Impact of Street Network Properties on Urban Pedestrian Movement Densities: Insights from Iraq

Characteristics of urban street networks and the densities of urban movement have a critical role in shaping the accessibility of urban street networks.Recently, this issue has received the attention of the urban designers.This paper examines the issue of the impact of street network properties on urban pedestrian movements.It employs the space syntax methodology, with its array of techniques, and analytical tools, to examine a case study in Iraq.The historic urban center of AlKarkh taken as a case study, uncovers these potential correlations.The study illustrates the appropriateness of the space syntax approach in revealing the complexities of urban environments across different cultural and economic settings.It confirms its applicability in integrated data analysis in combination with the conventional research methods, such as field surveys and site observations.The findings indicate a significant correlation between the degree of global and local integration in both primary and secondary streets and the prevalence of commercial activities and public spaces.In contrast, residential areas characterized by organic developments show lower levels of integration, mirroring their private and isolated characteristics.These results highlight the necessity of integrating both historic and contemporary street layouts in urban design and planning to improve accessibility in such areas.The research validates specific correlations within the unique context of AlKarkh, emphasizing the critical contribution of space syntax analysis in offering detailed perspectives on urban form.The study advocates for further investigations into the application of these insights in urban development policies.