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Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Comparative Study of Environmental Qualities of Urban Spaces in New Shopping Malls and Traditional Bazaars Case Study: Kourosh Mall and Kaffashha Bazaar in Tehran

Reza Kheyroddin*,  Seyede Fatemeh Momeni
Published in Urban and Regional Planning (Volume 9, Issue 2)
Received: 12 April 2024    Accepted: 9 May 2024    Published: 30 May 2024
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Abstract

Throughout history, urban spaces have always been one of the important elements of the city. While having the social and cultural values of the society, they are a place for carrying out various activities that connect the members of the society with each other. They also provide opportunities for recreation. The more these spaces are built in accordance with the local culture and have a higher environmental quality, the more people tend to attend, be active and spend their free time there, and as a result, the vitality in the society improves. On the other hand, the lack of urban space or the lack of attention to the environmental qualities will reduce the sense of attachment and presence of people in these spaces, which will itself lead to the degradation of social relations. In urban settlements before modernism, public spaces such as squares and bazaars were used as arenas for social communication. In the process of modernization, the role of these places as urban space was diminished and new shopping malls have replaced them today. This research seeks to compare the environmental qualities of urban space in new shopping malls and traditional bazaars. The research is applied in terms of purpose and analytical-descriptive and comparative in terms of method. In order to achieve the goal of the research, the theoretical concepts were first studied and environmental quality factors were extracted. Then, with the technique of observation and photography, the extracted factors were checked in Kourosh mall and Kaffashha traditional bazaar. The results show that although shopping malls are derived from western societies and do not fit with Iranian culture, but due to the facilities they provide to the people, they have a more favorable condition in most of the factors examined in this research and have been more welcomed by people as urban space.

Published in Urban and Regional Planning (Volume 9, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.urp.20240902.11
Page(s) 35-46
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group
Previous article
Keywords

Environmental Qualities, Urban Space, Shopping Mall, Traditional Bazaar, Kourosh Mall, Kaffashha Bazaar

