Urban Optimization of Transit Oriented Development in Baghdad City

Meeting the demands of the postmodern metropolis requires innovative urban planning approaches to promote a livable and resilient urban fabric. Transit-oriented development (TOD) is one such approach, and promises to add value to all public and private stakeholders. The concept maximizes transit usage, create a sense of place and community, and provide a vibrant mix of land uses that cater to existing and future residents. In general, TOD aims to create vibrant communities which promote walkability and provide attractive choices in employment, housing, and transportation choices. In its theoretical background, the paper attempts to outline the benefits and principles of TOD, and to highlight a number of case studies of cities that have implemented the concept successfully. An overview is presented of the cumulative results achieved by these cities to enhance both the quality of life, and the local economy.This research also tackles the applicability of TOD to the proposed future vision of the city of Baghdad. With its 6.5 million inhabitants, and a forecasted population of 11 million by 2030, the city has a number of shortcomings in providing a livable and efficient urban landscape. Transit, sprawl, excessive use of private cars, inappropriate land use mix and densities, and lack of well-designed urban spaces around transit hubs are among the pressing issues. The hypothesis of this research stresses the need to explore TOD as an urgent planning alternative to address such quandaries. The paper presents an overview of the pending “Baghdad Urban Development Plan 2030”, and submits a multi-parameter evaluation of the vision outlined in the plan with regard to transit and circulation problems, and solutions. The preliminary outcomes of the evaluation process indicate an evident deficiency in the utilization of TOD to optimize future urban movement proposals. Keywords: TOD, urban design, socio-economic growth, urban planning, comprehensive development

Augmented Reality’s Role in Highlighting Historical Heritage / Kirkuk Citadel

Augmented Reality (AR) is one of the technological developments in recent years that uses the real world as a basic pillar and enhances it by overlaying virtual objects created by computers. The study provides an overview of the use of augmented reality technology in meeting one of the most important requirements of cultural tourism: highlighting cultural and historical heritage. Accordingly, the research problem concentrated on the lack of local literature associated with the use of augmented reality in cultural tourism. It aimed to fill this gap by building a knowledge base and demonstrating the potential of augmented reality in this field. Hence, the importance of research in drawing the attention of tourism practitioners to the importance of augmented reality and discovering its potential. The research discusses the topics of cultural heritage, cultural tourism, augmented reality, and the study of its potential and applications in tourism. Augmented reality capabilities from the theoretical framework have been applied to Kirkuk Citadel -as a case of study- through the application of a proposal by the researcher for Kirkuk Citadel. The research concludes that augmented reality is an interactive scientific guide that supports the tourist, meets his cultural needs, and positively impacts the quality of tourism and tourist attractions. The study is part of an ongoing research project aimed at developing the tourism of historic city centers through augmented reality technology