The Assistant Professor at the Center of Urban and Regional Planning for Postgraduate Studies at the University of Baghdad Dr. Ammar Khalil Ibrahim, participated in the discussion of the master’s thesis entitled (The relationship Between Empowerment and Ease of Access in Housing Planning: A Vision from the Perspective of Smart Growth Proposals) in the Faculty of Physical Planning at the University of Kufa, by the student Diaa Hussein.
Dr. Ammar discussed with the researcher the problems related to the urban housing sector, which have increased the citizen’s need to obtain housing that takes into account the financial situation and limited income of families in the study area in Najaf Al-Ashraf after selecting 3 residential complexes for study: (Qanbar Residential Complex, Al-Amirat Residential Complex, and Al-Salam Residential Complex), relying on the descriptive analytical approach to analyzing concepts.
The thesis reviewed the global experiences based on smart growth to determine the indicators for (increasing densities, the multiplicity and diversity of housing options, the sense of the residential neighborhood, the compactness of the buildings), while the indicators of smart growth were reached for the axis of ease of access according to (walkability, multiple network). Modes, diversity of transportation options, mixed land uses), and thus measuring them in the study area using quantitative measurement, resolution, and (GIS).
Dr. Ammar emphasized that the researcher recommended adopting indicators of smart growth and expansion and including other indicators that were not studied for the affordability tool when establishing and selecting sites for residential complexes in order to provide greater support for low-income families.
