SPACE SYNTAX WORKSHOP OUTCOMES HANDBOOK 2019 by dina s

SPACE SYNTAX

AN INTRODUCTION FOR BUILDING & URBAN SPATIAL ANALYSIS

WORKSHOP OUTCOMES HANDBOOK 2019

SPACE SYNTAX AN INTRODUCTION FOR BUILDING & URBAN SPATIAL ANALYSIS WORKSHOP OUTCOMES HANDBOOK 2019

Prepared by Dina Salem Heba S. Mourad Kareem Elsheekh Nahla Mahmoud Hafez Nora Osama Ahmed Sara Ibrahim Khalifa Revised By Nabil Mohareb copyright© Housing and Building National Research Center_HBRC, 2020 All rights reserved Printed in Cairo by HBRC P.O.Box: 1770 Cairo, Egypt Fax: 20 2 335 1564 http://www.hbrc.edu.eg Email: spacesyntax.hbrc@gmail.com ISBN: 978-977-85689-0-5 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address above.

Foreword It gives me a great pleasure to be part of this important three-day workshop, meeting a wonderful organising team at HBRC and dedicated participants from various research institutes in Egypt. Due to the time limitation, the struggle at first was related to designing the content of this workshop: should it focus on a pure application on how to use a specific software, or how to use the theory of space syntax in research as the main driving force of the workshop and then apply it to a real case study? The latter was the case, because any theory and its set of tools are as good as the main research question, and how it fits within the research scope. The workshop tackled three main issues: the theory of space syntax (evaluation of the theory, key turning points, important readings), how to apply it (different software for different environments), in addition to highlighting the new digital tools for collecting information from the real site (using GIS cloud collection), besides considering environmental factors. The interesting aspect, at least for me, is the discussion with the participants about which indices to select, and visiting the real site (Mohi Al Din Abou Al Ezz Street), in addition to the final discussion with the guest panelists, this part is important because it links the selected indices for the survey and evaluation with the spatial configuration of the action area. Finally, I would like to thank my colleague, Dr. Osama Omar, for his contribution to this workshop.

Prof. Nabil Mohareb

Acknowledgement This handbook is based on space syntax workshop lectures that took place in July 2019, as well as participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; group work outcomes. We would like to thank the workshop instructors; Dr. Nabil Mohareb and Dr. Osama Omar for the knowledge provided during the three days of the workshop, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also thankful to the workshop participants for their fruitful hard work that made this publication possible. We would also like to include a special note of thanks to the workshop guest panelists; Omar Nagati and Momen El-Husseiny for their contribution to the workshop panel discussion which represents a valuable part of this handbook. Our gratefulness is also extended to the board of directors of HBRC represented in HBRC chairman; Prof. Khalid Elzahaby, the Vice-chairman for research studies; Prof. Khalid Yusri and the head of the Architecture and Housing Research Institute; Prof. Ibrahim Eldemery for giving us their full support and encouragement to organize the workshop and publish its outcomes. Finally, the workshop organizing team gratefully acknowledges the Science and Technology Development Fund (STDF) and the Housing and Building National Research Center (HBRC) for funding this event and publication.

Workshop Organizing Team

Dina Salem (Main coordinator, HBRC) Heba S. Mourad (HBRC) Kareem Elsheekh (HBRC) Nahla Mahmoud Hafez (HBRC) Nora Osama Ahmed (HBRC) Sara Ibrahim Khalifa (HBRC)

Workshop Participants Ahmed Aly Ahmed Amal Mamdouh Alaaeldin Saifeldin Alia Nassar Amany Ramadan Amro Abdelalim Areej Kiwan Asmaa El diasty Assem Abd El salam Donia Alaa El din Mohamed Esraa Ebaid Esraa Samir Hagar M. Shalaby Hanaa Gad Heba Farouk Abd Elbaky Heba M. Gomma

Heba Soliman Heidi Ahmed Shalaby Irinie Wanis Lamis Moawad Maged Zagow Maha Attia Mariam Shulqami May Ebaid Medhat Samra Menna Essam Menna Tawfik Mennatallah Hamdy Mohamed Hesham Salem Nada Elhadedy Nada Gaber Elsayed Ola Tarek Galal Pakinam Ashraf Radwa Bakr Rana Swelam Sandi Boulos Sara El gamal Sara Mohamed Sabry Sara Tarek Elsayed Sarah Hisham Sherif Hussein

Graphic Design

Heba S. Mourad (HBRC) Kareem el sheekh (HBRC)

Image Credits

Page 12: Wafaee Banob (HBRC) Page 31: Wafaee Banob (HBRC) Page 35: Heba S. Mourad (HBRC) Page 39: Wafae Banob (HBRC) Page 46: Wafaee Banob (HBRC) Page 68: Heba S. Mourad (HBRC) Page 69: Heba S. Mourad (HBRC) Page 71: Heba S. Mourad (HBRC) Page 73: Heba S. Mourad (HBRC) Page 74: Heba S. Mourad (HBRC) Page 75: Heba S. Mourad (HBRC) Page 79: Wafaee Banob (HBRC)

Group photo on the final day of the workshop Wafaee Banob (HBRC)

Partners HBRC, Housing and Building National Research Center is a multidisciplinary governmental

research establishment subordinate to the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development of Egypt. It consists of 11 research institutes that play an important role in the research activities in collaboration with public and private institutions. HBRC performs strategic studies for urban development; provide evaluation services including technical consultations, field inspection, quality control & laboratory testing, as well as training programs. It also plays a leading role in enhancing the performance of the building sector through scientific research, scientific events, building codes development and studies related to the Egyptian building laws and regulations.

BAU, Beirut Arab University is located in the heart of Beirut, Lebanon. The University

promotes a stimulating academic atmosphere for its academic staff to ensure excellence in research and the dissemination of its outcomes, both nationally and internationally. BAU relies on the contribution of the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expertise in the sustainable development of the local community while maintaining engagement with its alumni. BAU believes in its highly efficient leadership, well-structured governance system and greatly motivated academic staff. The Faculty of Architecture - Design and Built Environment in BAU attained unconditional accreditation for the Architecture Program from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

STDF, The Science and Technology Development Fund was founded by the Egyptian Ministry

for Scientific Research to stimulate the Egyptian scientific society by funding distinguished research and establishing scientific partnerships with scientists and organizations from different countries in order to keep up with advancing technology, and collaborate in different fields on the international level to link scientific research to technological development and cooperate with civil society institutions to activate their role in an integrated scientific research system. It offers various funding plans and programs to boost the scientific research drive and support the Egyptian research and innovation capabilities.

Workshop instructors Nabil Mohareb, an Associate Professor and the Head of Faculty branch of Architecture- Design & Built Environment in Tripoli campus- Beirut Arab University, Lebanon. He has gained his Ph.D. from the University of Liverpool, UK. His research focuses on the relationship between architecture and urbanism, in particular the social behavior activities and their mutual effect on both spatial and economic variables in urban spaces. He has developed and planned an area of personal research, which is reflected in his several published papers in refereed journals and international conferences. Osama Mohamed Omar, an Egyptian Scientist whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obtained his Ph.D. from Architectural Department - Faculty of Engineering Alexandria University in Nano-architecture and Global Warming. His Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree was about advanced daylighting technologies for sustainable Architecture. He currently works as an Associate professor in Beirut Arab University, Faculty of Architecture Design and Built Environment Beirut, Lebanon. He is concerned with environmental protection using innovative nanotechnology and simple architectural solutions to limit the global warming effects. He had several researches in Zero Energy and Nano-architecture fields.

