VIRTUAL London.

Abstract

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The concept of livability has gained tremendous popularity in the West and has been used in practice and planning theory for the last 50 years. Livability as such reflects the quality of living and its impact on the community and people’s wellbeing. Jan Gehl, a pioneer and promoter of livable spaces, studied people in architecture to understand how walkable, social environments create livable cities. He developed criteria to evaluate the livability of spaces and guidelines for the Design and improvement of the livability of the public realm in cities. Cities in the Gulf region lack livability values, particularly in their recently planned retail streets. The present study aims to investigate the level of livability in commercial streets of Muscat and define the important design aspects that affect it and their impact on community life in such neighborhoods. Three case studies were selected for this purpose. The methodological approach was of qualitative and quantitative nature. In which three different methods were used: questionnaires, walkthroughs, and behavioral mapping. The data analysis revealed that sense of place, aesthetic appeal, activities, and pedestrian-friendly streets attract people and promote the use of space, thus enhancing the level of livability in the street. The study contributed also to generating a set of criteria and indicators that assess the level of livability in commercial streets in Muscat.