Urban morphology and pedestrian movement of traditional market place in Casbah Algiers

Abstract

Traditional market plays an important role in ancient urban life, especially in heritage cities such as Casbah, Algiers. Some traditional markets however are frequently criticized as inconvenient for users and consequently not well used. Improving performance of traditional markets is therefore a critical issue faced by the city planners and designers. Conventional model, which is described mainly in respect of maximum user’s capacity or service radius is inadequate to give an account of the issue, hence a new theoretical model is needed for both research and operational purposes. This study, accordingly, indicates an alternative model approach and seeks an explanation from the urban morphology and the way it conditions pedestrian movement. Through investigating the relationship between urban morphology and pedestrian movement based on the Casbah city of Algiers, which particularly epitomizes various urban grids that have different consequences on the access and use of traditional market. The research first formulates a new conceptual model by synthesizing the findings of previous studies on relevant subjects. A new theoretical model for the traditional market is described mainly in terms of its permeable and visual links to overall urban layout. The study then models the urban morphology and pedestrian movement into a system of linear spaces by applying the techniques of space syntax. The interrelationships of these linear spaces are subsequently described by configurational variables called integration to capture their relatives within the overall layout. The implication for pedestrian movement is also analysed by correlating the configurational variables with the observed encounter rates. Finally, the analyses were compared with the observed level of use to identify the describe relationship between configurational (both physical and visual), pedestrian movement and the level of structural stability and morphogenesis of traditional market through applying the Catastrophe Theory coined by René Thom. The analysis of traditional market place in the Casbah city has revealed several major findings. Firstly, different morphological development have varying influences on the traditional market, especially their influence varies between one layout pattern to the others. Among these properties, it is their strategic location within the overall layout that plays a consistent role in their level of use. By contrast, the visual place is proven to be not relevant to the use of spaces in the sample layout patterns. The structural stability and morphogenesis, however, is proven to have a significant effect on the use density inside the spaces. While in the areas with diffused movement pattern, the interrelationship between urban morphology and pedestrian movement tend to be vanished. In light of these findings, the research has not only shaped a new approach to investigating place related issues in urban design fields, but also has revealed various data that are likely to be used to improve the performance of traditional market place, mainly in the urban areas of Algiers.