Specifying "Place Diversity" as New Model to Evaluate Mixed Land-Use Zone

Mixed Land-Use is a form of urban development based on the concentration of different land-uses in a specified region which is a new approach to locating and linking land uses. To evaluate the distribution pattern of urban mixed land-uses, one of the spatial indicators entitled as Diversity Index is used. One of the applications of the concept of "diversity" in urban planning is "diversity of place". Separation and integration are two important words which play a critical role in defining the diversity of place and can be used interchangeably. In this regard, "diversity of place" includes all social and economic mixes, combinations and structures, unique places, different income levels, races, genders, morals, households size, lifestyles and non-residential activities. If a mixed land-use is going to be complex enough to maintain security, public interaction, and the interactive user, it should have multiple diverse components. Though cities can naturally be considered as the natural creation of economic varieties for business, it does not mean that cities create diversity spontaneously.

Although there are several models to assess diversity, using these models individually cannot assess the "Diversity" in Mixed land use zones, accurately owing to their low indicators. Thus, the current study aims to introduce the "place diversity model".

A combination of natural science and Delphi methods as well as average statistical, scattered point diagram with failure point criterion, Kendall coordination coefficient and Shannon entropy are used to reach the main aim of the current study.

The final model was presented in 12 indicators that the index of "Degree of mixed land use index" is most important with an index weight of 0.31 and the least significant indicator is "gender composition index" with an index weight of 0.014.

In this study, a new model of "diversity of place" is introduced to evaluate the Mixed land-use zone and the impact factor and priority of its indicators are also determined.