The Production of Spaces of ‘High-quality Urban Life’, The Case of users of the City Centre of Rasht

The theory of the production of space involves the interaction of ideas (representations), locality (physical features), and human practice (lived life). Accordingly, it is assumed that space is not a fixed container, but a social product that is repeatedly produced and negotiated by human beings. They transform the designed space and make it closer to the lived space. In the present study,  Lefebvre's notion of lived space was used to explore how users of the city centre of Rasht produce spaces of high-quality urban life. The presented results are based on the survey method. In addition to a paper questionnaire and evaluative mapping, the data were collected through unstructured conversations with respondents and walk-by observations. Analysis of the data was performed based on descriptive and inferential statistics. To conclude, this study showed that users of the city centre of Rasht give meaning to their lived everyday spaces by consciously choosing their leisure place and through special practices. They perform these practices in places with distinct physical characteristics (scenic quality, symbolic places). Moreover, constructing the notion of ‘sociability’ with friends and acquaintances through leisure, the users have meaningful social ties. In addition, from the users' point of view, the formation of spaces of high-quality urban life is interpreted through the seven desirable characteristics of green spaces, historical areas, activities, natural surveillance, sense of ownership, human scale, and management and maintenance.