Deyala Tarawneh | The University Of Jordan (original) (raw)

Papers by Deyala Tarawneh

City, Culture and Society

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

International Journal of Environmental Science & Sustainable Development, 2019

Almost two decades today, the topic ofhas extensively been researched in urban sociology, urban p... more Almost two decades today, the topic ofhas extensively been researched in urban sociology, urban planning, and human geography, and numerous Western-Centric studies have linked the redevelopment of the abandoned, contaminated, vacant or derelict sites to sustainable urban regeneration and achieving smart cities and sustainability goals in general. Yet, until this day, the concept has received little academic and practical attention in Middle Eastern contexts.Western contexts on the other hand including Europe, UK and USA continue to offer unique perspectives on approachingin ways that reduce the alarming spatial cluttering and addressdisparities and spatial segregation in addition to achieving economic and environmental goals, and similar to the global scene, brownfield sites make a large portion of the post-industrial city of Amman, the capital of Jordan. However, with the lack of a systematic definition for the urban phenomenon objectives, methods to identifying potential brownfiel...

The Academic Research Community publication, 2019

Toward achieving urban sustainability, research argues that society’s dependence on automobiles m... more Toward achieving urban sustainability, research argues that society’s dependence on automobiles must be reduced. In a city like Amman, Jordan where citizens heavily rely on private motorized vehicles in their everyday commute and to tend to their everyday needs, factors including safety, convenience, comfort in addition to pedestrian accessibility and sidewalk connectivity, among others, have gained less attention in city planning efforts, and as a result, walkability—which is increasingly becoming recognized as a fundamental right to people in their cities and an indicator to improved quality of life—has been compromised. Whether interrupted by poor planting choices or equally by misplaced litter bins, ambiguously transformed into extensions to adjacent businesses or private residents, or, suddenly interrupted, sidewalks in a large segment of the city of Amman are increasingly becoming less walkable. Through looking at a number of assessment and evaluation tools designed for the pu...

Environmental Science and Sustainable Development, 2019

Almost two decades today, the topic of brownfields has extensively been researched in urban socio... more Almost two decades today, the topic of brownfields has extensively been researched in urban sociology, urban planning, and human geography, and numerous Western-Centric studies have linked the redevelopment of the abandoned, contaminated, vacant or derelict sites to sustainable urban regeneration and achieving smart cities and sustainability goals in general. Yet, until this day, the concept has received little academic and practical attention in Middle Eastern contexts. Western contexts on the other hand including Europe, UK and USA continue to offer unique perspectives on approaching brownfields in ways that reduce the alarming spatial cluttering and address socio-spatial disparities and spatial segregation in addition to achieving economic and environmental goals, and similar to the global scene, brownfield sites make a large portion of the post-industrial city of Amman, the capital of Jordan. However, with the lack of a systematic definition for the urban phenomenon objectives, methods to identifying potential brownfield sites and evaluating the prioritisation of their redevelopment that takes into consideration context particularities, and with the absence of participative approaches that include the local community in the decision-making regarding these spaces, city planners fail to include the increasingly growing number of brownfield site that proliferate their cities in the urban planning practice. Through the examination of literature discussions on objectives, approaches, classification systems, methodologies, assessment and evaluation tools for the support of design and prioritising decisions for brownfield regeneration in different contexts, and through looking at the numerous potential alternatives for brownfield sites regeneration these contexts highlight, this paper bids to emphasise the importance of developing context specific, localised tools tailored for the Middle Eastern case. Building on the above, this paper identifies five potential brownfield typologies in the context of Amman; (1) residual planning outcomes; (2) discontinued mines and quarries; (3) unfinished mega-projects; (4) contaminated and hazardous sites, and; (5) miscellaneous abandoned sites and buildings, and ends on the note that looking at the increasing demand to meeting smart growth and sustainability needs, these urban landscapes may function as catalysts for achieving comprehensive sustainable urban regeneration.

