Smart city and spatial configuration: assessing accessibility and intelligibility to increase mobility in the George Town heritage site, Malaysia

Safizadeh, Mina; Tilaki, Mohammad Javad Maghsoodi; Marzbali, Massoomeh Hedayati; Abdullah, Aldrin

doi:10.1108/ohi-06-2022-0150

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Following the establishment of a shaft model in ArcGIS, a comprehensive analysis was conducted by Depthmap. The spatial patterns of various ethnic villages were extracted using four quantitative indexes [42][43][44][45]: global integration, local integration, connection, and intelligibility values, establishing a comprehensive framework for comprehending the relationships between elements. The integration evaluates spatial centrality via global and local values; the connection values reflect spatial connectivity, emphasizing how spatial elements link; and the intelligibility values reveal the collective impact of spatial arrangements.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Morphological Characteristics of Ethnic Villages in the Dadu River Basin, a Sino-Tibetan Area of Sichuan, China

Xiao,

Xue,

et al. 2023

Land

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Analysis of spatial patterns and driving factors of different ethnic villages under regional integration is important for the conservation and development of ethnic villages. This article takes seven multi-ethnic villages in the Dadu River Basin of Ganzi Prefecture as an example; we employ a quantitative model of spatial syntax based on the theory of figure–ground relationship to link the tangible and intangible spaces. The results reveal the logical context and formation mechanism among the overall layout, residential architecture, and public space of the villages. The findings of this study are as follows: (1) The site of different ethnic villages reflects commonality. (2) The spatial configurations of the villages are significantly influenced by the surrounding natural environment, with significant differences. Cluster-concentrated villages exhibit the smallest expansion trend, rich spatial levels, and strong ethnic territoriality; strip-intensive villages have the largest scale and the strongest permeability; and radiation-dispersion villages have variable expansion directions and architectural relationships among residents. (3) Both of the participants’ selection behaviors and residential spaces constitute the internal structure for the ethnic culture, which is driven by the humanistic spirit and force of social order, making the spatial morphology a diversified and multi-layered characteristic. (4) The rural space has gradually changed from a single residential unit to a complex unit with multiple functions. The findings extend the scope of research to ethnic villages in watersheds and provide a theoretical and practical basis for the development of other similar rural villages.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Morphological Characteristics of Ethnic Villages in the Dadu River Basin, a Sino-Tibetan Area of Sichuan, China

Xiao,

Xue,

et al. 2023

Land

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“…British colonizers used two primary grid layouts in their colonies as follows: formal and informal. While the formal layout emphasized mathematical precision and order [24], the informal grid, despite its inconsistency, prioritized urban mobility and was frequently used in British colonial port cities across Malaysia and India [25].…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Using a Space Syntax Approach to Enhance Pedestrians’ Accessibility and Safety in the Historic City of George Town, Penang

Fan,

Hedayati Marzbali,

Abdullah

et al. 2024

Urban Science

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Contemporary urban development places a critical emphasis on pedestrian environments, especially in historic cities like George Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Malaysia. Although survey questionnaires effectively captured public perceptions of issues such as poor road connectivity, weak accessibility, crime and safety concerns in George Town, they fell short in providing a comprehensive understanding of the root causes. This study leverages space syntax theory to model and analyze George Town’s unique pedestrian landscape, aiming to identify strategies for improving pedestrian networks in historical urban landscapes. Space syntax theory, known for revealing structural issues within urban contexts, is applied after a thorough examination of George Town’s urban layout, climate, architectural features, and development policies. George Town employs an informal grid layout widely utilized in British colonial port cities to enhance overall efficiency. The predominant architectural form is the shophouse, which is characterized by a ground level designed for pedestrian movement known as the “five-foot way” and adapted to Malaysia’s climate. Various axis drawing methods for the unique five-foot way under different circumstances are considered. The George Town special area plan (SAP) emphasizing heritage preservation guides development policies, thus requiring an inclusive approach to pedestrian environments. This enhances the practical significance of the current study, with the eastern and northern coastal areas serving as crucial focal points for investigation. This approach results in a comprehensive spatial model that captures the essence of George Town’s pedestrian landscape. Evaluation using space syntax indicators such as connectivity, integration, intelligibility, and choice reveals issues like poor overall network connectivity, inadequate access to key attractions, suboptimal integration, concentrated pedestrian flows, and significant safety concerns, which are exacerbated by limited infrastructure on certain two-way roads and a lack of zebra crossings. The practical implications of this study include recommendations for enhancing pedestrian spaces along identified roads and strategically installing zebra-crossings. This research is significant for its focus on a historical city in a Southeast Asian developing country, deeply integrating local environmental characteristics and providing insights into urban planning and optimization, thereby serving as a reference for similar cities.

