Assessing the Identity of Place through Its Measurable Components to Achieve Sustainable Development

Abstract

Scholarly studies have enriched the definition and theory of place identity since the 1960s. These trends are becoming more prevalent in the urban setting. This is because place identity has become a common theme in many researches and design projects and a thriving theme in policies and regulations to achieve sustainable development. In this respect, it is necessary to review these studies to identify the points of intersection and present updated evidence that incorporates the most relevant approaches. In this context, literature provides a deep understanding of place identity definitions through literature and research articles that discuss many factors and elements that identify place identity. This review divided the data into definitions, types, layers, levels, forms, features, dimensions, principles, and elements. Based on the research objective to present a reliable tool to measure the sense of identity in public places, the study used the descriptive-analytical approach to analyze, compare, and explore the collected information on place identity to present a matrix for evaluating place identity. According to the matrix, identity can be categorized into three axes: environment, people, and interaction; under two primary classifications: tangible and intangible. The findings confirmed a network of elements that were coded and defined. Parcel "elements" are evaluated by grouping them into three groups according to their contribution: positive element contribution, negative contribution, and neutral or non-contributing element. Based on the matrix checklist proposed as part of the evaluation strategy, the outcome indicates the extent of the place's senses of identity. The suggested matrix could be used to compare different places' sense of identity, and accordingly, the places could be developed based on these results.