PARAMETRICISM VS. MATERIALISM Evolution of Digital Technologies for Development, 2016

The task of geography is to establish a critical system which embraces the phenomenology of space... more The task of geography is to establish a critical system which
embraces the phenomenology of space in order to grasp all of its
meaning in the varied terrestrial scene (Sauer 1925). Brownfields are a
global geographic concern that have been considerably researched
within the universal discourse. Computer Aided Design (CAD) and its
tools have been widely used to enhance and optimize urban plans
during both design and implementation phases. Nonetheless, the
connection between the two is often broken. While greenfield
development enjoys the employment and implementation of a wide
array of CAD tools, brownfield redevelopment projects are still
struggling with traditional planning and management methods.
Looking at the association between sustainable brownfield
redevelopment and the optimization of CAD tools and software in the
city of Amman, Jordan, the paper attempts to shed light on the
unfulfilled potentials of advancement the spatial tools have to offer to
the ongoing quest for sustainable urban development on the local scale
and the global debate around the urban paradox on the wider scheme.
Using empirical data collected and processed in response to the
problem posed, the results indicate a CAD-based model could
streamline sustainable brownfield development and save substantial
time and resources which would otherwise be required using
traditional methods. The paper therefore argues that the need for a
comprehensive computer aided intervention for the development and
management of marginal and overlooked geographies of brownfields
in the city of Amman is long overdue.

Interdisciplinarity: The Palimpsest of Culture, 2016

The connections between social reproduction and urban planning in Amman are fractured. More resea... more The connections between social reproduction and urban planning in Amman are fractured. More
research in social geography is needed to understand community needs, satisfaction and adaptation in
order to inform future urban development. This paper adopts a bottom-up approach to investigating the
rehabilitation of abandoned urban spaces starting with an understanding of the politics and dynamics of
Ammani‟s social interactions within abandoned and residual urban space in order to establish the
agenda for sustainable forms of urban rehabilitation called for by this paper.
The first section introduces the socio-spatial context of Ammani‟s informal settings and the
everyday user experience as potential land use of considerable urban development possibilities,
informal urbanism understood here as the independent form of formal framework, if existing,
production of urbanization which does not comply with official rules or regulations (Engel 2012: 60).
Secondly, the paper highlights the economic monopoly of urban space and its ramifications on
the socio-spatial structure of communities including excessive privatization, commodification of values
and identity, indigenous displacement and alienation to name a few. A struggle that is taking place in
other urban forms and between different stakeholder groups, however the study only focuses on
informal settings and the three groups of local community, private sector and the government.
Thirdly, the paper sheds the light on some trending planning methods and highlights where the
need for a sustainable urban rehabilitation framework unfolds.
Finally, and informed by recent quality of life research, the paper discusses the challenges and needs
that face the planning sector and how the defined development priorities call for the introduction of
informal marginal urbanities as part of the planning structure of Amman.

International Journal on: The Academic Research Community Publication, 2019

Social entrepreneurship is increasingly becoming a tool to undertake social, cultural and environ... more Social entrepreneurship is increasingly becoming a tool to undertake social, cultural and environmental issues in communities where startup businesses and entrepreneurs develop fund or implement ideas aimed for the solution of these problems. Whether intentionally or otherwise, numerous startups and spin-offs, have in a way or another, provided services that address larger themes including, but not limited to, sustainability, public transportation and mobility which are also key components to smart cities. Often led by youth, and through the employment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the Internet of Things (IoT), which have also become integral parts in smart cities thinking, social entrepreneurs are rapidly changing cities in ways city planners may never consider and thus becoming an under-recognised planning force to be reckoned with. On this note, this paper argues, a mobilisation for this force which aims to harnessing its potentials towards sustainable smart cities' development is becoming an urgent need. Moreover, as social entrepreneurship heavily depends on social networking and social media, thus acquiring an immediate interaction with a larger group of the local community as opposed to traditional planning methods, this paper argues it may further the advancement of participative approaches that include the public in the decision-making and planning of their own cities. Through showcasing social entrepreneurship endeavours that have successfully addressed smart cities dilemmas in the case of Amman, Jordan, this paper aims to further explore the links between the two concepts. Furthermore, considering the little literature available on both topics in non-western literature and developing countries context, and through looking at the non-traditional ways these projects addressed city planning problems, this paper bids to find ways to inform traditional city planners towards the achievement of smart cities goals.

