Geographical Research

Necessary for mental and physical health of citizens and members of urban society- especially metropolitans- is to enjoy favorite، interesting and beautiful spaces. Undoubtedly، in metropolitans like Isfahan and Ahwaz which lack of useful and available urban lands makes the development of such spaces limited، riversides could perform such a role because of different humanistic and natural reasons and as places for spending leisure times، they could be an important factor in creating happiness and hilarity and developing social relationships of citizens. On the other hand، other urban facilities and furniture، too، are considered as a dispensable part of such spaces which research seems necessary in identifying their problems and shortcomings and one of the cases which could be so useful and profitable is to carry out comparative studies on similar cases and to use experiences and findings of others in this field. In the current study، using descriptive-analytical methods، applying field surveys and getting opinions of users، urban furniture of recreational spaces beside Karoon and Zayanderood were compared and studied and advantages، shortcomings and generally their functions in terms of qualitative and quantitative research، positioning، spatial order and also satisfaction of users were analyzed for each of them. The data was analyzed in descriptive and inferential levels and with the aid of SPSS. To provide maps، Geographical Information System (GIS) was applied. Based on the findings of the compaction research types of the urban furnishings in 1000 square meter ، on the coastal margin of the Karoon and Zayanderood are respectively 1.54 and 8.8، while the ratio of Karoon to the Zayanderood being roughly 1/8. Between the number and quality of urban furnishings at the coastal margin of the Karoon and Zayanderood rivers there exists a direct relationship. On the whole، Findings indicate that urban furniture beside Karoon، except in scarce cases (quantitatively، qualitatively، location، and spatial /space spatial distribution، complying with the needs of different classes of the society، and user''s satisfaction، and…)، is not in acceptable state with respect to factors assessed. In contrast، the urban furniture beside Zayanderood، despite its superiority over Karoon’s furniture، is not in satisfactory level too، and both places- especially Karoon، have problems and shortcomings regarding urban furniture requiring serious attention and special planning if care about mental needs of citizens was considered and believed as one of preliminaries and pillars of fostering health man as a basis for sustainable development. Ultimately، according to findings and analyses، some suggestions and solutions were presented for promoting qualitative level of each of these places