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“…On the contrary, a lower choice value implies a low passing volume and a lower potential for attracting pedestrian and vehicular traffic, reflected in the figure's colder axial colors (Figure 11). The radius is taken as 300 to observe the area analysis results for a 5-min walk; the radius is taken as 3000 to observe mainly the range of a 15-min car journey [35,45,46]. Walking 5 min (R300) analysis results are shown in Figure 11.…”

Section: Geometrical Accessibility-choicementioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Accessibility Analysis and Optimization Simulation of Urban Riverfront Space Based on Space Syntax and POIs: A Case Study of Songxi County, China

Luo,

Lin

2023

Sustainability

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Optimizing accessibility to urban riverfront spaces plays a pivotal role in enhancing the spatial vitality of urban regions and promoting the high-quality development of such areas. The degree of riverfront space accessibility can be assessed through the connectivity of urban roads, which directly impacts the spatial vitality of these areas. This study constructs an axial and segmental model of the urban road network based on the space syntax theory. Through the Geographic Information System (GIS), kernel density analysis is performed on the Points of Interest (POI) and Depthmap data of Songxi County to comprehensively examine the reasonableness of the segmental network model and its visual representation. Quantitative evaluation of the accessibility of riverfront space in Songxi County from three dimensions, namely topological accessibility, geometrical accessibility, and perceptual accessibility, is conducted. The results show that (1) the accessibility of high-value area of riverfront space in Songxi County’s central city exhibits an unbalanced distribution, with a concentration in the central area. (2) A certain degree of mismatch exists between the distribution area of high accessibility in urban space and that of the waterfront space, highlighting the need for improved traffic planning in the riverfront area. (3) Weak spatial connections are shown between the north and south riverfronts, with areas of high accessibility values showing a clear break at the riverbank. Based on the results of the quantitative analysis, the proposed approach involves optimizing the spatial layout of urban roads and riverfront spaces through several key strategies. These strategies encompass enhancing the layout of the transport network, strengthening the coupling links between the two sides of the river, enriching the functions of the riverfront space, and conducting simulations to test the feasibility of these measures. The simulation results revealed a noteworthy enhancement in the integration and choice value of urban roads and riverfront spaces. Therefore, the optimization strategy employed in this study significantly improved the connectivity and accessibility of the overall transport network, leading to a more balanced distribution of high accessibility value areas within the city and riverfront space. This paper centers on the interaction between individuals and the river, to enhance the restoration of riverfront vitality. As a result, it is anticipated to provide valuable insights into the sustainable development of riverfront spaces.

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Smart city and spatial configuration: assessing accessibility and intelligibility to increase mobility in the George Town heritage site, Malaysia

Cited by 4 publications

References 59 publications

Spatial Morphological Characteristics of Ethnic Villages in the Dadu River Basin, a Sino-Tibetan Area of Sichuan, China

Spatial Morphological Characteristics of Ethnic Villages in the Dadu River Basin, a Sino-Tibetan Area of Sichuan, China

Using a Space Syntax Approach to Enhance Pedestrians’ Accessibility and Safety in the Historic City of George Town, Penang

Spatial Accessibility Analysis and Optimization Simulation of Urban Riverfront Space Based on Space Syntax and POIs: A Case Study of Songxi County, China

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