Historic city centers are cultural archives where built forms and spatial practices hold the collective memory of generations. In Baghdad, the concept of Cultural DNA (C-DNA) is a tool to understand how cultural codes are the generative rules that shape the evolution and persistence of the historic urban fabric. This research explores the role of C-DNA as a trigger of urban morphogenesis in Rusafa, the historic heart of Baghdad, by looking into how cultural values underpin spatial continuity, change, and adaptability. The study uses Space Syntax methodologies with DepthmapX, supported by historical maps, surveys, and field observations, to analyze two morphological stages of Rusafa: 1850 and now. Through axial analysis, the research measures integration, connectivity, choice, and control to evaluate key urban characteristics: centrality, hierarchy, privacy, and territoriality. This comparative approach highlights both continuity and disruption in the historic fabric. The results show that cultural nuclei (mosques, markets, khans, and schools) are still the central points of the city, anchoring movement and interaction across centuries. Despite the disruption caused by modern interventions like Al-Rashid Street, the organic urban fabric still holds the capacity to sustain privacy, territoriality, and hierarchical spatial arrangements. The findings prove C-DNA is not a metaphor but an operational system that generates urban order and resilience. The study concludes that understanding C-DNA is crucial for developing sustainable revitalization strategies in Baghdad and similar Islamic historic cities. By treating culture as the city’s genetic code, planners and policymakers can design interventions that preserve cultural identity while accommodating urban needs.
The city is often discussed in barren, eviscerated terms and in technical jargon by urban professionals as if it were a lifeless, detached being. In fact, it is a sensory, emotional, lived experience. How often do strategic urban plans start with the words ‘beauty’, ‘love’, ‘happiness’ or ‘excitement’, as opposed to ‘bypass’, ‘spatial outcome’ or ‘planning framework, So the research problem was formed by the weakness of the sensory perception of cities and the weakness of the sense of different spaces, which in turn leads to weakness of belonging, identity and clarity, Therefor we focus here on the sensory perception. The hypothesis Recognize Senses as helpful tool in increasing people's understanding of differe
... Show MoreCities have witnessed great changes since the planning of the first cities. This is due to the increase in population and problems in services that affect urban security. As such, urban security is directed and affected by the nature of city planning and the types of services. Besides, the kind of services plays an imminent place in providing urban security at all levels. Other factors that influence urban security can be limited to the increase of population, economic and social changes. This leads to losing urban control. This study will explore the historical chronology to identify weaknesses in urban planning since its dawn and reaching solutions to protect urban security. The importance of the research lies in achieving urban securi
... Show MoreCities have witnessed great changes since the planning of the first cities. This is due to the increase in population and problems in services which affect urban security. As such, urban security is directed and affected by the nature of city planning and the types of services. Besides, the kind of services plays an imminent place in providing urban security at all levels. Other factors that influence urban security can be limited to the increase of population, economic and social changes. This leads to losing urban control. This study will explore the historical chronology to identify weaknesses in urban planning since its dawn and reaching solutions to protect urban security. The importance of the research lies in achieving urban secur
... Show MoreUrban agriculture is one of the important urban uses of land in cities since the inception of cities and civilizations, but the great expansion of cities in the world during the twentieth century and the beginning of the twentieth century and the increase in the number of urban residents compared to the rural population has led to a decline in this use in favor of other uses.
This decline in agricultural and green land areas in cities has negatively affected the environment, natural life and biological diversity in cities in addition to the great impact on the climate and the increase in temperatures and the negative impact on the economic side, since urban agriculture is an important pillar of the economy, especially
... Show MoreAs known, all urban areas are submitted to supervision of independent administration and agencies taken the responsibility of full-filling the service function and protecting the environment with limited investment allocated , controlled by several laws and arrangements, that are contradictory to each other , the result , deteriorate the level of provided services in urban areas and different environmental problems apper , In addition to waste of efforts and resources , This required a great interest to urban areas administration . So , this paper gives attention to the basic standards that must take in consideration of urban areas administration , and the constraint that faces the administration agencies in general , to achieve
... Show MoreIn this study the role of remote sensing and geographic information systems in the planning of some Iraqi cities, including the city of Aziziyah in Kut / Wasit Governorate, was considered. Certain appropriate models (sprawling growth patterns) have been adopted to plan this city, and tables and a future map have been prepared to arrange this city. Land uses for public services will be proposed for adopted case(Aziziyah in Kut / Wasit Governorate). This paper describes a specific application of GIS functionalities for spatial planning analysis, examines the breadth of GIS and attempts to address the analytical part’s limitations in planning studies. The study concluded, through high-resolution visuals, to the possibility of determining th
... Show MoreThe research deals with a modern concept in its applications and the studies it deals with, as the concept of urban densification is one of the most recent sustainable development strategies for cities.
Studies looking at the relationship between condensation and viability show mixed results. This study sheds light on how the built environment of dense urban areas affects the perceived quality of life of the population. How to enhance acceptance of dense life is an important question to investigate.
Adopting the concept of urban densification in city planning policies to be more sustainable and livable is of great importance by achieving efficient use of urban land and limiting urban sprawl, as well as reducing the
... Show MorePlanning for a city with human identity considers the needs of human being that exist in the traditional cities where it was so easy creating place there, on the other hand, modern cities refuse these values and reduce the human characters of urban fabric elements , and the searching for the concept of " Urban Coherence " considers the knowledge about urban theory, especially Morphological attitudes finding three sides of making the coherence of dense urban fabric which are " Functional Complementarily , Formal Complementarily ,
Contextual complementarily “and the differentiation of these sides within the variety of spatial structural patterns between the organic type of traditional city and the gridiron type of modern city. To
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