The Ideal City: A Planning Approach to Sustainable Urban Place Making
الباحثونZumaya, Jakleen Q.، Alrobaee, Tuqa R. b ; Abuali, Ali M. b ; Al-Khafaji, Ahmed S. b Send mail to Al-Khafaji A.S. ; Althabhawi, Ghaith J.
المجلةJournal of Human, Earth, and Future
التاريخ2025-12-01
مختصر البحثThis study proposes a planning approach for the "ideal sustainable city" that reconciles spiritual, material, and behavioral dimensions. It aims to apply the philosophical concepts of idealism into workable indicators that respect local identity and integrate sustainability goals. The study employed an analytical methodology that combines a spatial analysis approach using geographic information systems (GIS) for several indicators, including the land use index, 15-minute access to services, and population density. It also utilized a field survey analyzed using a Likert scale, as well as a comparative review of three international case studies (Auroville, Freiburg, and the Vatican). The indicators were applied to the city of Kadhimiya (Baghdad). The results indicated a diverse land use structure, equitable access to services, moderate population density, and high residential density. Meanwhile, the spiritual indicators (religious, cognitive, and emotional) scored highest, while the perceived safety level was average. Aesthetic aspects declined due to the asymmetry of facades and poor maintenance. While the behavioral factor played a role as a link between spiritual and material values through attention to public space, renovation/improvement within a complex framework that takes into account the context and respects the religious heritage city
The Role of Urban Structure in Enhancing the Sustainability of Cities: A Comparative Study
الباحثونAl-Khafaji, Ahmed S.، Ihsan A.Jasim 2, Jakleen Q.Zumaya3, Laheab A. Al-Maliki4, Sohaib K. Al-Mamoori5, Tuqa R. Alrobaee
المجلةCivil Engineering Journal
التاريخ2025-04-01
مختصر البحثThe topic of sustainable urban structure is a crucial area in urban planning, given its direct connection to land use patterns, their distribution and density, as well as their relationship with transportation network patterns. These factors play a vital role in achieving sustainability. The theoretical aspect of the research focused on modern literature and global experiences addressing sustainable urban structures, aiming to provide a clear definition and to identify critical indicators that influence the achievement of urban sustainability. The study identified seven key indicators: density, average distance to the center, hierarchical structure, spread index, land price, the location of the center relative to the city, and the street network pattern. These indicators are applicable and measurable for any city worldwide to assess the sustainability of its urban structure. The research conducted a comparative case study between the cities of Kut and Hillah. The urban structure of Kut is characterized by separation due to the presence of a river, whereas Hillah features a more connected structure, in addition to differences in density distribution, land use, and transportation network patterns. The indicators for both cities were measured using mathematical models, geographic information systems (GIS), and three-dimensional spatial representations. The study concluded that while the indicator results varied between the two cities, Kut achieved better outcomes than Hillahin four of the seven indicators.
The Safer City: A New Planning Perspective for the Traditional City Development
الباحثونTuqa R. Alrobaee، Al-Khafaji, Ahmed S. a Send mail to Al-Khafaji A.S. ; Al-Salam, Nadia A. b ; Al-Jaberi, Ahmed A. a
المجلةInternational Journal of Safety and Security Engineering
التاريخ2023-02-28
مختصر البحثThe research deals with the concept of a safe city and the impact of security on cities, in an attempt to identify the most important physical characteristics and indicators necessary to achieve safety in cities. The research identified seven characteristics (access and movement, structure, control, ownership, protection, activity, management and maintenance). From these seven characteristics, eighteen indicators were derived that directly affected the achievement of safety in urban environments. These indicators were applied to the study area, An-Najaf traditional city in Iraq. By adopting the analysis of indicators using field survey, observation and analysis using geographic information systems and mathematical models. The indicators that contributed to achieving a number of characteristics of safe cities in An-Najaf traditional city were identified: the structure of the city, the homogeneity of society, as well as the activity characteristic, as it was characterized by religious and tourism activity.
Identifying and Measuring Biophilic Planning Indicators in
Riverside Neighborhoods
الباحثونAbdulhussien Abdali Alaskary، Tuqa R. Alrobaee
المجلةcivil engineering journal
مختصر البحثBiophilic planning is one of the important trends in achieving sustainability and nature conservation, especially in areas
that contain natural elements. Since in the case of climate change and urban encroachment on natural habitats, taking
care of nature and investing its components properly is a necessity, not a choice. As well as the agreement among many
researchers about the social, economic and environmental benefits provided by biophilic planning, which is based mainly
on the idea of connecting people with nature. This study aims to provide a guide to planners, urban designers, and
decision-makers, including how to deal with residential neighborhoods that contain natural elements such as rivers by
depending on a specific methodology based on previous literature and deriving effective indicators in this type of
neighborhood. The results of the theoretical framework showed that there are eleven effective indicators, some of which
are measured by descriptive methods and some by quantitative methods. These indicators have been applied in one of the
neighborhoods of the Iraqi Kufa City overlooking the Euphrates River. The results showed that the study area lacks
standards and indicators of biophilic planning
Measuring Spatial Justice Indices in the Traditional Islamic Cities by Using GIS, An-Najaf Holy City, Iraq: A Case Study
الباحثونTuqa R. Alrobaee
المجلةJournal of Applied Science and Technology Trends (JASTT)
التاريخ2021-08-10
مختصر البحثIraq includes several traditional Islamic cities, and they share many spatial and social characteristics. A question has often been raised about these cities' ability to achieve spatial justice for their current residents. Therefore, the research aims to answer this question by following a specific methodology based on the derivation of factors and indices of spatial justice through previous literature, then measuring the indices derived in the ancient Najaf city as an example of traditional Islamic cities. The research found that there are five main factors for spatial justice, which are: spatial diversity, spatial connectivity, spatial resilience, spatial security, and spatial empowerment, which in turn are divided into ten indices. These indices were measured in Najaf City. It became clear that the mixed land use index, spatial connectivity indices, and spatial security indices were well achieved, while the mixed residential patterns and spatial empowerment indices did not. As for spatial resilience, changes occurred in land uses. However, these changes were not the result of social and cultural changes or according to the city's residents' needs. Instead, they occurred due to economic changes that primarily served visitors and arrivals to the city.
Urban Planning and Reconstruction of Cities Post-Wars by the Approach of Events and Response Images
الباحثونSuhad K. Al-Mosawy، Ahmed A. Al-Jaberi 1 , Tuqa R. Alrobaee 1 , Ahmed S. Al-Khafaji
المجلةCivil Engineering Journal
التاريخ2021-11-01
مختصر البحثThe research attempts to shed light on how to invest the philosophical and intellectual concept of the event in preparing
the development plans for the city. Based on it, there are three strategies to read the event (Explanation, Interpretation,
and Deconstruction) that are regularly responded to it with three strategies represented by (Revitilaization, Renewal, and
Reform). Through the use of reading and response strategies, and the corresponding planning policies represented by:
preservation, rehabilitation, and redevelopment. The research adopted an analytical and descriptive methodology for
some world experiences for the eventful cities, such as Warsaw, which reflects (Explanation - Revitilaization) and used
preservation, Bilbao, which reflects (Interpretation - Renewal) and used rehabilitation, and Tianjin, which reflects
(Deconstruction - Reform) and used redevelopment. In an attempt to benefit from these experiences and derive some
indicators for each strategy. By applying the derived indicators to the traditional Mosul city, it concluded that the most
appropriate strategy for the reconstruction of this city is the strategy of Explanation – Revitalization, which represents
preservation because the destruction of the city was intending to crush the historical and cultural value of the city and
destroy the local and national identity.
