International Journal of

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The increasing rate of urbanization and rate of population growth over the 20th century has led to various problems such as traffic congestion, air pollution, and lack of open and green spaces that have affected the cities and their citizen's life. This condition has led to increasing demands for more land use, homes, and work places, more public transport and mass transit systems and modern infrastructure, so new approaches must be found to better utilize space available. Considered use of underground space creates new methods for solving these challenges. The urban underground spaces have great untapped potentials. If these potentials are managed correctly, it would chip in considerably to the urban sustainable development. Nevertheless seeking of spaces and shelter within the earth is no new idea, man and animal alike have exploited the protective and insulative properties of the soil long before recorded history. During the history of communities have existed in areas all over the world including Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Ethiopia, China, North Africa, and the American Southwest, to name a few. Some of the best examples of man’s symbiotic relationship with nature are Nushabad in Kashan, Sāmen in Malayer and Kariz in Kish Island. These underground cities and Constructions offer many opportunities and lessons for underground development in contemporary cities. This study aims to discuss the ancient settlements of Nushabad, Sāmen and Kariz for their unique and creative underground space use and also explore the potential of developing underground spaces in order to achieving sustainable development . The basic hints of discussion are the physical geography and dominating forms of underground space use.

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The purposeofthispaper is to examinethe impacts ofphysical contextson theefficacy oflocalmosques. The main question of thisresearchis: “What istherelationship betweenphysical context (including:number and space share per head of mosque in neighborhood, functional radius of mosque, the location of local mosque, local adjacent land uses and finally legibility and identity of local mosque in neighborhoods) and efficacy of local mosques? The research hypothesisis based on the assumption that there is a meaningful relation between physical context of mosques and their expected socio- cultural efficacyinurban neighborhoods. The method of the research has been analytical descriptive.In order to examine the hypothesis, variables “physical components of the mosquesandtheirefficacy" have been assigned. Applying“the Theory of Environmental Quality”, theindexes of each variable have been determined and applied in questionnaire to be evaluated in case studies. The data of the study wereanalyzed through SPSS software and the hypothesis was confirmed with 95% confidence level. Theresearch resultsrevealedthatphysicalcontext ofmosques can have a positive influence on their function of efficacy which consists of socialsolidarity, sense of belongingand sense of religiousaffiliationsofpeople through the five above mentioned factors.

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Over the last few decades, some newly developed areas in the city of Isfahan have had serious problems in providing such urban design qualities as legibility, and this has led to various problems for the citizens like difficulty in way-finding, orientation or addressing. In order to solve this problem and enrich the legibility of newly developed areas, planners and designers should utilize appropriate principles extracted from the inhabitants' cognition and expectations. This paper attempts to understand how people form their cognitive maps in urban areas and find their way within urban places. Hence, it tries to identify and evaluate different kinds of urban elements (the most important elements which provides legibility) by using casual-comparative methods on the basis of such factors as the reason of being distinctive, the type, context, function, adjacency, heritage value and type of the adjacent route that residents of Isfahan have used in shaping their cognitive maps. The findings of this research showed that the most important characteristics which affect the distinctiveness of urban landmarks in the citizens cognitive maps include: having distinctive form in their surrounding environment; being located along the urban main streets or near the junctions; being established in a central area or having heritage value; having such urban functions or land uses as tourism, commercial, leisure, religious or transportation.

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The aging of the population in developed and developing countries calls for special attention to improve the quality of life for older people. Meanwhile, one of the key factors influencing the quality of life of older people is their mobility. Most of the previous studies have considered the mobility of younger people while considering the aging of the population, the mobility of older people needs special attention. This research aims to investigate the factors affecting older adults’ mobility in urban spaces. Thus, we examined Sage, Science Direct, Wiley, Taylor and Francis databases. Initially, 300 papers were gathered. In the following steps, after a more detailed review of the content of the papers and the removal of the unrelated ones, 28 papers remained which had the most relevance to the subject, and content analysis was done. The content analysis results show that the factors affecting elderly mobility are personal factors, lifestyle and attitudinal factors, and built environment factors. Finally, the model of the factors affecting elderly mobility is proposed. According to this model, the three factors proposed can affect the mobility of older adults directly and indirectly. Our findings add to the growing research on investigating older adults’ mobility factors. If urban planners get familiar with the factors affecting the mobility of older people in urban spaces, they can lead people to more sustainable modes of mobility and decrease car orientation in urban areas. Therefore, in future policies, the role of all the factors in the mobility of older people should be considered because the restriction of mobility can prevent the active participation of individuals in social activities and ultimately create feelings of depression and social isolation.
 

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Urban squares are pivotal in 21st-century cities, serving as communal hubs where individuals experience a genuine sense of belonging and community. However, recent redesigns of several squares in Iran have fallen short of expected quality standards. This inadequacy may stem from the prevalent reliance on design ideas shaped by casual observations and designers' personal experiences. While these observations and experiences hold significance, they lack the depth required to comprehend the intricacies of a successful urban square. A profound understanding of the relationship between a space's social and physical aspects and the activities therein necessitates tapping into the community's attitudes toward these spaces. Hence, the central aim of this study is an in-depth exploration of the multi-dimensionality inherent in people/space interaction, considering it as an attitude concept. To accomplish this, a meticulously chosen sample of five urban squares in Tehran serves as the focal point. Employing a 12-item scale, the study seeks to elucidate individuals' interactions with these urban squares and discern the features that resonate most strongly with them. Rigorous testing on a sample of 411 citizens who regularly utilize these Tehran urban squares ensures the scale's reliability and validity. The analysis of the data unveiled three discernible constructs governing individuals' interaction with urban squares, constituting their attitude concept: affective, cognitive, and conative. However, a nuanced hierarchy emerged, with the affective and cognitive constructs assuming higher importance compared to the moderately significant behavioral construct. Additionally, there were moderate correlations observed among these constructs. In the exploration of established psychological models on place, structural equation modeling (SEM) was instrumental. The Higher-Order model emerged as fitting, effectively capturing the intricate interplay between individuals and urban spaces. These findings bear significant implications for the design and management of urban squares. The key takeaway is the necessity of formulating tailored outreach policies and plans that prioritize elements resonating with users on an affective and cognitive level, shifting away from a sole reliance on instrumental responses tied to practical needs