A study of citizens’ perception of urban landscapes in multicultural cities (The case of Baam-e Karaj, Iran)

In addition to economic and environmental problems, the increasing migration of people from small towns and villages to large cities has led to the formation of different ethnic and social groups in urban communities. While such multiculturalism often adds to the complexity of cities, recognizing its potentials can be a step towards the development of efficient urban spaces. Individuals with different backgrounds perceive urban spaces differently and this is an important consideration in urban design and planning. Urban designers must recognize the perceptual differences of citizens and accordingly design urban spaces with this knowledge if cities are to be dynamic and have an identity. The aim of this study was to understand how the citizens of the multicultural city of Karaj understand and connect with the city’s urban landscapes. To this end, the landscape of Azimiyeh Mountain, known as Baam-e Karaj (literally roof of Karaj), was selected for the study. A structured questionnaire was designed based on the indicators identified in the literature and was then distributed among the citizens of Karaj City. The acquired data about perceptual differences were analyzed by the ANOVA method using SPSS software. The findings show that the origin, birthplace, duration of residence, and education of citizens are very influential in how they perceive urban landscapes. The reasons for this difference between citizens with different backgrounds include different mental images, memories, awareness, concerns, expectations, and degrees of familiarity.