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Identity, urban spaces, quality of life, urban development strategies.



Author(s)

Elham Madadi-Kandjani

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DOI:10.17265/1934-7359/2024.05.006

Institute of Urbanism, Graz University of Technology, Graz 8010, Austria

As a major symbol of civilization, the city was built by man for his security and comfort. It is not only a settlement, but also an urban development which has been identified with the spirit that has been breathed into the community. Urban identity which is also known as collective identity, has gained meaning through the content of objective manifestation and the creation of flashbacks, citizens’ memories and mental associations. That is what makes urban dwellers become citizens. Although the identity of the city is a result of civic culture, it still has an influence on the process of citizenship and can also be a reason for developing criteria related to the participation and assessment of its inhabitants. According to the view that identity is a set of traits and characteristics that distinguishes the dignity of a person and a society from other individuals and communities, a city becomes characterized and independent by adhering to these criteria. Despite the importance of identity as one of the richest qualitative aspects of urban life that gives meaning and fulfilment to the human quiddity, this complicated and expanded concept has still not been seriously considered, especially in relation to urban spaces. In fact, identity in architecture and urban spaces has recently diminished, since the main focus lies on building spaces for optimized profit and not for high quality living areas. In this research paper, parameters affecting urban identity are evaluated, and strategies and guidelines to promote these parameters are finally presented.

Identity, urban spaces, quality of life, urban development strategies.

Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture 18 (2024) 254-259 doi: 10.17265/1934-7359/2024.05.006