نوع مقاله : علمی - پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 دانشکده معماری و شهرسازی، گروه شهرسازی، دانشگاه علم و صنعت ایران، تهران
2 دانشکده معماری و شهرسازی، گروه شهرسازی، دانشگاه بین المللی امام خمینی(ره)، قزوین، ایران
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
Urban happiness, as a contemporary and multidimensional concept in urban studies, has increasingly gained prominence among policymakers, urban planners, and researchers. It is now considered one of the core indicators in evaluating the quality of life and assessing the sustainability of urban development. In today’s urban contexts, the mere provision of physical infrastructure and access to urban services is no longer sufficient to ensure a fulfilling urban life. Instead, the creation of dynamic, secure, aesthetically pleasing environments that foster human interaction, a sense of belonging, and opportunities for social participation has become fundamental to the urban experience.Despite the extensive theoretical discussions surrounding the idea of the "happy city," the practical realization of this concept in Iranian urban environments—particularly in planned neighborhoods—continues to face significant and complex challenges. These difficulties often arise from fragmented and inconsistent policymaking, the absence of integrated and holistic planning approaches, and a general lack of sensitivity to the real and perceived needs of residents. Such challenges impede the transition from theoretical frameworks to tangible improvements in urban well-being. This study was conducted with the primary goal of identifying the key components that influence the realization of urban happiness and assessing the extent of their impact at the neighborhood level. For this purpose, the Minoodar neighborhood in the city of Qazvin was selected as a case study. The neighborhood’s pre-planned structure and relatively advanced infrastructure offered a suitable setting for empirical analysis. The research is applied in its purpose and descriptive-analytical in nature, utilizing a correlational and causal approach to explore the relationships between variables. Data collection was carried out using a researcher-designed questionnaire comprising 51 items measured on a five-point Likert scale. A total of 383 residents of Minoodar were selected through a simple random sampling method. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and path analysis techniques implemented in SmartPLS software. To evaluate the model’s validity and reliability, several statistical indices were applied, including Cronbach’s alpha, Composite Reliability (CR), and Average Variance Extracted (AVE), all of which confirmed the robustness and adequacy of the conceptual model. The results of the study revealed that social security had the most substantial direct effect on residents’ perception of urban happiness, with a path coefficient of 0.775. This finding underscores the critical role that safety and security play in enhancing citizen satisfaction and emotional well-being. Additionally, the livelihood status variable demonstrated a significant indirect effect (0.880) mediated through social security, suggesting that economic stability alone is not enough to generate urban happiness unless it is accompanied by a strong sense of safety in the urban environment. Furthermore, climatic comfort emerged as an influential component, positively affecting residents’ psychological well-being, satisfaction with the urban environment, and the frequency of social interaction. By providing favorable environmental conditions, climatic comfort indirectly contributed to increased use of public spaces and stronger community engagement. In contrast, variables such as spatial justice, social interaction, and visual attractiveness, despite their prominence in theoretical discussions, did not demonstrate significant direct effects in the model. This outcome may be attributed to the fact that these factors are relatively well-addressed in the physical design of the Minoodar neighborhood, thus reducing their variation in residents’ perceptions. Additionally, elements such as visual monotony, limited functional diversity, or the lack of cohesive social programming may have further diminished their impact on perceived happiness. Ultimately, the final outcome variable—urban happiness and quality of life—achieved a high coefficient of determination (R² = 0.851), indicating the model’s strong explanatory power and validating its conceptual structure. In conclusion, the path to creating a happy city at the neighborhood scale requires a strategic emphasis on enhancing social security, supporting economic well-being, improving climatic comfort, and reinforcing supportive infrastructure. Moreover, integrating soft, social, and emotional dimensions with physical and spatial planning is essential for the sustainable implementation of urban happiness. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for the development of local policies, operational plans, and social-environmental interventions aimed at improving the quality of life and urban happiness in neighborhoods across the country.
کلیدواژهها [English]
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