Published date: May 03 2018

Journal Title: KnE Engineering

Issue title: Postmodern Urban and Regional Planning in Iraq

Pages: 167–192

DOI: 10.18502/keg.v3i4.2168

N Dheyaa Al-Shouknnoorr0248@gmail.com

A Shamkhi Al-Khfaji

The research deals with an old concept in its inception, but it is modern in its applications and theses it deals with. The concept of compact city is one of the latest strategies for the sustainable development of cities.
The research tackled the concept of compactness and the characteristics of the compact city, as well as the concept and characteristics of the Traditional Arabic city, A combination of common indicators, was found (Mix land use, density and intensification, movement and transport, accessibility, harmony, diversity). These indicators also include several sub-indicators, as these indicators can provide an appropriate basis for the possibility of a shift towards sustainability. The practical aspect was the conduct of field surveys of the study area (old city of Najaf) to identify the planning characteristics of it, and then the indicators derived from the theoretical framework were applied. The research found that there was a great approach to four indicators (density, movement, transport, accessibility, compactness, diversity and vitality), which achieved quantitative values appropriate to the rate specified in the specifications of the compact cities, The land use mix index was partially achieved as it approached the minimum limits specified in the horizontal mix and was receded from the vertical mix. Thus, it is possible to draw the conclusion that the type of fabric and its degree of compactness have exerted a great influence on the indicators. This was reflected in the high and moderate density, which encouraged a mix land uses, created diversity and vitality and provided high accessibility to the region.

[1] Fang C L, Qi W F, 2008. Researches on comprehensive measurement of compactness of urban agglomerations in China. Acta Geographica Sinica, 63(10):1011–1021 (in Chinese).


[2] Planning of the Arab Islamic city of privacy and modernity - Journal of Planned and Development - No. 15 – Kamel al-Kanani


[3] Burton E, 2002. Measuring urban compactness in UK towns and cities. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 29: 219–250


[4] Turskis Z, Zavadskas E K, Zagorskas J, 2006. Sustainable city compactness evaluation on the basis of GIS and Bayes rule. International Journal of Strategic Property Management, 10: 185–207


[5] Thomas L, CousinsW,1996,“The compact city: a successful, desirable and achievable urban form?”, in The Compact City: A Sustainable Urban Form? Eds M Jenks, E Burton, KWilliams (Spon, London) pp 53–65


[6] Sustainable Urban Forms- Youssef Rafeq Jabareen (Their Typologies, Models, and Concepts


[7] Burton E, 2000a, “The potential of the compact city for promoting social equity”, in Achieving Sustainable Urban Forms Eds KWilliams, E Burton, M Jenks (Spon, London) pp 19 – 29.


[8] Pratt R, Larkham P, 1996, “Who will care for compact cities?”, in The Compact City: A Sustainable Urban Form? Eds M Jenks, E Burton, KWilliams (Spon, London) pp 277–288


[9] Masnavi, M. R., the new millennium and the new urban paradigm: the compact city in practice (Part Achieving sustainable urban form, eds.K. Williams, E. Burton & M. Jenks, E & FN Spon: London, pp. 64 73,2000


[10] Williams, K., Burton, E. & Jenks, M., (eds). Achieving sustainable urban form, E & FN Spon: London, 2000


[11] Rowley, A., Planning mixed use development; issues and practice. Research report founded by Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, UK.1998


[12] Bank of America. 1995. Beyond sprawl :New patterns of growth to fit the new California. San Francisco: Bank of America


[13] Beatley, T. 1995. Planning and sustainability: The elements of a new(improved?) paradigm


[14] Berke, P. 2000. Are we planning for sustainable development? Jour¬nal of the American Planning Association66 (1): 21-34


[15] Bowen, W. G., andD. Bok. 2000. The shape of the river. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press


[16] Frey, H. 1999. Designing the city: Towards a more sustainable urban form. London: E. & F. N. Spon


[17] Garcia, D., and P. Riera. 2003. Expansion versus density in Barce¬lona: A valuation exercise. Urban Studies 40 (10): 1925-36


[18] Jenks, M., and R. Burgess, eds. 2000. Compact cities: Sustainable urban forms for developing countries. London: E. & F.N. Spon


[19] Lynch, K. 1981. Good city form. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.


