The effect of urban form factors and social sustainability on the shaping of traditional religious cities: An Iraqi case study

The concept of social sustainability is not a particularly innovative or new idea. In practice, this concept has been embodied in traditional architecture for generations, especially within traditional religious cities. While sustainable design compatible with the natural and social environment is not a modern idea however, it can be seen as having been lost in some of the development leading to the present time. This article thus aims to discuss how traditional urban patterns can inspire planners to create socially sustainable modern urban environments, focusing on the traditional urban plans for the city of Karbala, which is one of the most important religious cities in Iraq. The factors that determine the sustainability of societies are first reviewed, based on previous studies. Then, the main factors that characterise the traditional plan of Karbala city are described and identified, with an emphasis on the basic pillars that promote social sustainability and help achieve community communication; these pillars are also prioritised in terms of their efficacy in achieving social sustainability. The main aim of this article is thus to ensure that planners and designers can take into account the historical development of religious cities, recognising important lessons learned from the past that should be incorporated in the design of new cities, as well as the development or redevelopment of existing cities. This is important, as the values inherent in traditional urban architecture can complement modern urban planning and design techniques and make them more socially sustainable.