Evaluation and Prioritization of Urban Areas Based on the City Happiness Index (Case Study: Salmānshahr)

The expansion of Urbanization and the rapid growth of metropolises, followed by modernist ideologies and fragmentation, have led cities to lose their liveliness and vitality. In the field of urban planning, creating a space that reinforces positive emotions and minimizes the expression of negative emotions is essential. Accordingly, one of the fundamental responsibilities of social and public institutions such as municipalities and city councils, and the urban management system as a whole, is to strive for the creation of a joyful space for citizens. This research aimed to articulate the criteria for a joyful city in urban planning within Salmānshahr. The data collection method was conducted through questionnaires, with a sample size of 400 respondents. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS software, employing both descriptive and inferential analyses. For prioritizing areas, the Topsis multi-criteria decision-making model was used, and for determining the weight of indices, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model, along with Expert Choice software, was utilized. According to the results of the Kruskal-Wallis test, the studied indices showed significant differences among the five districts of Salmānshahr. Based on the ranks obtained by the Topsis model, District 5 with a score of 0/8344 holds the highest rank compared to other city districts. Districts 1 and 4, with scores of 0/7426 and 0/6352, respectively, rank second and third, while District 3 with a score of 0/3021 holds the fourth rank. Finally, District 2 with a score of 0/0771 is ranked fifth.