Quality of Life in Regeneration Areas: Empirical Findings from the Akpinar Neighbourhood, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

The article is a discussion of the concept of quality of life in a regeneration area based on the personal evaluation of residents. Developed by social scientists to evaluate people's well-being, satisfaction, and happiness, the concept of quality of life raises the issue of adapting the conditions of living spaces to meet people's needs, expectations, and demands. The aim of this study was to establish an integrated and comprehensive framework for evaluating the quality of life in a regeneration case in Turkey through empirical research conducted at the neighborhood level. Data were collected from 359 households in the regenerated neighborhood of Akpinar, in the city of Ankara, using a questionnaire to inquire about the quality of life. The methodological framework of the study included a theory-based choice of indicators identified in a comprehensive literature review, including economic, ecological, physical, and social aspects of an urban environment, and an analysis of the relationship of the indicators to quality of life. Despite the diverse literature on urban environmental quality, there is no uniform, generally accepted conceptual framework to measure quality of life. Therefore, in this research, a mix of qualitative and quantitative analysis was adopted to assess the quality of life of the residents with respect to their housing and urban environment. The findings suggested that modern quality of life requires understanding the social, political, spatial conditions, and needs of residents. Based on the findings of the study, policy recommendations were developed to enhance quality of life at the neighborhood level from a space-sensitive perspective.