The effect of Sensescape criteria in quality of Equipped Community Spine (Case study: Isfahan, Aligholiagha spine)

City and Urban Environments in addition to visual effects have other significant features that can stimulate the senses, excite feelings and form memories. In the past, qualities from sensory stimulants like the smell of fresh bread, spices and aromas, the sound of wagon wheels and rataplan of horses’ hooves, coppersmith’s hammer tapping in historic neighborhoods and bazaars enlivened the spirits of urban spaces. This sensescape is extinct nowadays in the lifeless body of modern cities affected by the smell of smoke, the sound of cars and blighted urban modernity. Because of the predominance of vision in the process of perception, perceptions caused by other sensory stimuli including sounds, smells, tastes, touch and time are often underestimated by designers and planners nowadays despite their important role in improving urban spaces and creating memorable spaces. One way of improving the quality of urban spaces is increasing the sensory richness of the designed environment by making use of all the senses in order to create attraction and increase inclusion. Furthermore, this will create possibilities of activities for all levels of social strata, age, sex, and people with disabilities in perception and senses, such as the blind, the deaf and the disabled. This paper presents a theoretical concept of the ensescape approach in addition to considering its application in improving the quality of the urban environment. This research is case study based and was carried out using correlation strategy. Aligholiagha spine has long been one of the most historic and active community centers of Isfahan because of its material elements like the market, mosque and baths, lively and dynamic environment, and relative responsiveness to the needs and senses of different residents. However, today it is to some extent losing these qualities. The methods used in this study are a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. In this paper, the criteria for improving quality of local spine was extracted at four levels using the sensescape approach. The questionnaire was designed based on the four-level criteria (indicators) and adjusted according to the 7-range Likert scale. The quality of the components were also evaluated in Aligholiagha spine using field observation techniques, behavioral mapping, senswalking and soundwalking studies, interviews and photography. Technical analysis was based on Hierarchical multiple regression analysis. A total number of 96 questionnaires were completed among residents, shopkeepers and visitors, according to the Cochran formula and based on random sampling technique. Senswalking studies were carried out on 12 people including 4 local residents, 2 market shopkeepers, 4 visitors, one blind person and one deaf person. Next, the average quality of the specified area was calculated to the moderate range by the sensescape approach after performing statistical analysis using SPSS21 software. Finally, sensescape factors were ranked based on the relative importance associated with the quality of Aligholiagha local spine. The research findings showed a significant relationship between the components of sensescape and the local spine quality standards. Based on effectiveness of sensescape components on spine qualities, the importance of sense of time indicator is greater than the other indicators; this was followed by tactilescape, smellscape, tastescape, soundscape and visual landscape in order mentioned.