1. Introduction
Urban public spaces have been the place of social interactions of people in cities since long ago. Over time and due to various factors, the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of urban spaces have changed, but they are still considered a basic necessity in urban development plans. Urban space transcends the conventional notion of space by incorporating not only its general characteristics but also aesthetic criteria and complex economic and social values. ‎
[1]
. Therefore, they require special attention in city planning because a high-quality urban space requires both physical and non-physical factors that include both the physical environment and the content. In this case, in addition to mandatory activities, citizens tend to stay in these spaces for hours, establish social interactions and engage in recreational activities. It can be said that the urban public space has a good performance when a wide range of people have access to it and can use its various facilities with ease‎
[2]
. On the other hand, the lack of public space or insufficient attention to its quality will have very important social consequences and will cause the degradation of social relations in the city ‎
[3, 4]
. During the Qajar era and before that, the bazaar was considered the most important commercial space of the cities, which was often located in the center of the cities, and at the same time, it was more than an economic center. The presence of cultural and religious centers such as mosques, schools, Tekyeh (a place for religious hangout) and the availability of service centers such as coffeehouses, bathhouses, and various hangouts caused an important part of the city's people's free time to be spent there ‎
[5]
. Indeed, the bazaar has been regarded as a distinctive urban space characterized by identity and bustling activity, reflecting the essence of Iranian architecture and culture. The traditional bazaars of cities, like other spaces, have undergone many changes and transformations in the transition from tradition to modernity, in such a way that large-scale commercial centers have emerged in cities today. Large-scale commercial centers or malls by providing a wide range of activities including shopping, restaurants, game and entertainment centers, cinemas, etc, attract a large crowd and act as a space similar to an urban space. Now, between shopping malls and bazaar, which one has a higher level of environmental quality in terms of urban space, needs more detailed investigation and research, which will be discussed further. In this study, the researcher seeks to investigate environmental quality indicators in the case studies by using observation and photography. The type of research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of data collection. Data collection has been done in both library and field forms.
2. Theoretical Concepts
2.1. The Importance of Urban Space in Cities
The urban environment functions as a stage where the various activities of city life unfold. Unlike more static areas like workplaces and homes, these vibrant spaces constitute the primary and essential elements of a city. ‎
[6]
.
Urban space transcends mere gaps between buildings; it encompasses the physical environment, activities, events, and the relationships interwoven within it. ‎
[7]
. This space is not only a physical identity, but it is a functional space that allows citizens to communicate and interact. These spaces exist in a wide variety, from a square or a street to a staircase. Urban spaces are part of the public spaces of cities that provide the basis for social life. Of course, their spaces and characteristics are highly dependent on the activity and behavioral patterns of their users. Urban public spaces are effective in creating a sense of relaxation, entertainment, and establishing social interactions ‎
[8]
. In urban spaces, the opportunity is sometimes provided that some social boundaries are broken and unplanned encounters happen, and people communicate in a new social environment ‎
[9]
.
Urban spaces serve as the backdrop for a fulfilling life, which is achieved when they cater to the contemporary needs of society. These environments play a crucial role in linking together the framework of the city and shaping its defining characteristics.
[10]
. Therefore, the urban space becomes an inseparable part of the spatial structure of the city, which acquires different characteristics according to different time and place conditions ‎
[5, 11]
. According to the studies of many urban researchers, Public spaces are regarded as integral components of a city. They serve as shared platforms where individuals engage in activities that foster connections among members of society. ‎
[12]
. Whether these activities are routine or for special occasions. In other words, the public space is a stage where social life can be shown to the public ‎
[13]
. Public spaces have been of special importance throughout history, so that in pre-modern cities, public spaces such as city squares and markets were considered as an arena for social interactions. Public spaces within the city serve as foundational venues for people's engagement and facilitate connections among individuals. ‎
[16]
In addition, these spaces help in creating a sense of trust and confidence in people and promote a sense of solidarity and belonging in people. In fact, these spaces are more than just places for fun‎
[17]
. As Goodman states, these places are considered vital elements in our environment, which, while they have positive and necessary functions, also provide many opportunities for people's recreation, protect natural resources, and affect the economic situation.
Conversely, the decline or reduction of public spaces within cities will lead to significant social ramifications, as described by Blandy and Atkinson as a downward spiral and deterioration of urban social interactions. ‎
[4]
.
2.2. The Qualities of Urban Spaces
The quality of urban environments is one of the issues that have attracted the attention of many thinkers, especially in the field of urban studies, in recent decades‎
[14]
. Additionally it is influenced by many factors‎
[15]
. Environmental quality is a general concept that includes two general physical and non-physical aspects. These two areas have mutual effects on each other. Working on one of these aspects requires efforts to fix other deficiencies, and on the other hand, the improvement of each of them can lead to the improvement of another aspect. Some people consider the importance of these two aspects to be the same. While others believe that by creating a suitable and effective place, it is possible to define certain human functions and relationships ‎
[16]
. The third group believes that human relationships take precedence over the physical aspects. According to them, preparing a place without considering the different social, economic and cultural conditions of the residents and users of that place is completely illogical ‎
[18]
. Among the many theories that have been proposed in the field of environmental quality, in this research, the results of the studies of some researchers are going to be discussed.
Table 1. Influencing factors in environmental quality.

Researcher

Influencing factors in environmental quality

Jane Jacobs (1961) ‎

[19]

1. Appropriate activity 2. Mixed land use 3. Access 4. Penetration 5. Mixed social population

Kevin Lynch (1972) ‎

[9]

1. Vitality 2. Meaning 3. Appropriateness 4. Access 5. Supervision and authority

Two sub-criteria: efficiency and justice

Ian Bentley (1985) ‎

[20]

1. Permeability 2. Diversity 3. Readability 4. Flexibility 5. Visual proportions 6. Sensory richness 7. place attachment

Alan Jacobs and Donald Appleyard (1987)‎

[21]

1. Vitality 2. Identity and control 3. Access to opportunities, imagination and happiness 4. Authenticity and meaning 5. Social and communal life 6. Self-reliance 7. A place for all

DETER (2000) (Architecture and Built Environment Commission) ‎

[22]

1. Identity 2. Continuity and containment 3. Quality of public arena 4. Ease of movement 5. Readability 6. Compatibility 7. Diversity

Matthew Carmona (2003) ‎

[23]

1. Access 2. Hard space and soft space 3. Public space 4. Safety and security 5. Urban landscape 6. Mixed landuse and density 7. Inclusiveness

Rafayan and Sifaei (2014) ‎

[13]

