Explanation of a Model for sustaining the Role of Bridge as Urban Spaces

From old days, bridges had a role beyond a passage and were considered as public spaces with function of accepting activities. The purpose of this article is to describe a model for studying bridges as an urban space and also studying those types of bridges, which are urban spaces. The article seeks the answer for the following research questions focusing on i) which types of the bridges have the qualities to be an urban space, and ii) how to reinforce the role of the bridge as the urban space. Responding to the research questions, we have classified the bridges and introduced the types that have the capability of being an urban space and defined urban space and the factors and indicators affecting it through the descriptive-analytical research method. Data were collected through documentation and survey and information analysis by meta-analysis method, summarization and ANP. The studies carried out in the research indicated that the bridges can be of various uses other than being only a pathway. Therefore, the bridge’s definition and typology will be studied and the elements and criteria affecting the assessment of the urban space quality were introduced. The three characteristics of the bridges were such as pathway to cross the obstacles, and characterized joint through connection between two sides. Thus, a general definition for a bridge can be, “bridge is a structure constructed to cross the physical obstacles and as a joint connects two sides together”. Also, according to the urban development scholars' views, the most prominent components of urban space are physical, functional, semantic, contextual and environmental elements. Subsequently, it can be said that the urban space is a part of the physical space of the cities having a history of being old and active and belongs to the public where social activities are mostly happening. Also, the criteria including visual pleasure ability, diversity of use, public accessibility, physical configuration, richness of sense, sociability, diversity of users, human scale, readability, animation, relation with nature, robustness, environmental control, comfort, safety and health, publicness and proportion with the cultural and historical contexts are, respectively the most applicable of the urban space. Therefore, the role of the bridge as an urban space was reinforced, in addition to their three essential functions, the bridges must possess the criteria of an urban space, too. Therefore, a bridge as an urban space is “a part of the physical space of cities created for crossing the obstacles and connecting two sides together and as a joint has a history of being aged and active and possessed by the public”. Studying the criteria of the urban space regarding the types of the bridges which were more capable of turning into an urban space indicated that the functional factors are more effective in strengthening the bridges’ roles as the urban spaces compared with the other criteria. According to the study constructing bridge-museum, bridge-market and bridge-recreation areas are of the successful samples that can change and reinforce the role of the bridges as an urban space.