QUALITY OF AN URBAN-COMMUNITY - A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN QUALITY AND PHYSICAL FORM

Community quality is an extremely complex concept which involves the p hysical environment providing opportunities for humans to meet their n eeds and desires. Both researchers and designers must concern themselv es with raising the standard of the designed environment from the pres ent level, to one which successfully meets the complex levels of human needs. To reach this goal, it is necessary to bridge the gap between research and design and to link the two into a comprehensive framework . This research project is an investigation of the physical elements t hat contribute to the quality of a community. A quality community is o ne which meets the needs and desires of its visitors and inhabitants. The methods involve descriptive research, matrix development and case study applications. Six categories and 28 sub-categories of community quality and needs criteria were developed through the research of comm unity quality, and human social and psychological needs theories. The six main categories of the quality principles are livability, characte r, connection, mobility, personal freedom, and diversity. Approximatel y, two hundred community physical form criteria were developed through the summary of professional community design literature and guideline s. The physical form criteria were categorized under community, urban block, buildings, streets, pedestrian ways, open space, vegetation, an d feature areas. A matrix relating social needs with physical form, il lustrates how community quality can be better understood through physi cal design. Case study applications of three communities in Toronto, t he Beaches, High Park, and Parkdale, illustrate how the matrices can b e used to analyze a community. The result is a framework for understan ding the relationship between the quality of an urban environment and physical form. Matrix analysis showed that connection and character sc ored the highest with respect to physical form, and the top physical f orm criteria are, a walkable community, outdoor amenities, lots of sea ting, barrier free, and open space areas in residential areas. (C) 199 7 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.