DENSITY AND QUALITY OF SPACES IN RELATION TO BUILT-FORMS: The Case of Commercially Active Centers in Addis Ababa (Pedestrian Density and Pedestrian Priority)

ABSTRACT A vibrant and commercially active center is often the result of interesting, diverse building styles and or built-forms, pedestrian density along with variety of quality public places where people feel comfortable, spending time and shopping items for domestic and commercial functions in cities like Addis Ababa. The scale and design of buildings, pedestrian density, and other physical characteristics will determine the quality of built form and public spaces and how well they create an attractive and pedestrian friendly and welcoming environment in relation to built-up and pedestrian density.On the other hand, not many studies have been undertaken in relation to the concept and theory of “Pedestrian Density and Quality of Spaces”. This research is aimed to analyze and explore the relationship among urban space quality, pedestrian density and built-form of the city in commercially active centers so as to contribute to a better understanding of the correlation among pedestrian density, built-form and quality of urban space. Hence, the study employed multiple data sources through quantitative and qualitative approaches (Triangulation). Finally, the research ended with arriving at answers for research questions through both statistical and non statistical techniques. The research result has highly addressed and concluded that Pedestrian friendly Streets with pedestrian density thresholds in commercially active built-environments are places that people like walking and want to stay in, with real character and sense of place. It concludes with an overview of emerging thinking/implications where further efforts are required in the future