility, vitality and security. Qualitative measures used for each criterion are determined based on observations from the area and the archived documents and reports of the renovation project. The analysis reveals that despite providing housing for relatively large number of citizens, the project has led to considerable challenges in local communities. Therefore, current citizens of the district are facing inefficient public spaces such as neighbourhood centers or walking path, low access to public services and very low (or lack of) sense of belonging to their living environment.

Key words: Sustainable Communities, Social Sustainability, Vitality, Security, Connectivity

١. Introduction

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in social sustainability issues at the level of local communities. Sustainability is a debate about how to live. It refers to the way things ought to be and how we ought to live. However, there is not yet a clear, single image of sustainability, despite one accepted general meaning of a balance among equity, economic, and environmental concerns [١]. This vagueness is more considerable when particular aspects of sustainable development are concerned. In this paper, the focus is put on social aspects of sustainable urban planning and its implications to achieve sustainable communities in local neighbourhoods. One of the main reasons that social aspects of sustainability have received such limited attention is they are difficult to define, let alone to quantify [٢]. Besides, the definitions and approaches to social sustainability during time have been altered by planners and policy makers with respect to social sustainability criteria [٣]. A recently renovated district in Tehran known as Navab district is selected as the case study. The project includes high dense residential buildings alongside a North-West highway which was implemented after demolishing the old urban texture at the area. After a general review of the literature of social sustainability, this paper focuses on concept of ‘sustainable communities’ in Navab district in order to evaluate the living environment after implementation of renovation project. Three main criteria including accessibility, vitality



and security are used to evaluate the principals of sustainable communities in Navab neighbourhoods. Qualitative measures used for each criterion are determined based on observations from the area and the archived documents and reports of the renovation project. The study reveals considerable challenges that current citizens of the district are facing, basically due to low access to the local services, inefficient public spaces (such as neighborhood centers or walking paths) and lack of sense of belonging to their living environment.

٢. Theoretical Context The notion of sustainable development has become widespread in urban planning and policy making discourses. As indicated in Figure ١, the main goal of sustainable development is to create a balance between social equity, economic growth and environmental protection [٤] in a way which provides livable, viable and equitable living environment for all citizens.

Environment

EconomicSocial

ViableLivable

Equitable

Figure 1 : Dimensions of Sustainable Development [4]

Among different approaches towards the notion of sustainability and various interpretations of three overlapping development goals, some scholars have concentrated on issues of social sustainability and its implications for the urban community. Campbell [٤] reminds the importance of considering social aspects in planning process declaring that integration of social equity has often been undermined as planning is basically focused on incorporating environmental protection or economic development. Due to the crucial role of the social pillar in definition and application of sustainable development, some scholars have attempted to define the notion of “social sustainability”. Burton [٥] uses social justice, which is fairness in the apportionment of resources in society, to define social equity in the context of sustainability. Littig and Griessler [٦] define social sustainability as quality of societies which signifies the nature-society relationships, mediated by work, as well as relationships within the society. According to Bramley et al. [٢] the social sustainability is incorporation of both social equity issues (with a particular focus on access to services and facilities), and sustainability of community issues (the key issues being identified from the social capital literature).



In general, social sustainability could be defined as communities with social cohesion, equality and justice in long term period, which support needs of the present residents and future generation. This relatively recent approach towards noticing the crucial role of social aspects in sustainable development provides better understanding of the issue, but also raises questions about implications of the notions such as social cohesion and equity in planning practice. In order to examine these notions in urban renovation project in Tehran, the paper implies notions proposed by Dempsey et al. [٣] as social networks and participation in collective groups, sense of place, Safety and security. These proposed measures are applied to determine three major criteria and some qualitative indicators to evaluate the urban renovation project in Navab district, Tehran. After an introduction to the case study, the paper continues with critical analysis, in order to find out to what extent the redevelopment project has been successful in providing sustainable communities which fulfill the principals of social cohesion.

٣. Introduction to Case Study Tehran, the capital city of Iran is the largest concentration of most forms of economic activity and the largest market in the country [٧] and has grown to be one of the large cities of the world with population of ٨٫٤ million [٨]. As Madanipour [٧] illustrates, Tehran as a modernist city in which urban transformation can be observed through patterns of land use, street pattern and building form. Bahrainy and Aminzadeh [٩] refer to construction of highways and boulevards, specifically as consequences of modernization process. Renovation of Navab district was also basically construction of a highway. The project was initiated in ١٩٩٢ by cutting through the dense and decayed urban district and building high-rise buildings on each side [٩].

