Abstract

Public spaces differ from city to another, and in the city itself, in terms of nature, designs, as well as behavior patterns and social integration of visitors. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of the activities, interactions, and behavior patterns in both the New Abdali and Al-Balad districts (the old city center or downtown). To collect data, a field study was conducted on a sample of visitors of these public spaces with the aim of identifying the visitors’ behavior patterns in their leisure time, types of their activities, their favorite public spaces, the purpose of their visits, and the extent of their social interaction. The study showed that there were diverse activities in the public spaces in the study area. However, the occurrence of these activities varied depending on the visitors’ economic and social characteristics and place of residence. Besides, these public spaces were dissimilar in terms of availability of amenities and services, social communication, and gender interaction. The study showed that there was a form of social segregation, which means that the New Abdali visitors’ characteristics and behavior patterns were totally different from those of the old city center with little or no interaction between both groups.