The impact of space syntax spatial attributes on urban land use in Muscat: Implications for urban sustainability

It is widely accepted that land-use distribution has a direct impact on urban sustainability. This study examines the relationship between land-use distribution and the spatial structure of street networks in newly developed neighborhoods as a contribution to urban sustainability. Two new neighborhoods in Muscat, Oman, were examined using Space Syntax theory. The land use maps were developed through exhaustive site visits, while the spatial analysis was generated using DepthMapX software. The following four spatial attributes were included: Integration, Control, Choice, and Normalized Least Angle Choice (NACH). The land use variables were Retail, Residential and Mix-use. The statistical analysis showed that the distribution of the Residential land use is significantly influenced by the spatial attributes in highly “intelligible” spatial configurations, with NACH being the best predictor followed by Integration. In addition, the degree to which an area has a formal grid structure was found to have no effect on the relationship between the variables. Thus, this paper contributes to urban sustainability, Space Syntax, and land-use distribution studies by providing evidence on how spatial arrangements influence land-use distribution, and consequently, energy use, demand for services, and patterns of urban traffic. The study concludes with recommendations to the planning authorities.