High Density Mixed Use as an Effective Scheme in Applying Sustainable Urban Design Principles in Amman, Jordan

Abstract

The study seeks to explore the implementation of sustainable urban design principles in high density mixed use developments in Amman, Jordan. It was not known how HDMU mechanism would be implemented in Amman or what prerequisites were needed to enable this to happen. Accordingly, there was a need to research and propose an implementation framework. The primary research aim is to propose a framework, consisting of a set of recommendations for the implementation of SUDP using HDMU schemes using Amman as a case study. Using existing literature, this paper will review global sustainable urban indicators as it applies to the Amman context and highlight the constraints, solutions and the planning strategy to their delivery in HDMU in selected cases. The study uses two approaches, the testing-out and exploratory approaches, adopting a mixed method approach by using comparative cases, interviews and a questionnaire survey. Context-derived data and statistics analysed together were used to explore the components of this framework. The questionnaire was also used to evaluate core findings of the research. The research’s contribution lies in devising an implementation framework which consists of a series of practical recommendations for implementing HDMU schemes and to inform the future development of the Amman.

Keywords: High density mixed use (HDMU), Sustainable urban design principles (SUDP), Amman city, Urban sustainability indicators and implementation framework