A method proposal to detect user movement patterns in urban space: The case of Edirne-Kaleiçi*

Abstract

This study aims to define the factors that affect users’ movement preferences and propose a meth-od to identify the movement patterns in urban space. The proposed method was tested on Ed-irne-Kaleiçi, which was chosen as the study area. Edirne proves to be an appropriate case given that the spatial construct of the city bears the characteristics and the political-ideological, social, and economic impacts from different periods throughout history. Thus, the effects of socio-eco-nomic factors can be observed when movement preferences are identified. In this context, avail-able literature and different perspectives on “movement” were examined, and the components that affect movement were revealed. As a result of the model constructed with “Natural Move-ment” (based on Space Syntax Analysis Method), “Directed Movement” (based on Urban Net-work Analysis Method) and other additional components, movement patterns in the urban fabric were determined. Although the choice, integration, and intensity values are high for users accord-ing to the physical construct of streets in Kaleiçi, the movement remains in a very limited area due to the socio-economic structure and one type of intensive land-use type (retail). In addition, as a result of the correlations made with the observation data (pedestrian-vehicle counts, land market values), the consistency of the model was tested, and a positive/high-level relationship was deter-mined. This method approach will contribute to the literature because it will help integrate many different attributes under the concept of “movement” and make them questionable.