[20] Song,Y., and G.-J. Knaap. 2004. Measuring urban form: Is Portland winning the war on sprawl? Journal of the American Planning Association 70 (2): 210-25


[21] Southworth, M. 1997. Walkable suburbs: An evaluation of neotraditional communities at the urban edge. Journal of the American Planning Association63 (1): 28-44


[22] Burton, E., The compact city: just or just compact? A preliminary analysis. Urban studies, 37(11), pp. 1969 2007, 2000


[23] Breheny M, Gent T, Lock D, 1993 Alternative Development Patterns: New Settlements Planning Research Programme, Department of the Environment (HMSO, London)


[24] Johnson, A. Monitoring Settlement Sustainability-A Review of Practice. In Proceedings of the Conference on Politics of Planning, New Zealand Planning Institute Conference, Palmerston North, New Zealand, 27–30 March 2007.


[25] Barrow, C.J. Sustainable Development: Concept, Value and Practice. Third World Plan. Rev. 1995, 17, 369–386


[26] Coupland, A., Reclaiming the city: mixed use development, E & FN Spon:London. Ch 1, 2, 8, 9 & 11, 1997


[27] Roberts, M., Jones, L. T., Mixed uses and urban design. Reclaiming the city: Mixed use development, ed. A. Coupland, E & FN Spon: London, 1997


[28] Williams, K.; Burton, E.; Jenks, M. Achieving Sustainable Urban Form; E & FN Spon: London, UK, 2000


[29] Wilber Smith Associates. Study on Traffic and Transportation Policies and Strategies in Urban. Areas in India; Ministry of Urban Development: New Delhi, India, 2008


[30] Knaap, G.J.; Song, Y.; Ewing, R.; Clifton, K. Seeing The Elephant: Multi-Disciplinary Measures of Urban Sprawl. Available online: http:// smartgrowth.umd.edu/assets/documents/research/knaapsongewingetal
_2005.pdf (accessed on 7 July 2013)


[31] Bertaud, A. Metropolis: A Measure of the Spatial Organization of 7 Large Cities. Available online: http://alaibertaud.com/images/AB_Metropolis _Spatial_Organization.pdf. (accessed on 9 June 2013)


[32] Hillier, B., Space is a machine: a configurational theory of Architecture,Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, pp. 149 182, 1996


[33] Jacobs, J., The death and life of great American cities, Random house:New York.1961


[34] Roberts, M., Jones, L. T., Mixed uses and urban design. Reclaiming the city: Mixed use development, ed. A. Coupland, E & FN Spon: London,1997


[35] Rowley, A., Planning mixed use development; issues and practice.Research report founded by Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, UK.1998


[36] Ashaab, Khalis Husni and Sabah Mahmoud Mohammed, Morphology of the City, Baghdad University Press, 1983


[37] Planning of the Arab Islamic City Privacy and Modernity - Journal of Planned and Development - No. 15 – Kamel al-Kanani


[38] Factors Affecting Changing the City’s Urban Fabric Majed Al-Khatib - PhD thesis submitted to the Higher Institute of Urban and Regional Planning - 1999


[39] Al-Satam, Mustafa, ”Improving the Environment of Traditional Areas in the ArabIslamic City”, 1991, p


[40] Al-Shaheen, Ibrahim Majed, Laying the Design Basis for the Arab City, Al-Madinah Al-Arabiya, Issue (39), Second Year, 1989


[41] student, student Hamid, past and future and our view of contemporary architecture, the Arab Cities Magazine, No. (43), the second year, Mayes, 1990


