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Decoding urban heritage: a multi‑dimensional analysis framework applied to Assiut’s historic core
Refaat, Ahmed
Refaat, Ahmed
Type
Supervisor
Date
2025-02-21
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Abstract
One of the challenges confronting urban conservation is the inclusion of heritage areas in the development process. Whileoften seen as constraints, heritage areas represent promising opportunities to enhance city character and quality. Nevertheless,the inclusion of heritage areas in the development process is intricate, requiring an extensive analysis of the urban form ofheritage areas to facilitate the inclusion process. From this stance, this paper proposes a comprehensive analytical frameworkfor identifying the features and characteristics of heritage areas, using Assiut City in Egypt as a case study. The proposedframework addresses four interrelated dimensions of urban design: the morphological, the functional, the perceptual, andthe social. Space syntax methodology, mainly axial mapping, is employed to analyze the urban pattern of Assiut’s HistoricCore to disclose its spatial configuration and morphological features. The author will use Survey and field observation toaddress the heritage area’s functional, perceptual, and social features (33 respondents and five interviewees). Thus, this paperutilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative techniques to provide a holistic understanding ofthe urban heritage area. Implications of the study are discussed in terms of the importance of including heritage areas in thedevelopment process and how the proposed analytical framework can contribute to revealing the features of urban areas ingeneral and heritage areas in particular. Thus, policymakers and urban planners can map out the areas of improvement anddevelopment fostering inclusive, well-integrated urban regeneration and urban development of our cities.