Elnaz Abizadeh, - Assistant Professor of Architecture, Roshdiyeh Higher Educatuion Institute, Tabriz, IRAN

The present research was conducted to determine effect of designing green corridors and green ways on promoting quality level of urban environments, consolidating and strengthening architectural identity and urban planning, linking urban life to nature and creating sustainable landscapes in urban spaces.Today, increase of urbanization and separation of city from nature have had a considerable effect on environmental issues of cities. Urban landscapes are changing from intact and valuable ecological areas to inefficient and fragmented zones so that trace of nature is growingly fading. These issues affect three parts of urban sustainability including environmental, economic and social parts. This research studied effect of designing green corridors on economic, social and environmental sustainability of cities and promotion of cultural, historical and aesthetic values, sense of belonging to place and generally reaching a city with global standards, which was done in a descriptive–analytical research method based on library studies. One of the conditions of sustainable development of cities is linkage of urban life to nature. Presenting ideas which strengthen such a link and direct cities toward more dynamicity seems to be essential. Environmentally friendly methods such as designing green corridors are the most compatible types with urban sustainable development. Green corridors generate a kind of dynamic relationship between cold and inanimate bodies of cities and natural framework and are of special importance as a vital element in critical conditions of air pollution for promoting quality of urban environments. The research results indicated that these corridors not only considered ecological sustainability but also provided ideas for social and economic sustainability and creation of sense of belonging to the environment. They also created responsive environments which not only were filled with sensory richness, legibility, diversity, flexibility, color of belonging, etc. but also acted as an urban index and sign.

urban environment , sustainable design , green corridors , urban identity , responsive environments