Spatial Justice and Accessibility: Optimizing Sports Facility Allocation in Tehran

The optimal allocation of sport facilities is crucial for urban management, as it enhances public health and improves citizens’ quality of life. This study proposed a novel decision-making approach for optimizing the allocation of sports facilities in a megacity in which accessibility to sports faci...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rohollah Asgari Gandomani, Amir Rahimi, Leila Shahbazpour, Jamal Jokar Arsanjani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Land
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/7/1318
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The optimal allocation of sport facilities is crucial for urban management, as it enhances public health and improves citizens’ quality of life. This study proposed a novel decision-making approach for optimizing the allocation of sports facilities in a megacity in which accessibility to sports facilities is a major challenge. To achieve this, 23 criteria in three categories of compatibility, environmental, and infrastructural criteria were analyzed. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method determined the criterion weights, while the weighted linear combination (WLC) method integrated them. The results showed that the current spatial distribution of sports facilities in Tehran follows a clustered pattern, and the compatibility criterion, with a weight of 0.45, has the greatest impact on the sports facility location selection process. A spatial analysis identified 48.58 km<sup>2</sup> as being highly suitable for facility development, mainly in central and southern Tehran. These findings can assist urban managers and planners in improving spatial justice, increasing accessibility to sports facilities, and promoting sustainable urban development.
ISSN:2073-445X