Developing strategies to improve the quality of public spaces of Imam Hossein square and 17 Shahrivar pedestrian street with emphasis on the urban innovative governance approach

One of the most important factors affecting the urban environment is the public spaces of the city. Considering to the physical and social dimension of urban public spaces can increase the quality of life for citizens and improve conditions and problems. Achieving such a space due to existing difficulties requires an approach that effectively defines relationships and uses social capital and resources in the right way. The main purpose of this study is to achieve the quality indicators of urban public spaces by emphasizing the approach of innovative urban governance and finding appropriate strategies to increase the quality of public spaces.

In this study, the status of the area was assessed with the help of a questionnaire corresponding to the research indicators. The statistical population of this research is residents and businesses in the area of ​​Imam Hossein Square and the sidewalk of 17 Shahrivar and the research is done in January 2019. SWOT technique has been used to achieve the required strategies, and finally, using the ANP method (Analytic network process), the area indicators related to SWOT have been examined and the best strategy to use has been determined.

In this study, the quality factors of public spaces with emphasis on innovative urban governance approach were identified by examining the study area and a were classified under the four indicators of physical environment quality, social environment quality, economic environment quality and quality of transportation and communications. After surveying the area using a questionnaire, the required strategies were extracted using the SWOT technique and their prioritization was determined using the ANP technique.

The results of this study first identified the quality indicators of public spaces by emphasizing the approach of innovative urban governance. Then, appropriate strategies to increase the quality of these spaces were extracted. Using ANP technique it was found that WO strategies with a significance coefficient of 0.378 are the most appropriate strategies to use. Then WT strategies with 0.238, SO with 0.192 and ST with 0.178 are suitable strategies.