Figure ٢: A View of the Built-up Corridor of Navab Project



Implementation of Navab project started by compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) of buildings in the old district (Figure ٣). It was in ١٩٩٨ that construction of motorway and development of the corridor into a new urban complex with high-density residential and commercial buildings was started alongside the highway [٩] (Figure ٤).

Figure ٣: Demolition of Old Urban Districts in the Navab Project

Totally, about ٣٠٠٠ households living in the old district were relocated [١٠]. The old district of Navab was urban neighborhood with buildings ٥٠ to ٦٠ years old, mostly one or two storey and organic urban texture. Despite many problems regarding urban infrastructure or the resilience of buildings (Figure ٥), the old district was a cohesive social, physical, and cultural entity, consisting of several well-defined neighborhoods with strong family and social relations, sense of belonging and unity [٩].

Figure ٤: Navab Project under Construction



The project provided buildings, with high density of up to ١٩ stories consisting of residential, commercial and office spaces including more than ٨٥٠٠ new residential units [١٠]. Implementation of the project was expected to be completed in four years, but in some phases construction of buildings was not completed until [١٠] ٢٠١٠. Nonetheless, new residents have moved to most parts of the area, specifically the buildings in the north of the corridor, for about ٤ to ٧ years. Thus, it is possible to critically assess the quality of life in these newly built districts and evaluate the success or failure of the project in providing sustainable neighbourhoods for the citizens. In order to evaluate Navab redevelopment project from social perspective, some criteria for evaluation of sustainable communities are introduced in next part. Each criterion is evaluated based on some indicators which are basically derived from measures proposed by Dempsey et al. [٣] introduced earlier in this paper.

Figure ٥: Neighbourhoods in Old Navab District

٤. Evaluation of Navab Redevelopment Project: A Sustainable Community Perspective Evaluation of redevelopment project of Navab considers the post-construction stage of the project and includes qualitative analysis of current features of neighbourhoods on basis of ‘sustainable communities’ criteria. Based on the literature of sustainable communities reviewed earlier in this paper, it could be concluded that sustainable communities are characterized by inclusive and safe living environment which provide equal accessible services for all residents. Considering proposed features of desirable sustainable communities and the social context of the study area, three main criteria are identified for evaluation: Accessibility, vitality and security which are assessed based on some qualitative measures determined based on observations in the area and the archived documents and reports of the project (Table ١).



Table ١: Evaluation of Urban Development Project, Implications for sustainable communities

Criteria Indicator characteristics

Accessibility

Traffic flow in highway as a new transit road in metropolitan scale

Air and noise pollution

public transport system Insufficient public transport facilities

Sidewalks along highway Limited width Slope and stairs Cut by parking ramps

Access to public services Very low access to schools, clinic, playgrounds, cultural centers, etc.

Vitality

Public spaces

Limited public space: Neighborhood centers Green areas Walking paths

Neighbourhood connections Limited connection to surrounding neighborhoods

Diversity Low diversity of local stores, restaurants, services, etc.

Security

Neighborhood communities

Lack of neighborhood communities as a result of the conflict between traditional social relations and new local councils

Participation Lack of efficient system of local participation Low sense of identity and belonging

Public realm Abandoned public spaces including passing pedestrians or urban functions (commercial, services, etc.)

٤-١- Accessibility One of the fundamental measures of social equity is accessibility which indicates the possibility of reaching to other people, services and activities in living environment [١٠]. As Dempsey et al. [٣] argue the built environment – for example, the key services and facilities, the public transport routes, the provision for walking and cycling – can have an impact on the extent and nature of accessibility in a given place. Accordingly, some of these aspects are directly linked to the built environment, such as education, infrastructure, green space, culture and recreation and some other such as public transport are defined by means of accessing to other services. As stated earlier, the main goal for implementing the renovation project in Navab was to construct the North-South highway access in Tehran. Hence, the residential areas alongside



the highway are suffering from difficulties regarding local access, particularly access of pedestrians (Figure ٦). The motorway functions as a new transit road in metropolitan scale, by a heavy traffic flow which results in significant air and noise pollution for the neighbourhoods. Another considerable problem related to accessibility in the area is the sidewalks with limited width (Figure ٧), slope and stairs which are cut by parking ramps or local roads [٩]. Inefficient walking paths together with poor public transportation services have become one of the main issues of the residents of dense buildings [١٠].

