Analysis of Interactions between Different Types of Urban Public Spaces and Livability in the Central Part of Tehran Metropolis

Urban livability, as a central concept in contemporary urban planning and design, emphasizes improving the quality of life of citizens in urban environments. Urban public spaces, with their key role in facilitating social interactions, cultural activities, and improving environmental quality, are considered a vital platform for achieving this goal. This study aimed to systematically analyze the impact of physical (such as attractiveness, safety, accessibility, and environmental quality) and non-physical (including social interactions, satisfaction, and cultural dynamism) components of different types of public spaces (including squares, plazas, parks, streets, and sidewalks) on the perception of livability in the central region of Tehran. In contrast to previous studies that mainly focused on a specific type, the mixed methodology of this study includes two qualitative parts (semi-structured interviews with experts and data content analysis) and quantitative (standard questionnaire with a sample of 300 citizens and statistical analysis with Friedman test, multiple regression and Pearson correlation in SPSS26 software. The findings showed that physical components, especially spatial attractiveness, accessibility and safety, have a direct and significant effect on livability. Also, non-physical components such as quality of life, social participation and satisfaction showed a strong relationship with the perception of livability. The innovation of this study lies in combining quantitative and qualitative methods and providing a comprehensive framework for multidimensional assessment of livability. The results emphasize the necessity of human-centered design of public spaces with an emphasis on the interconnection of physical and non-physical components in urban planning processes.