Table of Contents 14

Table of Contents

Preface..........................................................................................................................................18 Introduction.................................................................................................................................19 Day 1- Space syntax theory and its applications..........................................................................20 Theoretical basis and important terms..................................................................................................22 Applying space syntax in research....................................................................................................... 24 Summary..................................................................................................................................................30 Day2- Field visit and data collection............................................................................................32 Introduction to the study area: Mohi Al Din Abou Al Ezz street.....................................................34 Preparation for field visit.........................................................................................................................38 Collecting data on site using smart phones..........................................................................................42 Group discussion.....................................................................................................................................42 Summary..................................................................................................................................................46 Day3- Spatial analysis and Panel discussion...............................................................................48 Group work outcomes.............................................................................................................................50 Group A: Street vendors................................................................................................................52 Group B: Gathering spaces............................................................................................................54 Group C: Parking............................................................................................................................56 Group D: Type of movement........................................................................................................58 Group E: Passive & Active Faรงades..............................................................................................60 Group F : Safety .............................................................................................................................62 Group G: Walkability.....................................................................................................................64 Group H: Activities located in the street, Land-use..................................................................66

Panel discussion............................................................................................................................................68 Space syntax and the politics of public space (Omar Nagati).........................................................70 Contextualizing space syntax for Cairo: on the question of methodology (Momen El-Husseiny) ...............................................................72 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................76 Space syntax and the process of thinking about a research problem......................................................78 Applications of digital analysis tools â&#x20AC;&#x201C; what space syntax does not do..................................................78 The workshop as a tool for capacity building, collaboration, and networking......................................79 Recommended readings ...................................................................................................................80 References ..........................................................................................................................................84

Preface This handbook provides researchers in the field of urban and architectural studies with a simplified theoretical background and a methodology for urban spatial analysis, as well as the process of thinking about a research problem rather than learning software for graphic analysis. The whole idea was initiated by a group of six researchers from the Architecture and Housing Research Institute at the Housing and Building National Research Center (HBRC), willing to learn more about space syntax theory and spatial analysis methods, then thought that this is needed by many other researchers in the field, so the team decided to plan for holding a workshop at Housing and Building National Research Center premises. The first step was contacting Dr. Nabil Mohareb (Associate Professor and the Head of Faculty branch of Architecture- Design & Built Environment in Tripoli campus- Beirut Arab University, Lebanon) who collaborated with the team at the very early stages of planning for the workshop, starting from submitting a proposal to the Science and Technology Development Fund (STDF). With the enthusiasm of the competent group of participants, and having the full support from HBRC, the workshop was successfully implemented and this handbook is published to transfer the whole experience to other researchers, with a focus on the workshop as a capacity building tool and an opportunity for networking and collaboration.

Introduction The handbook documents a spatial analysis workshop as a capacity building tool for researchers and shows how participants with different backgrounds worked together in groups and collaborated to understand and analyze a specific study area using space syntax. Space syntax is one of the spatial configuration theories that can be applied starting from the micro level (inside buildings) to the macro levels (the city level). It is a theory that attempts to describe and analyze the relationships between spaces, where spaces are voids such as streets, squares, rooms and fields, between walls, fences and other elements that might influence pedestrian movement or the field of vision. The idea assumes that people, tend to choose the simplest route or the route with the fewest turns or change of direction to reach their destination, the more changes of direction, the more complex the system is and therefore the less efficient and integrated the network design becomes1 . It consists of four parts that represent the three-day workshop sequence to build up the knowledge required to deal with the specified research problem using space syntax theory. The first day starts by explaining the theory and its applications and how to choose the appropriate methods of spatial analysis, the second day of the workshop introduces different levels of analysis as well as preparing for the fieldwork and designing an online mapping and data gathering method. The final step on the third day of the workshop is utilizing the gained knowledge and data from the fieldwork in understanding the spatial configuration of the selected area and preliminarily analyze the current situation in order to forecast any future spatial interventions and present group work outcomes to be discussed with the invited guests. A conclusion for the whole process is the fourth and final part of the handbook.

Part 1

Space syntax theory and its applications

Part 2

Field visit, data collection, group discussion

Part 3

Part 4

Spatial analysis, group work outcomes & panel discussions Conclusion

Âšâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;Karolina, J. (2006). What is Space Syntax? Does the urban form of the city affect the level of burglary and crime. Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thesis. Royal Institute of Architecture Stockholm.

Day1 Space syntax theory & its applications 20

• Theoretical basis and important terms • Applying space syntax in research • Summary

The part summarizes the knowledge acquired on the first day of the workshop. It comprises two parts; the first one starts with providing a theoretical basis and important terms; space syntax theory, definition, historical background, the scale of analysis as well as highlighting fundamental terms used in space syntax. The second part describes the process of applying space syntax theory in research, briefly described in four main stages: specifying the research problem, preparing a base map, observing the current situation and identify methods and techniques to be used in the analysis.

Theoretical basis and important terms Space syntax Definition

Historical background

¹ Van Nes, A. (2014). Space Syntax in Theory and Practice. In: Lee D., Dias E., Scholten H. (eds) Geodesign by Integrating Design and Geospatial Sciences. GeoJournal Library, vol 111. Springer, Cham. ² Hillier, B. & Hanson J. (1984). The Social Logic of Space. Cambridge University Press.

³ Hillier, B. & Hanson J. (1984). The Social Logic of Space. ⁴ Dalton, R. & Hoelscher C. (2007). Understanding Space: the nascent synthesis of cognition and the syntax of spatial morphologies. In: Space Syntax and Spatial Cognition - Proceedings of the Workshop. Bremen.

According to Hillier, space syntax is: a way to represent urban space; analyzing cities as the networks of space formed by the placing, grouping and orientation of buildings; a set of techniques for observing how these networks of space relate to functional patterns such as movement, uses, area differentiation, migration patterns and even social wellbeing. Space syntax enabled creating a set of theories about how urban space networks influence the social, economic and cognitive factors1. As a quantitative method, space syntax describes patterns of spatial relationships and how the urban grid configuration influences the existing movements. The more integrated the street is, the higher pedestrian flow rates are recognized and this, in turn, attracts retail land uses to take advantage of the passing trade; these land uses by time increase the original flows2.

Space syntax originated in the early 1970s from research by Bill Hillier and colleagues at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London. Hillier argues that the urban grid is a record of a historical process of evolution rather than a static spatial framework holding human activities 3. Although a society creates the spatial system that it uses, it is affected and influenced by the spaces it inhabits4. Therefore, the relationship between the spatial and the social aspects are a two-way interaction. Consequently, there is a fundamental link between the structures and functions of cities, as the configuration of the network is the primary shaper of the pattern of movement.

Important terms used in space syntax

This section highlights fundamental terms in space syntax such as: Axial line

An axial line is a straight line (sightline), accessible for movement (pedestrian or vehicle) that passes through convex space1.

Convex spaces

convex space is the one in which no straight line drawn between any two points goes outside the space2.

