Increasing populations in cities have created challenges for the urban environment and also public health. Today, lacking sport participation opportunities in urban settings is a global concern. This study conceptualizes and develops a theoretical framework that identifies factors associated with effective urban built environments that help shape and reshape residents’ attitude toward sport activities and enhances their participation. Based on a comprehensive review of literature and by following the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theory and attitude change theory, a four-factor measurement model is proposed for studying urban built environment, including Availability, Accessibility, Design, and Safety. Further examinations are made on how these factors are channeled to transform residents’ attitudes and behavior associated with participating in sport activities, with Affordability as a moderator. Discussions are centered around the viability of the developed framework and its application for future research investigations.
This study introduces an innovative approach to assessing seismic risks and urban vulnerabilities in Nador, a coastal city in northeastern Morocco at the convergence of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates. By integrating advanced spatial datasets, including Landsat 8–9 OLI imagery, Digital Elevation Models (DEM), and seismic intensity metrics, the research develops a robust urban vulnerability index model. This model incorporates urban land cover dynamics, topography, and seismic activity to identify high-risk zones. The application of Landsat 8–9 OLI data enables precise monitoring of urban expansion and environmental changes, while DEM analysis reveals critical topographical factors, such as slope instability, contributing to landslide susceptibility. Seismic intensity metrics further enhance the model by quantifying earthquake risk based on historical event frequency and magnitude. The calculation based on higher density in urban areas, allowing for a more accurate representation of seismic vulnerability in densely populated areas. The modeling of seismic intensity reveals that the most susceptible impact area is located in the southern part of Nador, where approximately 50% of the urban surface covering 1780.5 hectares is at significant risk of earthquake disaster due to vulnerable geological formations, such as unconsolidated sediments. While the findings provide valuable insights into urban vulnerabilities, some uncertainties remain, particularly due to the reliance on historical seismic data and the resolution of spatial datasets, which may limit the precision of risk estimations in less densely populated areas. Additionally, future urban expansion and environmental changes could alter vulnerability patterns, underscoring the need for continuous monitoring and model refinement. Nonetheless, this research offers actionable recommendations for local policymakers to enhance urban planning, enforce earthquake-resistant building codes, and establish early warning systems. The methodology also contributes to the global discourse on urban resilience in seismically active regions, offering a transferable framework for assessing vulnerability in other coastal cities with similar tectonic risks.
This study aims to analyze Closed Varosha, a prominent tourist destination in the Eastern Mediterranean, as a traumatic landscape in the 1970s. This study also seeks to evaluate this site from the perspective of landscape architecture, with a particular focus on urban memory and dark tourism concepts, and to introduce the concept of “traumatic landscapes” to the existing literature on the subject. The case study analysis, on-site observation and document examination techniques were employed as research methods. A comprehensive literature review was conducted as part of this study, encompassing data on Closed Varosha, the study area, and its surrounding context. The Varosha city visited with the assistance of a travel guide, and comprehensive information and visual materials (photographs, video footage, etc.) collected in the field study. Study results proposed that the landscapes where social traumas are experienced and which have become a symbol should be used for cultural and scientific activities. This may be achieved by making use of urban memory in order to transform these landscapes into an improved version of the existing ones. Furthermore, this could serve to awaken the awareness of universal peace in visitors within the scope of dark tourism. Another potential avenue for exploration is the organization of common sense workshops with the participation of stakeholders from both communities. This could facilitate the development of future solutions through a participatory approach. Additionally, there is a need to expand transnational and multidisciplinary studies. This would enable future generations to engage in dialogue about Closed Varosha in a constructive manner.
