Prioritization Strategies in Preparing the "Urban Design Framework" Document in the Center of Golbahar New Town, Using AHP Model

Many new Towns are located and designed to attract the overflow crowd of larger cities. The new town must include all the necessary facilities with proper planning and design. Known as one of the most important elements of identity, city center is an area for urban activities, presence, and interactions among people, and thus the appropriate design of city centers and urban spaces is an important issue. In this realm, providing urban design guidance documents for city centers becomes essential. Preparation of "city center urban design framework" document aims at providing high-quality city centers and thus can affect the whole city. The Iranian new town of Golbahar is located in Khorasan Razavi province, 35 km northwest of Mashhad. The main goal of the creation of Golbahar new town was to create a central place to attract Mashhad’s population overflow. Due to its potentials, the new town of Golbahar is able to play a special role in the periphery of Mashhad. There are a number of development plans for the new town of Golbahar, including comprehensive plan (1993), detailed plan (1997) and reviewing comprehensive plan (2010). In the comprehensive plan of the Golbahar new town (1993), four development stages were anticipated. Each development phase has considered a town center with related services. So far, the town center has been developed in the first stage, but the center of the second phase of the town has not been completed yet. The detailed plan of the new town center of Golbahar (first phase of development) was redesigned with an urban design approach in 2007. In order not to repeat the unfavorable experience of the first phase, for example, neglecting urban design qualities, emphasizing on physical dimensions without considering the formation of urban spaces, etc., highlighting issues above in the town center of the second stage of development is crucial. This article aimss to present basic strategies for designing Golbahar’s center design framework and their prioritization. In this paper, the literature review about new town centers, design principles of central urban spaces, guidance documents, and urban design frameworks are expressed using the descriptive-analytical method. Summarizing the design principles of urban centers derived from the literature review, documents and interviews with experts, strategies for the preparation of the "Urban Design Framework" document in the center of Golbahar in five urban form layers (structure, accessibility, land use, physical form, and urban landscape) are suggested. The design strategies are evaluated using AHP models. The statistical population consists of 20 urban planners and experts in the Municipality and New Town Development Company of Golbahar, emphasizing on the fields of urbanism, architecture, civil engineering, and related fields in order to have a more favorable impact on the Urban Design Framework document. The priorities are determined by applying the averages of responses in Expert Choice. Combined weight according to the main goals including "Creating a legible center with integrated space organization", "Providing quality of movement and accessibility", "Providing urban and tourism services", "Designing a physical form with identity" and "Designing a high-quality urban landscape" and related strategies calculated and Consistency Ratio came out less than 0.1 (CR=0.03). The results represent that improving physical qualities (0.1418) and efficient public transport (0.1412) are the main priorities. The design of the prospects and enhancements of visual corridors with the weight of 0.1216 was considered as the third strategy. The design of pedestrian and bicycle paths with security (0.0923) and the proper distribution of diverse land use in the town center (0.0873) have been the fourth and fifth strategies approved by experts and authorities. Approximately 13.5 percent of the anticipated facilities in the new center of Golbahar have been implemented in the second phase of development. Considering the importance of the town center and urban spaces as the main elements of shaping the new town, "Urban Design Framework" document for Golbahar new town center is suggested. This is not only in accordance with the proposal of the detailed plan, but also it provides the basis for the realization of the future projects. Policies related to the prioritized strategies and design framework plans are suggested. Moreover, urban design framework’s layouts are proposed considering following principles: designing main central square, the creation of organizational and legible structure by the creation of edges, spaces and symbols, creating open spaces and places for public activities and social interactions, considering different functions of the town center, namely commercial, religious, communication and transportation, as well as organizing corridors to landscape. Finally, it is suggested that priorities considered in this paper could be a helpful source when defining future projects in Golbahar new town center.