Choice

Choice is the potential of through-movement, regarding how likely a route is to be chosen on path of movement from all routes to all others3. Choice with specific metric radius (R) means defining a catchment area for each segment in the map limited to specific radius. Local choice :measures shorter trips, using radii of 200 m to 800 m. Global Choice : measures longer trips. Rn (Radius infinity) is the analysis including all number of steps (segment lines) in the area of analysis

Connectivity

Connectivity measures the number of spaces immediately connecting a space of origin⁴.

Integration

Integration calculates the closeness of each segment in the map to all other segments. It is a to-movement analysis. Integration with specific metric radius (R) means defining a catchment area for each segment in the map limited to a specific radius. Local Integration : measures shorter trips, such as the potential pedestrian to-movements in a specific location using radii of 200 m to 800 m. Global Integration : measures longer trips, such as potential vehicle movements 5.

12345

¹ Klarqvist, B. (1993). A Space Syntax Glossary. The Nordic Journal of Architectural Research. ² Hillier, B., & Hanson, J. (1984). The Social Logic of Space. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. 97-8. ³ Hillier, B. (2005). The art of place and the science of space. World Architecture: Special Issue on Space Syntax. 4 Hillier, B., & Hanson J. (1984). The Social Logic of Space. ⁵ Hillier, (2005). The art of place and the science of space.

Scale of understanding the spatial configuration The different scales to understand the spatial Configuration through Space syntax is explained focusing on how that helps in recognizing the social logic of space. This could be on streetscale where people experience the city, to understand how to aggregate from micro-scale up to the most macro, without losing sight of others, or even to evaluate different types of correlations between space-people, spacespace, and people-people. FINALLY Space syntax is about applying configurational measures to the patterns of different geometric elements that are created by buildings and cities. Whether we choose lines, convex spaces, isovists, or even points as the elements for analysis.

Applying space syntax in research Specifying the research problem / objective

This stage focuses on the necessity to clearly identify what the research question/interest is; specify appropriate theory, appropriate methods/tools, and prepare appropriate data. Accordingly, clarify whether it is experimental (trial and error),exploratory (hypothesis testing), or descriptive .

Preparing a base map

At this stage, it is important to define the most appropriate scale or the resolution of analysis (i.e. Micro, Meso or Macro (local/ global) as well as the edge of analysis according to the research objective.

Low resolution analysis

Mid resolution analysis

- Fast and can be generated automatically with different software. - Less accurate. - Use it on larger scale (group of neighborhoods) or city scale.

- Fast but still need more time than the low-resolution analysis - Accurate - Use it in a neighborhood scale.

Selecting appropriate resolution (scale of details) of analysis

High resolution analysis -Take more time in drawing and field surveying. -Cannot be generated automatically. - The accurate. -Use it in selected action area.

Source: Nabil Mohareb (2019) space syntax workshop (lectures), based on space syntax limited, 2003

The edge of analysis should be drawn to avoid the edge effect to be near to the study area. The edge effect describes the fact that the edge of axial models appears disproportionately segregated due to the fact that streets on the edge of the map are not connected onwards1, for example if the area of study is within 1km radius, it is important to work with at least 2km radius.

Study area and edge of analysis

The researcher should consider adding a buffer zone to the study area to avoid any edge-effect. The buffer zone size is identified according to the scale and the type of research analysis.

¹ Vaughan, L., & Geddes I. (2009). Urban form and deprivation: a contemporary proxy for Charles Booth’s analysis of poverty. Radical Statistics.

In addition to the previous analysis in preparing the data, there is a need to understand the study area before starting the fieldwork through preparing a base map with drawn axial lines and know the most integrated/segregated areas, accessible/ connected places, through producing a bunch of maps according to the research objectives. Each of these maps comes from a different type of analysis of the axial /segment map, such as integration or choice analysis on the target level (i.e. local/ global) according to the research needs.

Choice map with 2km radius

Choice map with 10km radius

Choice map with 100km radius

Maps Source : www.spacesyntax.com

For example, the figures illustrated on the left show different analysis of the city map of London in the United Kingdom where integrated parts demonstrate the city center without even knowing the city previously, same as the choice analysis, in which the highly accessible places could be understood from reading the map.

Integration map with 2km radius

Integration map with 10km radius

Integration map with 100km radius

Maps Source : www.spacesyntax.com

Observation

The third stage is to visit the study area, document the current situation, and compare data from maps in the previous stage to what actually happens from observation taking into consideration the diverse user groups: business men or women/ men or children– elders – others, as well as Mass/ groups/ crowds: Homogenous or Heterogeneous – Others. Observation can be either through the basic techniques illustrated by Jan Gehl1 such as counting people, and mapping their behavior; or advanced techniques using: GPS/WIFI/ Bluetooth methods, Infrared Beams, Thermal Imaging, and Video Analytics to count people, Image Recognition for facial recognition and heads detection, Location Analytics people counting and tracking technologies and People Tracking for measuring the path of a person.

Analysis methods and techniques

The analysis stage requires basic knowledge about the existing analysis software to select the appropriate one/ones for the study. Some of the analysis techniques can be applied either on an urban scale (i.e. the relation between a street and ¹ Gehl, J. (2011). Life between buildings: using public space. Island press.

the context/ the most integrated and the most segregated) or a scale of a building (i.e. the most accessible space to the most segregated space). Five different techniques and their applications were introduced in the workshop as follows: the first technique is convex space analysis, “a way of analyzing a spatial layout in which convex spaces are represented by points and relations between them by lines joining points.”2, it describes the adjacency of spaces, the second one is the Justified Graph (J-graph) which analyzes the comparative depth of spaces in the form of a bubble diagram, “it is a graph restructured so that a specific space “the root space” is placed at the bottom. All spaces one syntactic step away from root space are put on the first level above, all spaces two spaces away on the second level, etc. Justified graphs offer a visual picture of the overall depth of a layout seen from one of its points. A tree-like justified graph has most of the nodes many steps (levels) away from the bottom node; in such a system the mean depth is high and described as deep”3. The third one is the VGA analysis (Visibility graph analysis), which “investigates the properties of a visibility graph ² Hillier, B. & Hanson, J. (1984). The Social Logic of Space. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 100-114 ³ Klarqvist, B. (1993). A space syntax glossary.The Nordic Journal of Architectural Research.

derived from a spatial environment. The VGA can be applied to two levels, eye level for what people can see, and knee level for how people can move which is critical to understand spatial layouts” 4, the fourth is the Isovist analysis, “a set of all points visible from a given vantage point in space and with respect to an environment. The shape and size of an isovist are liable to change with the position” 5, and the fifth and last one is Axial analysis, “a way of analyzing a spatial layout represented by an axial map”6 . Convex space analysis1

Justified Graph (J-graph) analysis1

VGA analysis (Visibility graph analysis) (Agent)2

Isovist analysis 2

Axial analysis/ depthmap1

Analysis methods and techniques 7,8 78

⁴ Turner, A., Doxa, M., O’Sullivan, D., and Penn, A. (2001). From Isovists to Visibility Graphs: A Methodology for the Analysis of Architectural Space. Environment and Planning B: vol 28, 103-121, 108-109. ⁵ Benedikt, M. L. (1979). To Take Hold of Space: Isovists and Isovist Fields. Environment and Planning B, 6(1) 47-65, 47. ⁶ Hillier & Hanson. The Social Logic of Space, 99-123. ⁷ Ostwald, M.J., Dawes M.J (2013). Architecture Research. Precise Locations in Space: An Alternative Approach to Space Syntax Analysis using Intersection Points. 3(1), 1-11.Scientific & Academic Publishing. ⁸ Ostwald, M.J., Dawes M.J. (2018). Isovists: Spatio-Visual Mathematics in Architecture. In: Sriraman B. (eds) Handbook of the Mathematics of the Arts and Sciences. Springer, Cham

Layers of further analysis can be integrated with the outcomes of the analysis using the different methods and techniques mentioned in the previous section according to the main research question, for example, data gathered can be further analyzed using excel, SPSS, GIS or any other software for data analysis to investigate correlations between various issues in the field. The workshop illustrated design impacts on the building materials that how these factors can

1â&#x20AC;&#x2030;https://www.envi-met.com/

an example of this analysis using ENVI-met which analyzes local environment, the specification of a ground plane and can help mitigate factors such as urban heat stress1, and be correlated to the outcomes from space syntax analysis.