1. Cleanliness 2. Access 3. Attractiveness 4. Convenience 5. Inclusiveness 6. Vitality and dynamism 7. Performance 8. Differentiation 9. Safety and security 10. Strength and health
2.3. Different Functions of Urban Space
Urban spaces are scenes for various urban public life activities that shape individual
[23]
. Urban spaces serve a multitude of functions, encompassing both individual activities such as walking, exercising, and reading books, as well as social activities like interactions, participation in ceremonies, festivals, or communal events and also political-social like demonstrations‎
[24]
. A desirable urban space is a space that is alive and dynamic and provides citizens with facilities that can respond to a variety of these activities ‎
[25]
. According to the opinion of Jacobs ‎
[19]
, the urban space causes the expansion of the sense of confidence and trust and increases security and social control. Bacon ‎
[26]
also believes that the urban space helps soften the common emotions of humans and has a human-emotional quality. Rapaport ‎
[27]
also believes that the urban space facilitates the socialization process of people and is an important field of behavior and the application of social norms and standards. Bahreini ‎
[6]
also considers the urban space as the stage of life, where the general activities of urban life take place. Streets, squares and parks of a city shape human activities. Pakzad ‎
[28]
also believes that the use of urban spaces is to create relaxation, entertainment, and provide communication and a context for socializing and the possibility of movement.
2.4. Activities in Urban Space
Gehl categorizes the activities conducted by people in public spaces into three groups, each necessitating distinct characteristics of the physical environment. These 3 types of activities are: Necessary activities, optional activities and social activities.
The first category includes necessary activities that are somewhat mandatory and happen under any conditions, and their occurrence is least influenced by the surrounding environment. It is also not related to unique social characteristics. Mandatory activities include going to school or work, waiting at the bus stop, and other general and daily activities. When the environment is of low quality, only necessary activities can be performed in it.
The second category of activities conducted in urban spaces comprises optional activities that occur only when individuals feel inclined to engage in them, contingent upon favorable timing, location, and context. Optional activities include walking and wandering, sitting, reading newspapers, stopping at recreational places, etc. These activities become necessary in the right conditions and desired situation of people.
The third category encompasses social activities, which involve a broad spectrum of interpersonal relationships influenced by the characteristics of the urban space. The special conditions of the spaces for standing, sitting, eating, playing, etc., affect these activities. In urban spaces that lack the necessary aspects to establish communication and social interactions, only a small amount of these activities will appear, which will be different depending on the conditions of people. On the other hand, the spaces that provide the necessary conditions for it will have a greater amount of social communication between people ‎
[29]
.
Figure 1. Three types of outdoor activities at the different quality of the environment (Gehl, 1996).
2.5. Traditional Bazaars, Elements and Functions
The word "bazaar" means the place of buying and selling and supplying all kinds of goods. This word has entered most languages from Iran, including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Russian. In the Dehkhoda dictionary, the meaning of bazaar is stated as follows: two groups of many shops facing each other, which are often connected by a roof. It is also referred to as a trade square ‎
[30]
. According to the available documents, the history of markets in Iran reaches several thousand years BC. According to the information available in the historical sources, from the beginning of the first century of Hijri onwards, in many new cities and more or less in all the old cities, there were permanent markets with a built space. From the Seljuk period onwards, the market flourished in the urban spaces of Iran, and in the Safavid period, due to the establishment of complete security and the development of foreign relations and the expansion of commercial exchanges, the bazaar boom reached its peak ‎
[31]
.
The bazaar in Islamic Iranian cities can be considered as a complex that has different components and elements. Although these components have structural and functional differences with each other, there is a close relationship between them, which ultimately leads to the integration and functional unity of the bazaar. These elements are: Raste, Charsouq, Timcheh, Saraa, Daalaan, Qeysariyeh and Hojreh. Also, there are other buildings in Iranian bazaars, including religious, educational and service buildings such as mosques, Tekye (a place for religious hangout), schools, coffeehouses and restaurants. Although they are not part of the main components of traditional bazaars, but in practice they complete the commercial-social function and are located in specific places according to the needs.
