Infill Development and Its Impact on Various Components in Zanjan deteriorated areas

ach form of urban development has its own characteristics and disadvantages or advantages. But the common denominator of all these development patterns has been responding to the growing development of cities and preventing irregular growth. In recent years, with the emergence of new ideas in various political, economic and environmental sciences, the growth and development of cities has become intelligently considered. Internal development is an essential part of smart urban development. Internal urban development policy is one of the three urban development policies that, along with other urban development policies; Connected or continuous development or separate or discontinuous urban development policy is proposed. In parallel with the horizontal growth of the city towards the suburbs and the destruction of lands and natural environment around the city, some spaces inside the city have been abandoned and have been left out of the development process. These abandoned spaces, called "infill-level" spaces, are important because they are located in cities, have underground or day-to-day facilities or equipment, and have access to such service centers and facilities. For example, in many of the old cities of Iran, the core of the city, which is considered in the form of historical and valuable worn-out texture, has such potential. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of infill development strategy on the components of vitality and social desirability in the worn-out tissue of Zanjan city. 

This research project in nature is an applied investigation and based on methodology is considered attributive- analytical project. Also using GIS techniques and FUZZY-AHP model required maps was provided and in each map Zanjan city’s deteriorated areas infill development specified and in final map under studying area’s internal development characterized as low, average and high developed areas. The questionnaire was used to measure the variables of vitality and social desirability. The sample size is 382 questionnaires that have been selected from the statistical population of worn-out tissue of Zanjan city using Cochran's formula. The research findings show that infill development has a positive effect on promoting vitality and social desirability in worn-out tissues, and there is a significant relationship between infill development with vitality and social desirability variables. Therefore, it can be said that vitality and social desirability are significantly different from infill development (less, medium, high). 

17 items have been selected to measure vitality, and according to descriptive statistics, vitality in the range will increase with increasing level of infill development. The rate of vitality score in neighborhoods with low intermediate growth development is 46.77, in neighborhoods with medium infill development is 52.63 and in neighborhoods with high infill development is 53.82. Also, each of the vivacity items is examined separately. The score of each of the items is between 1 and 6. To measure the level of social desirability, 14 items have been selected. The level of social desirability is improved according to the increase in the rate of infill development, and according to the average score of the social desirability variable, this can be realized. The rate of social desirability score in neighborhoods with low infill development is 44.98, in neighborhoods with medium infill development is 50.66 and in neighborhoods with high infill development is 52.12.

In studies of infill development, the potentials of different urban neighborhoods have been examined using the principles of infill development and its relationship with other variables has not been investigated. However, in this study, the relationship between infill development and the variables of vitality and social desirability in the worn-out context of Zanjan city has been investigated, which is a new discussion. This can determine the benefits of infill development. The findings show that the higher the infill development of neighborhoods, the higher the level of vitality and social utility. In the dilapidated context of Zanjan, neighborhoods with high infill development (neighborhoods above Imam Street) are in a better position in terms of quality of life and social acceptance than neighborhoods with low level of infill development (neighborhoods around the Husseinieh Azam Zanjan). Therefore, it can be said that the higher the level of infill development, the better the security, the beauty of urban spaces, the diversity of activities, the physical diversity, the presence of women in the place, the compatible uses, the vitality of the citizens, and so on.