[42] Al-Shaheen, Ibrahim Majid, Laying the Design Basis for the Arab City, Al-Madinah Al-Arabiya, Issue (39), Second Year, 1989


[43] Al-A’askari-, Abdul Hussein Abdul Ali, Planning the Arab Islamic City to Meet Intellectual, Planning and Architectural Changes, Master Thesis, Architectural Engineering, University of Baghdad, 1997


[44] Al-A’askari, Abdul Hussein Abdul Ali, Planning of the Arab Islamic City to Meet Intellectual, Planning and Architectural Changes, Master Thesis, Architecture, Baghdad University, 1997


[45] Elisef, Nikita, Physical Planning, an article from the Middle East Center of the School of Oriental Studies, Cambridge University, United Kingdom under the title ”The Islamic City”, translated by Ahmed Taleb, published by RB Sargent, UNESCO


[46] Emerging, Majid Naeem Nasir, A Study in Structuring Urban Spaces, Master Thesis Presented to the Center for Urban and Regional Planning for Postgraduate Studies, University of Baghdad, 1990


[47] Emile, Dina, Negative Spaces in Architecture, Master Thesis, Architecture, University of Technology, 1992


[48] Muzaffar, Mohsen Abdul-Saheb, the city of Najaf major, a master thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of Baghdad, 1975


[49] Anatoly Rimcha, ”Urban Planning and Building in the Warm Areas,” translated by Dr. Dawood Sulaiman Al-Munir, Myo Press, Moscow, 1977


[50] Marcia, de Lade, ”Town Planning, Environmental and Human Dimensions”, by Enas Effat, Global Environment Watch Institute, International Publishing and Distribution House, Cairo, 1994


[51] Akbar, Abdelkader, ”The Building of the Land in Islam” - Comparison of Shari’a with Modified Construction Systems, ”Al-Resalah Foundation, Dar Al-Bashir, Beirut, 2, 1996


[52] The use of Diwan reports about the ancient city of Najaf for some data on the reality of the site of the study


[53] Jenks, M.; Williams, K.; Burton, E. The Compact City: A Sustainable Urban Form? Chapman and Hall: London, UK, 1996


[54] Frey, H. Designing the City: Towards A More Sustainable Urban Form; Spon Press: London, UK and New York, NY, USA, 1999


[55] Ewing, R.H. Characteristics, Causes, and Effects of Sprawl: A Literature Review. In Urban Ecology; Marzluff, J.M., Shulenberger, E., Endlicher, W., Alberti, M., Bradley, G., Ryan, C., Simon, U., ZumBrunnen, C., Eds.; Springer: New York, NY, USA, 2008; pp. 519–535


[56] Bertaud, A. The Spatial Structure of Cities: International Examples of The Interaction of Government, Topography and Markets. Available online: http://alainbertaud.com/AB_Files/ AB_Transcript_3_Spatial_organization.pdf (accessed on 9 June 2013)


[57] Glaster, G.; Hanson, R.; Ratcliffe, M.R.; Wolman, H.; Coleman, S.; Freihage, J. Wrestling Sprawl to the Ground: Defining and measuring an elusive. Hous. Policy Debate 2001, 12, 681–717


[58] Burton, E., The compact city: just or just compact? A preliminary analysis. Urban studies, 37(11), pp. 1969 2007, 2000


[59] Burton E, 2000a, “The potential of the compact city for promoting social equity”, in Achieving Sustainable Urban Forms Eds KWilliams, E Burton, M Jenks (Spon, London) pp 19 – 29


[60] Pratt R, Larkham P, 1996, “Who will care for compact cities?”, in The Compact City: A Sustainable Urban Form? Eds M Jenks, E Burton, KWilliams (Spon, London) pp 277–288


[61] Abu al-Rihah Adnan, Bahr al-Najaf, in Turaihi, Mohammed Saeed, the Diarat and the Christian places in Kufa and its environs, Academy of Kufa, Netherlands, 2010