Traditional bazaars had different roles and functions in cities. Since trade is the basis of market formation, the most important role of the market is its economic performance. The economic role in the market is divided into three main activity groups: commercial activities (wholesale, retail), production activities and storage activities. In the political role, among the urban elements, the market has played the most effective role in the relationship between the government and the people. On the one hand, marketers had a close relationship with the people of the society, and on the other hand, they were in contact with the government because of business matters. For this reason, in some periods, people in bazaar took action when some political and social crises occurred ‎
[32]
. The bazaar space was not only dedicated to commercial transactions, but as one of the most important parts of the city, it contained some important urban elements such as the Jame Mosque, religious schools, bathhouses and other important urban facilities and spaces.
Since these public spaces are places where all segments of the population are present and are not exclusive to specific groups of citizens ‎
[33]
, they not only do not create spatial segregation among different segments of the population but also enhance the accessibility of all citizens to urban spaces and promote spatial integration of the city‎
[34]
. While not all urban spaces may have this characteristic.
For this reason, it was the most important spatial axis in the social life of the city, in which many social interactions took place and had a significant impact on the social movements of the city. Regarding the religious function of the bazaar, the main pole of religious activities can be considered Jame Mosque, which was usually located in the bazaar and sometimes along its main axis. The existence of numerous religious centers and the changing face of the bazaar during religious ceremonies all indicate the religious and cultural function of the bazaar.
2.6. Shopping Mall
A mall is a spacious, multi-functional shopping center that integrates various amenities such as stores, services, offices, restaurants, entertainment facilities, and other functions. Essentially, it is a type of shopping complex that merges retail outlets with supplementary services like dining options and parking facilities. It can also be said that malls are shopping centers that sometimes have more than 10,000 shops. These malls provide an attractive and peaceful environment for daily, weekly and even monthly purchases ‎
[35]
. This type of commercial centers have a more modern architecture and structure than the shopping centers that existed before, and in addition to restaurants and cafes, they mostly have spaces for everyday shopping such as hypermarkets or supermarkets or cultural spaces such as bookstores or painting galleries ‎
[36]
. The range of malls is more than the older types of shopping centers and they attract more customers from different parts of the city ‎
[37]
.
3. Case Studies
3.1. Kourosh Mall
Kourosh commercial, cultural and entertainment complex (Kourosh Mall) is one of the largest shopping centers in Tehran and Iran, which was opened in 2014 in the northwest of Tehran and on a land of 9500 square meters on the Central Payambar Street. Kourosh mall has modern architecture and equipment, which has made sightseeing in it more prosperous every day. Kourosh mall is built on 18 floors, 9 of which are underground, and seven of these 9 floors are dedicated to parking.
Figure 2. Kourosh Mall Location.
There are more than 500 business units in Kourosh mall, which offers a variety of products from different brands and for different ages and tastes. This complex has various entertainment facilities, including food court, cafe, restaurant and amusement park, which can be an attractive destination for all family members. In the cultural field, Kourosh Mall has 12 multi-purpose cinema, amphitheater and concert halls on the 4th to 6th floors.
Figure 3. Kourosh Mall.
Figure 4. Variety of activities in Kourosh Mall.
Figure 5. Kaffashha traditional Bazaar.
3.2. Kaffashha Traditional Bazaar
Tehran Grand Bazaar is the center of the capital's business and economy, which hosts thousands of people and businesses from Tehran and Iran every day. Also, this bazaar is one of the most important tourist attractions in Tehran, which is very popular among foreign tourists and other cities of the country.
Figure 6. Kaffashha bazaar Location.
Figure 7. Famous places in Kaffashha bazaar.
Figure 8. Hajeb-Al-Doleh Timcheh.
Figure 9. Shrine of Imamzadeh Zayd (AS).
Figure 10. Research Factors.
One of the most well-known and frequented bazaars in Tehran Grand Bazaar is the Kaffashha bazaar, and because it is connected to Sabzeh Meidan, Panzdeh Khordad Street and the main bazaar Timchehs such as Hajib-doleh Timcheh and Mahdieh Timcheh, it is very important in terms of economic situation. All kinds of goods are sold there, the most important of which are kitchen utensils, valuable textiles such as cashmere, carpets, and handicrafts. Also, this market contains many cultural, social and religious places such as Imamzadeh Zayd AS (Alayhi Salam), Lotf Ali Khan Zand Mausoleum, Sheikh Abdul Hossein Mosque and School, etc. For this reason, it is one of the important urban spaces in Tehran Grand Bazaar. Throughout history, many events and gatherings have taken place inside it, all of which reflect the values of Iranian-Islamic culture.
4. Discussion
According to the theoretical concepts of the research, the characteristics of the cases and also the research method used in the current research, finally 9 factors have been selected among the influencing factors in the environmental quality to be investigated in the cases. These factors can be seen in the diagram (Figure 10). After being in the cases (field study) and using photography and observation, each of the factors of the research is examined and the findings are given in Figure 10.
Table 2. The status of the research factors in cases.

