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EXPERTS' EVALUATION OF THE PRODUCTION AND USE OF PUBLIC SPACES IN AMMAN, JORDAN

ABDULKARIM, DINA ALI

Abstract Details

2004, MCP, University of Cincinnati, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Community Planning.
While the literature on public space has predominantly focused on the western countries, little research exists in the context of the developing countries. Amman is no exception in this regard. This study focuses on the salient characteristics associated with the production (i.e., planning and design) of the public space in Amman. The study addresses three questions: 1) How do architects, planners, and sociologists perceive the public spaces of Amman?; 2) How do they evaluate the successfulness of the planning, design, and use of these spaces?; and 3) What are political, physical, socio-cultural and economic factors that affect the production and use of these spaces in Amman? The study collected data through two phases. In the first phase, 58 interviews were conducted with: 1) 33 young architects and planners and 2) 25 expert architects and planners. Responses were analyzed using the “conceptually clustered matrix” approach. During the second phase, 19 in-depth interviews were conducted with: 1) 11 architects and planners and 2) 8 sociologists. Responses were analyzed through the “content analysis” technique. Analysis of data from the first phase found that participants considered the spatial and social attributes of public space as its most salient attributes. The spatial attributes accounted for the majority of the interviewees’ remarks and evaluations. Respondents also considered the types of activities, the social status of users, location, and easy access by public transportation as important elements for the intensity of use of public space. Thus, highly used public spaces do not necessarily constitute success, but might reflect few options people have due to poor accessibility and inadequate distribution of such spaces in the city. Analysis of data from the second phase found that the production of pubic spaces in Amman is faced by diverse political, economic, physical, and socio-cultural constraints. The lack of a comprehensive plan, the central authority structure, and the low priority given to public spaces were mentioned among the political constraints whereas adopting policies driven by short-term profit emerged as the major economic constraint. Among the physical and socio-cultural constraints was the substandard quality of public space which was the reason why these spaces were mainly used by low-income people leading to further degrees of social segregation.
Mahyar Arefi (Advisor)
105 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • ABDULKARIM, D. A. (2004). EXPERTS' EVALUATION OF THE PRODUCTION AND USE OF PUBLIC SPACES IN AMMAN, JORDAN [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1100808831

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • ABDULKARIM, DINA. EXPERTS' EVALUATION OF THE PRODUCTION AND USE OF PUBLIC SPACES IN AMMAN, JORDAN. 2004. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1100808831.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • ABDULKARIM, DINA. "EXPERTS' EVALUATION OF THE PRODUCTION AND USE OF PUBLIC SPACES IN AMMAN, JORDAN." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2004. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1100808831

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)