Summary By the end of day one, participants acquired knowledge about the following: • The meaning of space syntax, its historical background, and its application in spatial analysis. • Important terms used in space syntax: axial line, convex spaces, choice, connectivity, integration, and segment map. • Key stages to apply space syntax theory in research, starting by asking the right research question; to finally identify methods and techniques to be used in the analysis.

The end of workshop day one

Day2

Field visit and data collection

Study area: (mixed use/commercial street, Ad Doqi area, Giza, Egypt)

• • • • •

Introduction to the study area: Mohi Al Din Abou Al Ezz street Preparation for field visit Collecting data on site using smart phones Group discussion Summary

The second day of the workshop focused on using space syntax in the spatial understanding of Mohi Al Din Abou Al Ezz Street. A mixeduse/commercial street in Greater Cairo region; in Ad Doqi area. It started with introducing the study area and its urban transformation, besides the objective of carrying out the study. The instructors then prepared participants for the field work. A group discussion took place after participants returned from the visit, during which they discussed the preliminary data gathered on site.

Introduction to study area Background (History and urban transformation)

The study area is part of Awqaf City (an urban extension of cities located on agricultural land) that was planned in the middle of the twentieth century as private villas and low rise residential buildings, the area was planned to accommodate all the necessary uses and services. Most of the villas and low-rise buildings are being demolished and turned into densely built high-rise apartment buildings built at the maximum height permitted by law1.

Study area 2003, based on google earth.

Study area 2018, based on google earth.

ยน Soleiman, S., Al-Ibiari N. (2010). Urban change in existing residential areas, case study of Awqaf city area. Association of Architects.

Mohi Al Din Abou Al Ezz Street Mohi Al Din Abou Al Ezz Street is one of the main streets between Ad Doqi and Mohandessin area. It starts at Gamaet Al Dowal Al Arabeya street (Mohandessin) and ends at El Tahrir street (Ad Doqi) passing through Mossadak street. The street is famed for the presence of Shooting Club, and it offers mostly upper-middle to upper-class housing especially the areas overlooking the club. Ad Doqi is a vital residential and commercial neighborhood located between six main streets: Gamaet Al Dowal, Sudan, El Batal Ahmed Abdel Aziz, Agriculture Museum, Nile and Abdel Salam Aref. Although it has a variety of housing classes, it is known for its upscale housing opportunities and its intense commercial activities. The area hosts different shops, banks, 56 embassies, and about 102 schools (governmental, private and language schools), Ad Doqi suffers heavy traffic especially during business rush hours due to the various uses and commercial activities.

Mohi Al Din Abou Al Ezz Street

Objective of the study

The objective of the study is to understand the impact of changing the uses of the ground floor into commercial, and its effect on the surrounding area. Space syntax is used as the main spatial analysis method.

Edges of the study area

Problem definition and questions

The ground floors of residential buildings in the study area are rapidly changing into commercial activities, these unplanned rapid changes have an impact on the surrounding streets/public spaces and users’ activities. 1.

What are the physical factors (Connectivity – accessibility – permeability –density, etc.) and actors (municipalities – property owners, etc.,) that facilitate the change? 2. How does the change affect different users (residents, shop owners, temporary users)? 3. To what extent mixed use could be effective and acceptable? Based on the previous questions and study interest in “Mohi Al Din Abou Al Ezz Street” appropriate methods and tools were chosen to understand the area.

The previous questions represent a multidimensional complex problem that requires long term analysis on various levels. As a start, during the workshop, some factors that are believed to have a strong influence on understanding the area was observed in the field and analyzed in order to help in understanding the whole situation and the logic behind urban change. Study area, source: Google Earth.

Preparation for field visit Scope of the study

Due to the time limitation, the analysis was focusing on the main street with a buffer zone of 100 meters around it. Eight factors were selected to be covered by the workshop participants, they are as follow: walkability; passive and active facade; movement; parking; street vendors; safety; gathering spaces; activities and land use.

Building an index for each factor

The following questions were suggested by the instructor to help participants simply build their indices. Each group focused on one question. Prior to the field visit participants of each group defined their approach for dealing with the factor to be observed, discussed how to build indices to measure it in the field, noted other related issues to consider.

• Street vendors: (Group A) Does the street attract street vendors? (why/type/ location) • Gathering spaces: (Group B) Where are the attractive gathering spaces/Why? • Parking: (Group C) Where do people park (formal/informal)? • Types of movement: (Group D) What type of movements does this street attract? Where do people cross to the other side of the street? (Why?) • Passive/ active facades: (Group E) (where, what activities, entrances) • Safety: (Group F) Is it safe (day/night and to all genders (individual/ groups)? • Walkability: (Group G) Does the street encourage walking? (Who/why/ where/when) • Activities: (Group H) What are the types of activities located in this street? (where/when/why)

Participants discussing indices before fieldwork

A good observation should consider certain aspects in order to give a full understanding of the actual situation. During the field visit participants were required to describe the varying aspects regarding the 8 factors, and observe the situation in the field in a way that covers the following aspects as much as possible: •

A general impression of the situation.

•

The

temporal,

physical,

and

social

boundaries.

GIS cloud mobile application is a field data collection method using the mobile phone, it transforms workflow from paper to digital. The application allows the collection of points, lines and polygons, pictures etc1. ¹ www.giscloud.com/apps/mobile-datacollection

•

Background information about the setting of their observation.

•

Recorded factual data about the date, time and duration of each observation.

•

demographic

information

about

Methods and tools

Participants were introduced to using mobile applications for data collection and the appropriate application needed depending on the kind of data, whether primary resources or secondary resource data (maps, detailed data of buildings, spaces, etc.). There are many applications for collecting data using mobile phones, with no need for any technical expertise or any kind of coding, with the ability to make notes, and add photos and videos to existing maps online and offline. “GIS Cloud” mobile application is the digital data gathering tool introduced to participants to be used in the field.

the

individuals being observed e.g., age, gender, ethnicity, and/or any other variables relevant to the study. •

Describe the reasons for selecting particular situations and particular measures to observe. Some features of GIS Cloud mobile Application Source: https://www.giscloud.com/apps/mobile-datacollection

Participants then retrieved data gathered on site on the previously prepared base map of the study area and explored some of the previously introduced types of spatial analysis using (Depthmap). Analysis of the collected data can be correlated to the depthmap software analysis using QGIS, Arc GIS or any software that can perform data analysis according to the level and type of analysis required.