Factors

Kourosh Mall

Kaffashha Bazaar

Visual attractiveness

1) Using fountain and different plants to soften the environment (Figure 13)

2) Using artificial lights and the same materials every where

1) Constructed in accordance with authentic Iranian-Islamic architectural principles.

2) The use of eye-catching authentic Iranian-Islamic arts and decorations, including painting, tiling, etc (Figure 11)

3) Physical deterioration of the roof, walls and floor of many parts of bazaar

4) Lots of visual disturbances (wirings, heating and cooling equipment, mismatched signs, etc.) in some areas (Figure 12)

5) Renovation of the wall of some parts and making signs and extensions congruent by the urban management in some places

Permeability

1) Access and egress through five entrances (3 doors from Sattari highway, 1 door Payambar Street and 1 door from Zulfikari Street)

2) The possibility of entering the complex from the parking lot by elevator and escalators

The possibility of entering and exiting from different parts due to the connection of the Kaffashha bazaar to different Saraas, Timchehs, etc

Mixed uses and variety of activities

1) The existence of various uses and activities, including: numerous clothing stores, cosmetics, home and kitchen items, books and cultural products, mobile phones and accessories, jewellery, food courts and cafes, cinemas, amusement parks, etc.(Figure 15)

2) Providing various activities for different ages and tastes

1) The existence of various uses, including:

2) Commercial (stores for selling home and kitchen items, clothes, handicrafts, carpets, etc.)

3) Cultural-religious (Imamzadeh Zayd (AS), Seyyed Abdul Hossein Mosque and School)

4) Services such as cafes and restaurants (Figure 14)

5) Lack of attractive activities for young people

access

1) Limited availability of various public transportation options in close proximity to the mall.

2) Located near Sattari metro station

3) using private cars or online taxis by the majority of clients

4) Car congestion in Sattari highway during peak hours (Figure 16)

1) Placing in the traffic restricted zone

2) The existence of various public transportation options including bus, taxi, metro

3) The impossibility of accessing the Kaffashha bazaar by vehicle due to the fact that part of the route is pedestrian

4) The difficulty of loading and unloading inside the bazaar

safety

1) The new structure

2) The presence of emergency exit doors in various places

3) Placement of fire extinguishers and smart fire extinguishing systems (Figure 18)

1) Severe physical instability (Figure 17)

2) Severe deterioration of infrastructure, including electric cables, and the risk of accidents arising from it

3) The existence of a fire station in the Kaffashha bazaar

security

1) The presence of multiple CCTV cameras in different places, including the interior of the mall and parking lots (Figure 20)

2) The presence of security guards at all entrances, Parking lots and also patrolling in the mall space

3) Absence of hidden corners and providing proper light in all places

1) The presence of guards in some places, such as Rahimiye

2) The existence of some CCTV (Closed-circuit television) cameras along the route (Figure 19)

3) Being empty from people at the end of the day and threaten security

4) Threat to the security of clients due to the experience of theft, pickpocketing and harassment, especially for women

Vitality

1) The possibility of visiting the mall until the last hour of the night

2) Meeting the needs of diverse age groups

3) Presence of people at all hours and days of the week

4) Hosting cultural and religious festivities, including Yalda Night, Father and Mother's Day (Figure 22)

1) Holding a lot of cultural-religious ceremonies, especially the mourning ceremony of Imam Hussein (AS) and the month of Muharram and Safar (Figure 21)

2) The presence of people from different cultural, social and ethnic strata due to the economic and commercial centrality of the bazaar

3) Loss of vitality at the end of the day, nights and holidays

cleanliness

1) Regular cleaning of the environment by different machines and cleaning personnel

2) The presence of cleaning personnel in toilets

3) The presence of numerous trash cans in the mall

1) The impossibility of cleaning the bazaar during the day due to the high population density

2) Absence of enough trash cans

3) Bad condition of disposal of surface water in some places due to inappropriate floor construction (Figure 23)

Comfort and convenience

1) Including a ramp alongside stairs to accommodate individuals with disabilities, as well as facilitate the movement of baby carriages, etc. (Figure 25)

2) The presence of elevators and escalators in different parts of the mall

3) Providing chairs and furniture for clients to rest.