Figure ٦: Lack of Boundaries between the Highway and Residential Buildings in Navab District

Figure ٧: Inefficient Sidewalks in Navab District

Assessment of the accessibility to urban services in renovation project of Navab also reveals insufficient access to local services, as well as school, hospital, green area and cultural spaces. As Bahrainy and Aminzadeh [١٠] argue, even retails and shops are very limited in type and do not meet the needs of the residents. These commercial activities are mostly located along the edges and therefore do not function as localized neighbourhood centers (Figure ٨). Consequently, in absence of functional local centers, the residents of the buildings use services from the surrounding neighbourhoods, while no specific walking path is defined for such access from new high buildings and the old neigbourhoods (Figure ٩).



Figure ٨: Inefficient Neighbourhood Centers with Unoccupied Shops and Low Access in

Navab District

٤-٢- Vitality Another aspect of social sustainability is concerned with viability, health and functioning of ‘society’ itself as a collective entity [٣]. As Barton et al. [٥] argue connectedness between as well as within localities is essential for vitality, viability and choice. Rather than a fragmented, agency-by-agency pattern of provision, it is the links between activities and between places that help ensure their success. From land use planning aspect, Agyeman and Evans [١١] point out mixed-use planning as a movement in urban planning which has encouraged more efficient land development, as well as greater community outreach and public participation in land use decisions. Evaluation of the Navab redevelopment project reveals that residential use is the dominant land use in the area. Lack of green areas, cultural and creational activities, and very limited number of schools or health care centers in the area, together with inefficient neighbourhood centers are the evidence which confirm lack of diversity in urban functions. Weak connections within the area, basically as a result of its linear structure on the edge of the highway, and also between the area and the old surrounding neighbourhoods have negatively affected the vitality in Navab. Vitality of an urban community is also concerned with the social coherence which can be described by different factors such as participation in local community activities or the sense of belonging to the place [٣]. A survey on social characteristics of the residents of Navab district [١٠] showed that the sense of belonging and identity is considerably low among households living in the area. More than ٥٠ percent of the residents have chosen to live in Navab because of the relatively low housing prices. Vast majority of the residents also declared that they will move to another district as soon as they manage financially (ibid). These statements confirm the low sense of belonging and social cohesion which in turn has led to weak participation in community activities in the area. Bahrainy and Aminzadeh [١٠] refer to spatial structure of the district as one of the reasons for lack of social interactions. Accordingly the project has not benefited from an identifiable spatial structure, as it lacks a physical or functional center. The architecture of Navab accentuates its individualism. It depicts an urge to be apart from its context rather than a part of it, and thus it has no relation with the districts around.



٤-٣- Security Safety of a neighbourhood is another fundamental part of social [٥]. Urban areas with high levels of vandalism is likely to affect people’s sense of attachment and have negative effects on feelings of safety, which might in turn reduce levels of social interaction and community participation [٣]. Inactive places such as vacant neighbourhood centers at the edge of buildings in Navab are potentially unsafe spaces and in some cases have been occupied by groups such as drug addicts and dealers [١٠] (Figure ١٠). Dysfunctional walking paths and lack of diversity, in terms of non-residential urban functions have also provided conditions for emergence of some abandoned spaces between buildings which in turn increase the sense of insecurity in public places.

Figure ٩: Insecure Places between Buildings in Navab District

As mentioned earlier, the security is highly dependent on other aspects of social sustainability, specifically the vitality and accessibility. Lack of efficient system of participation between residents and also the very low level of sense of identity and belonging are the factors which not only influence the vitality in the neighbourhood, but also intensify the issues of insecurity. Therefore, a conclusion to make is that implementation of policies to increase the diversity in function and land use of the area and improve the accessibility of people to public places will in turn lead to safer living environment. Structural, as well as social, connections also play a crucial role in facilitating secure public spaces in which people participate in urban activities and collectively collaborate in local communities.

٤. Conclusion and Discussion

The renovation project of Navab is a major project in metropolitan scale which has provided housing for large number of citizens, but faces considerable challenges in living environment.



This paper explored these challenges from perspective of sustainable communities and revealed that Navab district do not fulfill the criteria of sustainability in terms of accessibility, security and vitality Moreover, it could be discussed that criteria analyzed in this paper are highly interconnected. For example, problems such as lack of walking paths or public places, which are counted as issues of accessibility, have led to emergence of unsafe areas at corners and useless spaces between buildings. Lack of connection between the houses and surrounding areas has also intensified this problem which concerns both security and efficient accessibility for all residents. Similarly, lack of neighbourhood centers or green areas such as local parks has also influenced social interactions among local residents, which in turn decrease the sense of belonging to the place. In other words, sustainable communities are achieved in neighbourhoods where the built environment, including connecting paths, urban centers, services, etc., is compatible with the needs of the citizens and therefore improves their quality of life.

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Evaluating Sustainable Communities, Case of Renovation Project in Navab District, Tehran