A screen shot from my maps by Google, source: https://www.google.com › mymaps

“My Maps” by Google, which gives the ability to create customized maps and visualize data online and share it with others, was used to design the interface for the mobile data collection method based on the research interest and questions. This tool enables sharing and collaborating on one map with colleagues to create a project profile.

Collecting data on site using smart phones Work dynamics

Participants were divided into eight teams, the teams met on site (Mohi Al Din abou Al ezz street) and moved around to secondary streets that are probably feeding the main street. The teams moved on foot, sometimes moved by car, some teams even divided themselves between people on-site gathering data using their smart phones and others receiving the data on their laptops off-site. The visit took place on a weekday (Tuesday) in summer on the 2nd of July at noon.

Supporting digital techniques with other basic techniques

Below are the different data-gathering techniques used by participants during field surveys to record data collected from observations during field visits. • Note Taking Participants wrote small paragraphs, which reflect changes in activities on site, to illustrate additional thoughts and ideas about what’s being observed, and notes that are set aside for further investigation. 42

• Photography They used also their smart phones, to take photographs of the physical elements, and activities. People were also observed during the field study, these helped participants capture the important action as well as document details about the space where observation takes place. • Video and Audio Recordings Participants took some videos and audio recordings during observations to facilitate repeated analysis of their observations. During the observation, the participants tried to figure out the reasons behind what was observed, what evidence they had for their reasoning. To what extent their observations fit into the larger context, and in what ways their observations possibly changed or affirmed their perceptions of the study area, as well as requirements for professional practice.

Participants using different data collection techniques during field survey 43

Group discussion Participants discussed findings from their pilot observation and data gathered during the field visit. Discussions raised some questions and issues to be considered starting from features observed to fulfill each factor, going through their field experience and the interrelationship between features observed for each index, the points of discussion can be summarized as follows: • The eight factors and their possible impact on the characteristics and challenges of the surrounding area. • The features suggested and observed by participants to build an index for each of the observed factors. • The interrelationship between the eight factors. • Modifications participants made to their survey forms during field visit due to new phenomena observed in the study area. • Time dimension and special behavioral patterns observed at the time of the field visit that might be totally different in other times of the day, or in a different season. • The relationship between gender and age and the types of activities observed. 44

•

Can the presence of certain gender or age group be an indicator for certain urban quality?(for example: the presence of children and women can be an indicator of safety). Participants’ experience with the mobile application during the field visit and recommendations based on their experience about map accuracy, pinning points etc.

Drawing the axial map Axial map drawing was explained earlier on the first day of the workshop; participants were asked to draw the axial lines of the study area on the CAD file, and import it to the depth-map software to perform the required preliminary graph analysis to explore the area’s accessibility and integration. Data assembly in one GIS map Participants understood “how to use GIS cloud” which allowed them to collaborate to add all the data gathered using the GIS cloud mobile application in order to have one map with all data collected during the field study, the map is accessible by all participants and has all the features observed that represent the eight investigated factors.

Participants dicussing data gathered

Discussions between the instructor and groups

Data assembly in one map allows each group to run different types of analysis to explore the relationship between their indices as well as the correlations between their observations and axial analysis and spatial configurations from the depthmap software. Axial map drawing on the CAD map of the study area

Dealing with the data after adding them in one map

Summary By the end of the second day participants are able to do the following tasks: select the appropriate research questions, start building an index to observe the current situation in the field, collecting data using mobile phone application and draw the axial maps in order to gather all data in one map to explore correlations, ending up with preliminary analysis using different spatial analysis software.

Day3

Spatial analysis and Panel discussion 48

• • • •

Group work outcomes Panel discussion Space syntax and the politics of public space (Omar Nagati) Contextualizing space syntax for Cairo:

On the third day of the workshop participants presented their spatial understanding of the urban transformation of Mohi Al Din abou Al Ezz street using space syntax, adding layers of data gathered in site using their own smart phones with the help of GIS mobile application. Participants were then able to map (in a preliminary study) some issues that affect the street. Guests from practice and academia Omar Nagati, and Momen El-Husseiny joined the interesting discussions and introduced further questions to be tackled. Each presentation discussed three main points; the index studied by the group, the approach that they adopted to deal with this index, and what they found.

On the question of methodology (Momen El-Husseiny)

Group work outcomes This section includes samples of the work presented about the eight factors observed in the field. Eight groups of participants presented their outcomes to the instructors and the panel discussion guests, starting by re-introducing the study area with regards to the assigned factor and the data they collected from selected points on the map, then they explained features suggested by the group to build an index and how they planned for their field visit. Participants also presented what they observed in the field, some groups started to analyze their observation; levels of analysis varied among groups from the preliminary correlation between observed features to combining these features to be correlated to the analysis performed using Depthmap to explore integration, accessibility, and choice on different scales (radii).

Choosing points for data gathering

Analysis performed using Depthmap

Participants used a depthmap to priliminary analyze spatial relationships in the study area. Data varied according to studying different scales depending on the research question. Red color for the routes represents higher values for connectivity, choice and integration; while blue color indicates segregation and lower values.

Research question

What attracts street vendors? • Location • Edge or freestanding • Other factors

Approach

Group A Street vendors Mennatallah Hamdy Ahmed Amal Mamdouh May Ebaid Esraa Ebaid Esraa Samir Sandi Boulos

To study street vendors’ activities, the group decided to use the following points of analysis on GIS cloud to study street vendors in the area: • Typologies of Street Vendors(Cart_Bikes/ Cart_Donkey/ On Ground/ Tent/Stall) • Products Sold (traditional bean carts “fool”/Corn/lupine “termes”/Electronics/ Clothes/Sandwiches) • Relation to Edge (Free Standing/ by wall) • Position on Street(Corner of Street/ Corner of Sidewalk/Along Pavement/ Along Street/By entrance) • Street Hierarchy (Arterial/ Main Street/ Secondary Street) • Surrounding Functions • Gender of the vendor, (Male/ female) • User Age (Senior/ adult/ teenager/ child) • User locality (local/ tourist)

Street vendors choice of locations

Preliminary observations • Street vendors mostly sell food (either for instant buying or eating). • The street vendors that offer cooked food and eating service have the most groups of users surrounding them for a long time compared to the other street vendors. • Most of the vendors are present on street sides which fall under the shadow of the buildings. • Most street vendors are present in the street crossings.

Conclusion

Spotting 24 vendors, it is obvious that male vendors dominated the main and secondary streets. The study of visual connectivity of the area shows the vendorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; choice of being located in intersections, due to the importance of high visual connectivity to street vendors location. Correlations are yet to be figured out between choice of location of static and dynamic vendors and their relation to the spatial analysis.

Variations of street vendors and the importance of visual connectivity

Research question

Why are these spaces attractive?

Approach

To study gathering spaces participants started observing where people tend to gather, locating with GIS mobile application and manually, in addition to figuring out the relationship between gender and activities.

Conclusion

Group B Gathering spaces

They found out that people gathered around kiosks, street food shops, building sites and schools. Then they compared depthmap analysis of connectivity, accessibility, with actual gathering spaces from observations.

Pakinam Ashraf Ahmed Aly Maged Zagow Mohamed Hesham Salem Menna Essam Alia Nassar Manual observations on site

Cluster of Kiosks Attraction of vendors towards schools

Street food shops Attraction of food carts towards construction sites Gathering data points

Research question

What is the condition of the parking in the street?