4) Establishing temperature comfort in different seasons of the year

5) Having toilets on each floor

1) Staying safe from sunlight due to the roof of bazaar

2) Lack of places to sit and rest in the way

3) Narrowness of market passages due to the high population density and the difficulty of movement, especially in the main line

4) The presence of trucks and the risk of collision and disturbance for passers-by (Figure 24)

5) Impossibility of using wheelchair due to the crowd and the stairs at the entrance of some Timches
Figure 11. Iranian Architecture and Art.
Figure 12. Visual disturbances in bazaar.
Figure 13. Plants and fountain in Kourosh mall.
Figure 14. A café in bazaar.
Figure 15. Stores in Kourosh mall.
Figure 16. Traffic congestion in Kourosh mall
Figure 17. Physical deterioration.
Figure 18. Fire-fighting equipment.
Figure 19. CCTV cameras in bazaar.
Figure 20. CCTV cameras in Kourosh mall.
Figure 21. Religious ceremony in bazaar.
Figure 22. Yalda celebration in Kourosh.
Figure 23. Surface water in bazaar.
Figure 24. Trucks in bazaar.
Figure 25. Ramps in Kourosh mall.
Figure 26. Seats and elevators in Kourosh mall.
5. Conclusion
According to the importance of urban spaces, paying attention to its environmental qualities is one of the effective factors in people's desire to use urban spaces. The current research seeks to compare the environmental qualities of malls and traditional bazaars as urban spaces. By studying the theoretical concepts and by observing the cases and examining the extracted factors, it can be found that although the traditional bazaars in Iran are vernacular and in accordance with the Iranian-Islamic culture but nowadays it is not sufficiently responsive to the expectations of the people. Despite the various uses and activities, the bazaar has not been able to provide a suitable space for all ages, especially children and teenagers. The unique and eye-catching Iranian architecture and arts used in the bazaar have been deteriorated due to lack of attention and restoration over the years. However, the unique architecture of the bazaar is still amazing. This physical deterioration also threaten safety. Due to the high population density in the bazaar, security and comfort are not easily provided. Although access to the bazaar is easily possible by public transportation, the fact that part of the route is pedestrian, the narrowness of the paths and the high population density have created problems for movement, especially for the disabled. Despite all the problems, the vitality during the working days and hours of the bazaar is one of its attractions, which attracts many visitors. On the other hand, Kourosh Mall provides services to its customers on all days of the week and for long hours. By providing a wide range of services, this mall is responsive to different tastes and ages and performs better than the bazaar in factors such as safety, cleanliness, comfort and convenience. In terms of security, the presence of numerous CCTV cameras and security personnel in Kourosh Mall has improved this factor. Access to Kourosh Mall by public transportation is not common and most visitors use private cars, which needs to be considered in future planning.
In the end, although malls in Iran are made in imitation of western countries but due to the process of globalization and the facilities they provide to the people, it has been highly welcomed and today it is considered as a new form of urban spaces (the reasons need further investigation and can be discussed in another research). On the other hand, not paying attention to the potential of the traditional bazaar has diminished its role as an urban space. Therefore, it is necessary to plan to improve the environmental qualities in the bazaar to bring prosperity back to this unique urban space.
As mentioned before the loss of public space or its diminution in cities will have important social consequences and it can be considered as degradation of urban social relations. Given the importance of the subject and the relationship between factors affecting environmental quality and public presence in urban spaces, it can be said that neglecting environmental quality indicators can hinder people's presence in these spaces, leading not only to urban unattractiveness but also potentially irreversible social consequences. Improving environmental quality indicators in each of these spaces can foster urban flourishing and vitality. This article has only delved into the examination of two cases. Generalizability of the findings necessitates further studies in Iranian contexts and also urban spaces in other countries.
Abbreviations

CCTV Camera

Closed-Circuit Television Camera

AS

Alayhi Salam (An Arabic Phrase Meaning "Peace Be Upon Him)
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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    Kheyroddin, R., Momeni, S. F. (2024). Comparative Study of Environmental Qualities of Urban Spaces in New Shopping Malls and Traditional Bazaars Case Study: Kourosh Mall and Kaffashha Bazaar in Tehran. Urban and Regional Planning, 9(2), 35-46. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20240902.11

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    Kheyroddin, R.; Momeni, S. F. Comparative Study of Environmental Qualities of Urban Spaces in New Shopping Malls and Traditional Bazaars Case Study: Kourosh Mall and Kaffashha Bazaar in Tehran. Urban Reg. Plan. 2024, 9(2), 35-46. doi: 10.11648/j.urp.20240902.11

