Demand for Pedestrian Flow Analysis, an Undeniable Necessity in the Planning of the Regeneration of Historical Contexts

Historic district regeneration process searches for sustainable physical, socio-cultural and economic development and therefore, its main principle is socio-economic revitalization. In this regard, intervention method in public spaces to gain socio-economic revitalization of historic district in compliance with realization of regeneration goals, has become the main challenge of modern urban regeneration knowledge. To answer this challenge, recent academic literature in the field of urban planning and design confirms the necessity of pedestrian flow analysis in urban districts to explain how much citizens benefit from environmental qualities, and also the role of appropriate flow distribution in socialization, reinforcing social capital and local economic growth of urban districts. Therefore, in this research, in compliance with historic district regeneration with focus on public urban spaces, the subject of pedestrian flow demand analysis is considered to assess the status-quo plans and also suggest efficient solutions for proper pedestrian flows distribution in historic district, by using the given results. Realizing this operative goal, firstly increases the amount of environmental qualities citizens benefit from, due to the implementation of regenerating plans. This results in the improvement of the district’s vitality, sociality of urban spaces, and reinforcement of social capital to retain local citizens. Secondly, correct pedestrian flow distribution in districts would lead to appropriate distribution of economic opportunities and hence create local economic growth and revitalization of the district’s economy. Therefore, in this research estimating pedestrian trip demand function, as the first step in the comprehensive study of pedestrian flow, is considered as an operative goal and which is a basis for appropriate pedestrian flow distribution in districts. This triggers the realization of socio-economic revitalization of districts and results in the regeneration of the district as the ultimate goal. This research, in terms of goal, is an applied research and in terms of method, is a correlation research. Researched indexes, as independent variables, are based on literature review. A part of the historic district of Tehran is selected as the case study of the proposed process, and as well as assessing the district maps, the raw data for modeling is gathered by using questionnaires. Finally, step by step regression is used to explain the relationship between independent and dependent variables, and also to estimate pedestrian trip demand with regards to demand goals. The results of regression, are tested in terms of meaningfulness of the whole regression and also every independent variable, and finally, the proposed relations to estimate pedestrian flow demand are provided. Based on quantitative relations given by regression and also suggestions of the legitimate elaborate plan of the district, it is determined that the suggestions of this detailed plan for the appropriate distribution of pedestrian flow, is not effective. Consequently, major reviews in the plan suggestions, as an upper-hand plan, is required in order to revitalize socio-economic life and achieve the regeneration goals of the studied district. Therefore, the proposed process could be highly effective and efficient in assessing and enriching the historic districts’ regeneration plans.