Approach

Participants tried to trace the formality and the informality of parking slots and also locating the availability of public spaces for parking, in addition to finding out the relationship between the level of activity within the street (i.e. high/low) and the density of parking (i.e. high/low). Finally, the group summarized their pilot observation results in the form of, charts and diagrams.

Group C Parking Assem Abd El.salam Donia Alaa El.din Mohamed Sarah Hisham Maha Attia

Comparing and understanding relationship between connectivity and parking

Data gathering using GIS smart phone application.

Conclusion

The area is highly active and parking is only allowed in some parts on the street sides, which made informal parking dominating, either illegally on street sides or in vacant lands after building demolition. Further exploration is needed for the possibility of correlation between graph analysis and results from observation.

Tracing formality & informality of parking and the availablity of public slots

Research question

How are the types of movement classified in the street?

Approach

This group analyzed different types of movement (i.e. pedestrian, vehicle, cyclists, buses, etc.) and their needs, in addition to understanding the physical environment in the street; its condition, crossings, U-turns, etc. They explored the relationship between movement types and physical environment; tracing the degree of satisfying usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs; as for pedestrians, they investigated barriers to walking such as an uncomfortable sidewalk, obstacles and the distribution of shades.

Group D Type of movement Irinie Wanis Amro Abdelalim Mariam Shulqami Areej Kiwan Alaaeldin Saifeldin

A part of the side walk starts with 3 meters wide then is transformed into 1 meter

Conclusion

Using data collected from the site, the group was able to identify barriers to walking and concluded the reasons behind attracting car movement, location of U-turns was observed to create points of conflict that need further study with graph analysis.

Types of movement in the street

Research question To what extent façades are active in the area?

Approach

Group E Passive & active Façades

The group suggested different attributes to measure the level of activity of the façade. The type of the façade; could be glass or solid façade, repulsive vs. attractive spaces, activity type, for example governmental façade will be different from a commercial one. The level of interaction between indoor and outdoor (visually/ type of activity) is the main index of measurement. The group traced the relationship between barriers for walking that make a certain place inaccessible and active or passive façades.

Categories of each building use

Passive and active facades

Heba M. Gomma Amany Ramadan Rana Swelam Sherif Hussein Nada Elhadedy Connectivity

Choice SLW R 200 m Analysis performed using Depthmap

Integration R200 m

Conclusion

From the pilot survey it was found that landuse activity with moderate connectivity/ integration of the street positively influenced activeness index. Residential buildings were found to have more passive facades creating privacy for residence. Institutional buildings have passive facades as well, resulting from using security measures like physical barriers and guards. On the other hand, commercial shops on the ground floor created more active facades and attracted more pedestrians. Poor sevices/vacant slots/sites under construction cause a repulsive feeling that increased speed of movement which in turn negatively influenced activities index and increased passiveness. Shooting club edge along the street was found to act as a very passive faรงade as well.

Research question

Is the street physically safe, does it allow users to move safely?

Approach

Participants started by dividing safety into two categories physical safety, and movement safety. They suggested factors to measure physical safety such as (Visibility â&#x20AC;&#x201C;land use-density- lighting features)and other factors to measure movement safety such as (crossing points, pavement condition, construction safety- surveillance), then summarized their pilot observation results under those categories.

Group F Safety Hanaa Gad Sara EL.gamal Asmaa El.diasty Radwa Bakr Medhat Samra

Space syntax analysis

Conclusion

Participants demonstrated the presence of safety issues regarding people crossing the street from formal and informal crossing points. Correlations were found between visibility and feeling safe. Finally, Land use was found to have an effect on safety, specially with the use of surveillance cameras on bank facades and security personnel guarding residential buildings as well as banks. Therefore a layer of observation was added to the space syntax layer to broadly understand the spatial configuration and influence on safety index.

Different crossing points of pedestrians and cars

Residential and office buildings in the street

Research question

Is it a pleasant place to walk through?

Approach

Participants started to explore whether the street encouraged walking or not. They observed who was walking in the street (gender (male-

female), age (infants-young-adults-elders), type (tourist-local), why, where when are they walking, whether is it related to certain uses (residentialcommercialadministrativeopen spaces- sports clubs) or street furniture and attributes (seats- trees- platforms- shadecontinuity- safety) and the participants located that using GIS cloud application.

Group G Walkability Sara Tarek Elsayed Menna Tawfik Heidi Ahmed Shalaby Heba Farouk Abd Elbaky Nada Gaber Elsayed

Field survey and walk through images

Conclusion

Depthmap Integration Rn

Depthmap Integration R200

Analysis showing that the macro scale, the street is more integrated than on the micro-scale which indicates that it is more car dominant than walkable.

Group G found out that there was no exclusion for any gender type, ages were diverse, although they didn’t notice elders and children frequently. Movement pattern was found to be linked to: • The Ground floor interface especially, shops, cafes, Banks. • Shading elements/shaded areas. • Connectivity and continuity. Finally, they studied connectivity on two different scales and found out that even if it was highly connected for vehicles it was not highly connected for pedestrians. Finally, correlations were made between observations and space syntax analysis. Some red zones were found to be highly targeted; due to: 1. Activities (shops, bank, cafes…) 2. Main Cross sections (Iran street, Mosadaq street) 3. Shaded areas, trees 4.sidewalks characteristics (width, paving, materials, etc.)

Correlation between observation and space syntax

Research question

What is the type of activities located in the street?

Approach

Participants started with defining the street and categorized the different land uses along the street into different types such as residential, commercial, mixed land use, etc. They investigated the prevalent land use and the number of floors as well as the relationship between the type of land use and the number of floors.

Group H Activities Heba Soliman Sara Mohamed Sabry Hagar M. Shalaby Ola Tarek Galal Lamis Moawad

Studying land uses

Conclusion

Depthmap Integration Rn

Depthmap choice Rn

The street is located in an important service area (Ad Doqi) connected with two main axes; Al Tahrir street and Gamet al dowal street, which encouraged the presence of commercial uses and banks. Furthermore the street branches into many secondary streets that connect it with other lower class neighborhoods, which made it easier for street vendors to settle in this area. The group showed the relation between the street configuration (accessibility and choice) and how it is manifested in bringing a high density flow of pedestrians, and high density flow of vehicles which could be one of the reasons of transformation of some building uses to commercial.

Depthmap choice R800

Panel discussion Each group of participants made a presentation that shows their urban observations for the selected factors to be observed in Mohi Al Din abou Al ezz from their own perspective using space syntax technics of analysis. Presentations were discussed with panel discussion guests Omar Nagati, Momen El-Husseiny. The following pages elaborate more on the guestsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; background and what they had to say in response to participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; presentations.