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    AMA Style

    Kheyroddin R, Momeni SF. Comparative Study of Environmental Qualities of Urban Spaces in New Shopping Malls and Traditional Bazaars Case Study: Kourosh Mall and Kaffashha Bazaar in Tehran. Urban Reg Plan. 2024;9(2):35-46. doi: 10.11648/j.urp.20240902.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.urp.20240902.11,
  author = {Reza Kheyroddin and Seyede Fatemeh Momeni},
  title = {Comparative Study of Environmental Qualities of Urban Spaces in New Shopping Malls and Traditional Bazaars Case Study: Kourosh Mall and Kaffashha Bazaar in Tehran
},
  journal = {Urban and Regional Planning},
  volume = {9},
  number = {2},
  pages = {35-46},
  doi = {10.11648/j.urp.20240902.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20240902.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.urp.20240902.11},
  abstract = {Throughout history, urban spaces have always been one of the important elements of the city. While having the social and cultural values of the society, they are a place for carrying out various activities that connect the members of the society with each other. They also provide opportunities for recreation. The more these spaces are built in accordance with the local culture and have a higher environmental quality, the more people tend to attend, be active and spend their free time there, and as a result, the vitality in the society improves. On the other hand, the lack of urban space or the lack of attention to the environmental qualities will reduce the sense of attachment and presence of people in these spaces, which will itself lead to the degradation of social relations. In urban settlements before modernism, public spaces such as squares and bazaars were used as arenas for social communication. In the process of modernization, the role of these places as urban space was diminished and new shopping malls have replaced them today. This research seeks to compare the environmental qualities of urban space in new shopping malls and traditional bazaars. The research is applied in terms of purpose and analytical-descriptive and comparative in terms of method. In order to achieve the goal of the research, the theoretical concepts were first studied and environmental quality factors were extracted. Then, with the technique of observation and photography, the extracted factors were checked in Kourosh mall and Kaffashha traditional bazaar. The results show that although shopping malls are derived from western societies and do not fit with Iranian culture, but due to the facilities they provide to the people, they have a more favorable condition in most of the factors examined in this research and have been more welcomed by people as urban space.
},
 year = {2024}
}

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  • TY  - JOUR
T1  - Comparative Study of Environmental Qualities of Urban Spaces in New Shopping Malls and Traditional Bazaars Case Study: Kourosh Mall and Kaffashha Bazaar in Tehran

AU  - Reza Kheyroddin
AU  - Seyede Fatemeh Momeni
Y1  - 2024/05/30
PY  - 2024
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20240902.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.urp.20240902.11
T2  - Urban and Regional Planning
JF  - Urban and Regional Planning
JO  - Urban and Regional Planning
SP  - 35
EP  - 46
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1697
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20240902.11
AB  - Throughout history, urban spaces have always been one of the important elements of the city. While having the social and cultural values of the society, they are a place for carrying out various activities that connect the members of the society with each other. They also provide opportunities for recreation. The more these spaces are built in accordance with the local culture and have a higher environmental quality, the more people tend to attend, be active and spend their free time there, and as a result, the vitality in the society improves. On the other hand, the lack of urban space or the lack of attention to the environmental qualities will reduce the sense of attachment and presence of people in these spaces, which will itself lead to the degradation of social relations. In urban settlements before modernism, public spaces such as squares and bazaars were used as arenas for social communication. In the process of modernization, the role of these places as urban space was diminished and new shopping malls have replaced them today. This research seeks to compare the environmental qualities of urban space in new shopping malls and traditional bazaars. The research is applied in terms of purpose and analytical-descriptive and comparative in terms of method. In order to achieve the goal of the research, the theoretical concepts were first studied and environmental quality factors were extracted. Then, with the technique of observation and photography, the extracted factors were checked in Kourosh mall and Kaffashha traditional bazaar. The results show that although shopping malls are derived from western societies and do not fit with Iranian culture, but due to the facilities they provide to the people, they have a more favorable condition in most of the factors examined in this research and have been more welcomed by people as urban space.

VL  - 9
IS  - 2
ER  -

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    1. 1. Introduction
    2. 2. Theoretical Concepts
    3. 3. Case Studies
    4. 4. Discussion
    5. 5. Conclusion
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