Whether it is evident or not Brownfield landscapes play a significant role in cities, urban plann... more Whether it is evident or not Brownfield landscapes play a significant role in cities, urban
planning and the production of space understood as the Lefebvrian reproduction of social
relations (Lefebvre, 1991). They are a powerful instrument for emphasizing an array of informal
cultural, social and economic activities and are part of the built environment, although
construction or urban activity around them might define them as empty. This paper investigates
the phenomenon of Brownfield landscapes widely spreading across Amman (Jordan) more
specifically the challenges linked to the lack of formal definitions (in planning documents and
policy) and therefore attention towards them which undermines their potential and excludes
them from being part of the urban development process.
Informed by a study of Brownfield landscapes in Amman this paper aims to firstly highlight the
significance of identifying these sites in addition to introducing the already existing set of
definitions associated with them. Secondly, it aims to introduce the different typologies of
Brownfield sites emerging in Amman and where do they fall in that classification. Finally, the
paper uses the findings to contribute to the debate around Brownfield landscapes and the many
possibilities for this emerging luxury of emptiness, a phenomenon that has the capacity of
attracting space pioneers to create cultural breeding grounds as platforms of urban innovation.

Books by Deyala Tarawneh

Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility: Proceedings of the 2nd American University in the Emirates International Research Conference, AUEIRC'18 – Dubai, UAE 2018, 2019

Towards achieving urban sustainability, research argues society's dependence on automobiles must ... more Towards achieving urban sustainability, research argues society's dependence on automobiles must be reduced. In a city like Amman, Jordan where citizens heavily rely on private motorised vehicles in their everyday commute and to tending to their everyday needs, factors including safety, convenience , comfort in addition to pedestrian accessibility and sidewalk connec-tivity, amongst others, have gained less attention in city planning efforts, and as a result, walkability-which is increasingly becoming recognised as a fundamental right to people in their cities and an indicator to improved quality of life-has been compromised. Whether interrupted by poor planting choices or equally by misplaced litter bins; ambiguously transformed into extensions to adjacent businesses or private residents, or; simply suddenly interrupted, sidewalks in a large segment of the city of Amman are increasingly becoming less walkable. Through looking at a number of assessment and evaluation tools designed for the purpose of examining walkability and sidewalk designs in urban neighbourhoods including; GIS based models; Pedestrian Level Of Services (PLOS) measures; Google Street View; WalkScore; Pedestrian Index of the Environment (PIE); in addition to other tools from the international context, this paper aims to shed the light on this urban complication in the case of Amman as part of the larger mobility and transportation theme towards achieving urban sustainability goals and suggests the development of new tools-or the appropriation of existing tools-in ways that take into account Middle Eastern context particularities and adhere to its specific walkability problems and key concerns. As a result, and in an attempt to further the understanding of the urban phenomenon and in order to develop the suggested tools, this paper preliminary evaluates the status quo of sidewalks in Amman and identifies key challenges to good sidewalk design practice that does not look at sidewalks as mere mediums for walking as a physical activity or for arriving to destinations, rather as catalysts for achieving better built environments and better health through promoting an active lifestyle amongst numerous other benefits. To conclude, this paper aims to contribute to the growing body of discussions on walkability and urban sustainability from a Middle Eastern perspective, it suggests framework interventions and policy recommendations and recognises the need to develop context specific walkability and sidewalk design assess