Pannel discussion

Participants presenting their work 69

Space syntax and the politics of public space

Omar Nagati

A practicing architect and urban planner, the co-founder of CLUSTER, an independent urban design and research platform downtown Cairo, with a particular focus on public space and urban informality. Graduated from Cairo University, studied and lectured at UBC, Vancouver, and UC Berkeley, Nagati taught at various local and international universities, most recently as a Visiting Professor at Sheffield University, UK. Nagati is the co-author with Beth Stryker of Archiving the City in Flux (2013) and Street Vendors and the Contestation of Public Space (2017), and the co-editor of Learning from Cairo (2013), and Creative Cities: Reframing Downtown Cairo (2016). clustercairo.org

Mapping and digital applications are becoming increasingly important tools to engage public space and interrogate its activities and actors, particularly in cities in the Global South whereby streets are characterized by fluid, dynamic and often under-regulated patterns of use. How can these tools help not only document and analyze, but also develop a critical stance towards more diverse, inclusive and accessible public space? The following are some observations in response to participants’ work as part of the Space Syntax workshop in Cairo, Summer of 2019. Maps are characterized by being static, whereas the built environment with its characteristics and activities are dynamic. So in thinking about space syntax there is a need to know quite well how to employ this software in that manner. Studying street vendors as an index requires a cautious classification of their trades, either stationary or dynamic, permanent as selling vegetables temporary like selling breakfast food as bean carts “fool.” Also there is a need to understand that all of them are connected to public space, acting as pivotal users to the extent that a space might be classified as public

or private according to them. Space syntax works well in reading the ideal situation so there is a necessity to localize its applications and analyzing techniques by adding a human dimension that documents how people are using the street differently. For example, studying parking in the Egyptian context, including the variety of legal and illegal parking may offer a critical understanding of the shades of ’grey zone’ in between. Concerning walkability, the level of income should be taken into account because it may explain different phenomena as to why people may or may not choose to walk. Thinking about the different user groups and the possible conflict of interests is essential in finding the right solution for an urban problem. For example in studying active façades from visitors’ point of view, it can be more satisfactory than that from the residents’ view point, and it could be a source of disturbance. When studying street vendors we should be critical recognizing their “illegal” status, on the one hand, while acknowledging street life and feeling of safety, on the other.

Finally, looking at the types of movement, it is important to understand that the street has a social code that explains the behavior of street users in terms of traffic directions. Unfortunately, street design is the responsibility of the Traffic Police Department, which disregards this social code and adds physical features that act as barriers for users, which may explain why many conflicts appear between different types of movements in the area.

Street life: People using the facade of a store as a sitting area 71

Contextualizing space syntax for Cairo: On the question of methodology

Momen El-Husseiny

An assistant professor of architecture and urban design at the American University in Cairo. He is a trained ethnographer with a PhD from the UC Berkeley in Architecture with a designated emphasis in global metropolitan studies and minor in anthropology. He lectured at UC Berkeley, the Academy of Arts in San Francisco, Cairo University, and the Arab Academy of Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT). He is also a licensed architect since 2003, worked on the design of several international competitions and projects across the Middle East including the American University in Cairo’s new campus.

The context and origins of space syntax as a theory developed in the global north rely on the assumption of legibility and readability of the physical built environment as exemplified in the urban grid and people’s movement in space. The fact is, the institutional structures and modes of actions are different in cities of the global south. The question is how can we contextualize and enhance “Space Syntax” as an imported methodology in the case of Cairo? The research opportunity that this workshop posed lies in the questions it left unanswered; it opens the door to think creatively how to develop methodologies constructed in completely different frameworks. The unique complexity of the Egyptian context lies in people’s continuous attempts to appropriate spaces in the public sphere through invisibility and tactics of quiet encroachment. They generate discursive practices to survive in utterly contrasting ways.

a simple straight-forward explanation; people’s choices cannot be entirely defined by axial paths, or the form of the urban grid. In accordance, there is an urgent need to incorporate the human factor, with its seeming unpredictability yet completely logical when analyzed with regards to certain governing rules and extreme conditions. An approach that looks further into street life for the factors that discourage and/or encourage people to be present and impact street activity, walkability, and safety. Relationships taking place among community stakeholders, police officers, taxpayers, male domination, gender inequality, etc. — all of which deter or incur life and impact accessibility and flow of people in space, the built environment needs to be understood as a formula that is subject to constant change and conditioning. The dialectical relationship creating this formula takes place between the static architecture, urban grid, street shape, in-between spaces alongside the dynamic actors of public life such as street vendors and mobile stakeholders —all change with time.

A qualitative approach is required to understand dynamics of street life that goes beyond

Take the example of street vendors, there is an unwritten code of conduct to their territorial

distribution in the street. However, this logic is completely transformed when the municipality invades the street to arrest street vendors. When analyzing streets, it is important to add such layers of street-vending to space syntax for example and observe its dynamics to the overall flow. Street vendors have their own architecture of space and sense of territoriality and understanding which makes them able to manage their mobility and have a prospect that allows them to disappear or escape when they need to. Another issue like parking should be tackled in the broader sense of urban mobility by understanding peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movement in the city and modes of transportation used. The choice of public transportation is a complex decision especially when it comes to females and the risk of sexual harassment, another calculated risk. The choice of using cars becomes more than a sign of social status. The guardians, or rather the mafia of men in control of who to park, where and how in the street confuses the preset methodology of space syntax.

A dynamic scene in Mohi Al Din abou Al ezz street

Cities are no more tamed problems, easy to grasp with already made toolkits, one size fits all. On the contrary, with the expanded urbanization, the issues are turning into wicked problems. The urban humans navigate and mediate their cities in different ways than architects, planners and experts expect them to. Our role becomes not to tame them and bound their actions to follow the blueprint, but to listen and develop our tools to better understand the changing climate and landscape of action in our cities.

A street vendor setting in the early morning, selling fruits and vegetables off Mohi Al Din abou Al ezz street Dynamic urban life, demonstrating how street vendors change their setting through out the day.

A street vendor setting at noon, selling fruits and vegetables off Mohi Al Din abou Al ezz street Dynamic urban life, demonstrating how street vendors change their setting through out the day.

Conclusion 76

• Space syntax and the process of thinking about a research problem. • Applications of digital analysis tools – what space syntax does not do. • The workshop as a tool for capacity building, collaboration, and networking.

The workshop introduces space syntax analysis as a method that can quantify complex urban research problems to help make better decisions, related to the built environment; rather than just learning an application or software. The workshop highlighted several important points regarding space syntax and the process of urban research that are demonstrated in the following section.

Space syntax and the process of thinking about a research problem Asking the right research questions is the first step in the process of thinking for solutions for a research problem of a specific area, followed by identifying the appropriate theory, methods, and data, then exploring the study area through a preliminary spatial analysis to prepare a base map for further investigation for the existing situation. Observing the existing situation is an essential step in the methodology either through using basic manual techniques or making use of other available advanced techniques like smart phones, as illustrated in the workshop, using GIS cloud mobile application that enables a group of researchers to have one map with all data collected during the field study.

What space syntax does not do Space syntax can be used to explain different phenomena that appear in public space taking into account that it is done using a software

that has limits when recognizing the complex role of space, the situation in Cairo needs an analytical technique that can explain its daily transformation and rapid changes, and able to include temporal and spatial processes of transformation and the tangled socioeconomic factors of the city. Analysis using space syntax can be considered a preliminary layer of analysis that need more layers of other related factors to be added to reach a full explanation for certain phenomena such as the pedestrian pattern of movement (social factor), physical urban form and land uses distribution.

The workshop as a tool

for capacity building, collaboration, and networking When participants were asked to fill an online evaluation form about the workshop content and organization, evaluation results showed that participants intend to apply what they have learned in the workshop in their research. Moreover, the workshop created a network of researchers from different institutions with various backgrounds that share the common interest of studying the local urban challenges; this connected research community with different backgrounds increases

knowledge sources from different points of view and provides an opportunity for more research collaborations and contributions. Evaluation results showed that more than 80% of participants are also willing to collaborate to further develop the research topic they started in the workshop. Hence, the workshop provides the perfect common platform for those who want to strike new and beneficial relationships and interaction with different experts and professionals, and debate the latest developments and studies in the field.

Participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; discussion during the workshop 79

Recommended Readings Key-turning Papers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Hillier, W. R. G., Yang, T., & Turner, A. (2012). Normalizing least angle choice in Depthmap-and how it opens up new perspectives on the global and local analysis of city space. Journal of Space syntax, 3(2), 155-193. Hillier, B., Turner, A., Yang, T., & Park, H. T. (2009). Metric and topo-geometric properties of urban street networks: some convergences, divergences, and new results. Journal of Space Syntax Studies. Hillier, B. (2009). Spatial sustainability in cities: Organic patterns and sustainable forms. Royal Institute of Technology (KTH). Hillier, B. (2005). The art of place and the science of space. World Architecture, 185, 96-102. Turner, A. (2007). From axial to road-center lines: a new representation for space syntax and a new model of route choice for transport network analysis. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 34(3), 539-555.

Theory Applications 1. 2. 3. 4.

Pradinuk, R. (2014). Changing building typologies forum â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Observations from practice: Hospital configuration and culture. The journal of space syntax, 2(5), 237-240. Steadman, P. (2014). The changing department store building, 1850 to 1940. The Journal of Space Syntax, 5(2), 151-167. Hillier, B., Hanson, J., & Graham, H. (1987). Ideas are in things: an application of the space syntax method to discovering house genotypes. Environment and Planning B: planning and design, 14(4), 363-385. Hillier, B., & Sahbaz, O. (2008). An evidence based approach to crime and urban design. Or, can we have vitality, sustainability, and security all at once. Bartlett School of Graduates Studies University College London.

Instructorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Papers 1. 2.

Mohareb, N. (2018). Historical Edge Assessment: Spatial Comparative Analysis. Architecture & Planning Journal (APJ). Faculty of Architectural Engineering, Beirut Arab University, Lebanon. Mohareb, N., & Omar, O. (2018). Monitoring daily mobility patterns for university students using GPS tracking: Tripoli as a case study. 1st International Conference on Urban Health & Wellbeing UHWB2018 Building Collaborative Intelligence for Better Lives in Cities.

Theory Foundations 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Hillier, B., Burdett, R., Peponis, J., & Penn, A. (1986). Creating life: Or, does architecture determine anything?. Architecture & Comportement/Architecture & Behaviour, 3(3), 233-250. Hillier, B., Leaman, A., Stansall, P., & Bedford, M. (1976). Space syntax. Environment and Planning B: Planning and design, 3(2), 147-185. Hillier, B. (1989). The architecture of the urban object. Ekistics, 5-21. Hillier, B. (1999). The hidden geometry of deformed grids: or, why space syntax works, when it looks as though it shouldn't. Environment and Planning B: planning and Design, 26(2), 169-191. Hanson, J., & Hillier, W. R. G. (1999). The reasoning art: or, the need for an analytical theory of architecture. Information Technology in Construction, 2(2), 32-35. Turner, A., & Penn, A. (2002). Encoding natural movement as an agent-based system: an investigation into human pedestrian behavior in the built environment. Environment and planning B: Planning and Design, 29(4), 473-490.

Others 1. 2. 3.

Hillier, B., & Hanson, J. (1989). The social logic of space. Cambridge university press. Ewing, R., & Clemente, O. (2013). Measuring urban design: Metrics for livable places. Island Press. Al-Sayed, K. (2014). Space syntax methodology. 81

4. 5. 6. 7.

Hillier, B., Vaughan, L., (2007). The city as one thing. Progress in Planning, 67 (3) pp, 205-230. Narvaez, L., Penn, A., & Griffiths, S. (2014). The spatial dimensions of trade: From the geography of uses to the architecture of local economies. ITU J. Fac. Archit, 11, 209-230. Abusaada, H., Vellguth, C., & Elshater, A. (Eds.). (2019). Handbook of Research on Digital Research Methods and Architectural Tools in Urban Planning and Design. IGI Global. Hanson, J. (2003). Decoding homes and houses. Cambridge University Press.

References • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Benedikt, M. L. (1979). To Take Hold of Space: Isovists and Isovist Fields. Environment and Planning B, 6(1) 47-65, 47. Dalton, R., & Hoelsche, C. (2007). Understanding Space: the nascent synthesis of cognition and the syntax of spatial morphologies. In: Space Syntax and Spatial Cognition - Proceedings of the Workshop. Bremen. Hillier, B., & Hanson, J. (1984). The Social Logic of Space. Cambridge University Press. Hillier, B. (2005). The art of place and the science of space. World Architecture: Special Issue on Space Syntax. Hillier, B., & Vaughan L. (2007). The city as one thing. Progress in Planning. 67 (3) pp. 205230. Jahn, G. (2011). Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space. Island Press. Karolina, J. (2006). What is Space Syntax? Does the urban form of the city affect the level of burglary and crime. Master’s thesis. Royal Institute of Architecture Stockholm. Klarqvist, B. (1993). A Space Syntax Glossary. The Nordic Journal of Architectural Research. Kubat, A.,Guney, Y., & Ozer, O. (2014). Historic city centers under threat: the case of sharjah, UAE. ITUA|Z. 11(2), 131-151. Ostwald, M.J., & Dawes, M.J. (2013). Architecture Research. Precise Locations in Space: An Alternative Approach to Space Syntax Analysis using Intersection Points. Scientific & Academic Publishing. 3(1), 1-11. Ostwald, M.J., & Dawes, M.J. (2018). Isovists: Spatio-Visual Mathematics in Architecture. In: Sriraman B. (eds) Handbook of the Mathematics of the Arts and Sciences. Springer, Cham Soleiman, S., & Al-Ibiari, N. (2010). Urban change in existing residential areas, case study of Awqaf city area. Association of Architects. Turner, A., Doxa, M., O’Sullivan, D., & Penn, A. (2001). From Isovists to Visibility Graphs: A Methodology for the Analysis of Architectural Space. Environment and Planning 28, 103-121, 108-109.

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Van Nes, A. (2014). Space Syntax in Theory and Practice. In: Lee D., Dias E., Scholten H. (eds) Geodesign by Integrating Design and Geospatial Sciences. Geo-Journal Library. Springer. Vaughan, L., & Geddes, I. (2009). Urban form and deprivation: a contemporary proxy for Charles Booth’s analysis of poverty. Radical Statistics. 99,46-73.

Websites • • •

www.giscloud.com/apps/mobile-data-collection http://www.spacesyntax.net/publications/ https://www.envi-met.com/

Going beyond common spatial analysis tools, this handbook introduces Space syntax as a way of thinking rather than an application on software through a three-day workshop held in July 2019 to give researchers in the field of urban and architectural studies the fundamental knowledge about Space Syntax depending on the use of a simplified theoretical background and a methodology for urban spatial analysis as well as following a methodological process of thinking about a research problem. A distinguished approach is introduced in this handbook to provide answers for the basic questions about space syntax; what is the meaning of space syntax and its application in spatial analysis? How to apply space syntax theory in research? How to use space syntax in the spatial understanding of a study area? How to use smart technology in data collection?