Overcrowding and Its Effects on the Social and Spatial Aspects of the Urban Fabric. The Case of Jabal Al-Natheef, Amman, Jordan

Raed AL TAL1, Rama AL MULQI1, Lubna ALAWNEH1, Saba TARAWNEH1
1 German Jordanian University, School of Architecture and Built Environment, Department of Architecture and Interior Architecture, Amman, JORDAN
E-mail: raedaltal@yahoo.com, r-emulqi@hotmail.com, alawneh.lubna@gmail.com, saba.tarawneh@hotmail.com
Pages: 25-33

Abstract. This research examines the effects of overcrowding on social and spatial patterns of Jabal Al-Natheef in Amman, the capital of Jordan. It mainly tackles the concept of overcrowding, whether Jabal Al-Natheef is an overcrowded neighborhood or not, and how it affects the spatial morphology and the social behavior in this neighborhood. The study focuses on socio-economic aspects and housing typology morphology to relate it to the concept of occupancy and spatial density. The expected outcome is to verify the hypothesis of overcrowding on Jabal Al-Natheef and its impact on space and people. In order to answer the research questions, the researchers analyzed Jabal Al-Natheef based on site visits, open-ended interviews, official documents, and previous studies conducted by national and international urban organizations. The analysis was conducted according to the definition of overcrowding and its indicators. This research can set a foundation of analyzing informal settlements in Jordan in a more social and spatial sense, rather than only analyzing the basic needs.

K e y w o r d s:  Jordan, Jabal Al-Natheef, occupancy density, spatial density, spatial impact, social impact