Reconciling users and public space-relationship in historic squares: The case of En-Naser square in Nablus city

ABSTRACT A successful relationship between users and public spaces is built on main five values: satisfaction with the pedestrian zone, encouragement of social interaction and privacy, the quality of public services, the environmental conditions, and the visual quality. This paper aims to examine these values in the current design of one of the prominent public spaces in the historic centre of Nablus City: En-Naser Square, following its recent rehabilitation to propose it as a pilot project for the rehabilitation of public spaces in historic centres of Palestine. Two methods are used: the historic method, through which the authors detailed the architectural development of the square across several historic eras. The second method is an empirical study, which was conducted to examine the compatibility of the current square design with the mentioned five values and verify the paper’s hypothesis. The survey has revealed that the square has a good response to the five values if some issues of public services were solved. This led to conclude that historic squares in Palestine can reflect a successful relationship between users and public space with minimum interventions. Thus there is a need for enhancing pedestrian comfort in historic centres with the reference to En-Naser project. Graphical Abstract


Introduction
Historic cities have a unique role in the built landscape as physical manifestations of the cultural history of a society through which cultural memory can exist in a continuous, tactile manner. Such cities are imbued with historical significance by the simple act of being used and inhabited, transforming the daily life on the building into artifacts over millennia. (Assi 2006) Historically, public spaces were at the core of population centers and such spaces were unique both spatially and functionally according to the needs of the surrounding city or town. Certain examples have made their mark on the global discussion of architecture and public space due to particularly successful design or lasting impact on the field. Such examples include the Greek Agora, the Roman Forum, and the Rahbah in Islamic cities. With their exceptional spatial characters and architectural design elements urban spaces in historic city centers represent genius locus which play an important role in shaping the cognitive images of these historic cities (El-Saqqa, Mohamed 2011).
In Palestine as well, historic centers of cities frequently contain distinguished public squares which have continuously acted as loci of commerce and community. En-Naser Square in Nablus is the oldest public square in the historic center. The square can be traced back to the forum of the Roman city plan that allowed commercial, religious, and political activities as well as informal meetings (Bishawi 1999). En-Naser square is a unique example of a public space that possesses historic, religious and locational significance, yet has undergone many transformations and developments that shaped its current layout and function.
In 2017, a rehabilitation project was implemented in the square with medium-scale interventions, which made the space more pedestrian-friendly and worked to change the perception of local users encouraging them to reclaim and reutilize the public square after 65 years of negligence. Before this rehabilitation project, the square was only used as a car park or circulation and passing-by node for pedestrians because of its central location.
The paper aims to investigate and explain how medium-size rehabilitation interventions (not major) can change the local community's perception of historic public space and rehabilitate an abandoned square into a successful space. To do so, this paper will map and analyze the new design within the square and assess the level of user satisfaction at the local level. This analysis will include an in-depth look at the relationship between users and public space, which can inform future interventions in similar cases encouraging the preservation of historic city centers, particularly in the Middle East. While the results may not be universally applied, they will give insights into the human experience in a space that contains aspects that could make it successful but is lacking certain attraction points. The following section will review the relevant literature concerning public spaces and will present an overview of what makes a successful public space from different perspectives.

Literature review
Most researchers who have studied public spaces focus on their definition, history, and value as well as what makes a suitable and successful public space and the role public space plays in users' perception.
Researchers have taken different approaches on which aspects primarily define public space. Berman (1986) and Mitchell (1995) focused on urbanity and ownership, while Carr et al. (1992) and Pasaogullari;Doratli (2004) focuses on suitability for the common life. Mitchell (1995) discusses the use of spaces to exhibit cultural activities and highlighted its political role in making possible free assembly in a democracy (right to the city) as well as its role as a medium through which individual and group identities are developed. Carr et al. (1992) posit that there are pressing needs that public space can help users to satisfy and define while protecting fundamental human rights. Moreover, public space -as Mandanipour (2003) argues -allows us to experience other users' presence and to get to know their viewpoints.
Many urban theorists and architects have highlighted factors affecting the use of public spaces. These factors focus on the importance of public spaces' values and use as common spaces (Pasaogullari;Doratli 2004). Public spaces are classified in several ways to facilitate their analysis and study, among them is users' motivation to stay or move.
Many researchers and theorists have investigated how the making/remaking of a successful public space can enhance its quality and thus, attract users to visit it. Trip (2007) argues that researchers have struggled to agree on a singular definition of what a public space is and what makes a successful public space. There have been several studies concerned with how to foster better public places for users that offer valuable insights into the need for clear space and deep appreciation of urban settings. (Rostami et al. 2016), (Carr et al. 1992;Carmona, Heath, and Tiesdell 2003;Carmona and Tiesdell 2007).
Aesthetics (visual quality) is an important factor in defining and evaluating successful public spaces and is especially vital in historic cities. The role of aesthetics in public spaces has been investigated by theorists and researchers based on morphological and visual quality. Sitte (1889) and Smith (1980) focused on the visual and aesthetic dimensions in evaluating public spaces, advocating for a picturesque approach to public space design. Sitte analyzed the visual and aesthetic character of squares in historic cities to determine the characteristics that gave those places a "Human Scale." He argues that successful public spaces are those in which the overall size and shape are in proportion to the size and height of the buildings dominating the space. Cullen (1961) and Ashihara (1981) developed the idea of the enclosure as fundamental for visual art perception in the context of a public place. The morphological image of the city results from the relation between the positive space (P-space) of determining the shape, and the negative space (N-space) -formless emptiness. (Januchta-Szostak 2010) Perception is an important dimension in evaluating visual quality in public spaces. Lynch (1960) concentrated on the identity and structure of city images. He defines imageability as "that quality in a physical object which gives it a high probability of evoking a strong image in any given observer. It is the shape, color, or arrangement which facilitates the making of vividly identified, powerfully structured, highly useful mental images of the environment. It might also be called legibility, or perhaps visibility in a heightened sense," (Lynch 1960, 9).
In addition to urban design quality, other researchers have focused on other dimensions of successful public spaces such as Carr et al. (1992) who suggests three primary values that public spaces should possess to be successful. First is being responsive: responsive spaces are those that are designed and managed to serve the needs of their users, primarily the need for comfort, relaxation, active and passive engagement, and discovery. The second value is being democratic: all have an equal right to the public space and it must be accessible by all. And finally, public spaces have to be meaningful: meaningful spaces are continuously used, fostering and containing memories that can help anchor one's sense of personal continuity in a rapidly changing world. Through the layering of such memories on the levels of both individual and communal experience, a place is instilled with meaning, becoming sacred to a population (Carr et al. 1992). In the same vein, Mitchell (1995, 121) argues that "public spaces are successful spaces if they are accessible, open to the public, cultural and democratic spaces." According to Whyte (2000) and Erkip (1997), the qualities and factors that take placemaking and a public space successful are accessible congestion levels, safety, users engaged in activities, the space being comfortable and having a good image, attractiveness, and that it is a sociable space where people meet each other and feature increased social interaction. (Pasaogullari and Doratli 2004). In a successful public space, all users feel free, safe, and comfortable which then enhances the ease and enjoyment of practice of various daily and seasonal activities. It is important to understand users' needs and wants in these spaces; as satisfying such needs leads to a better userspace relationship.
The organization Project for Public Spaces (PPS) argues that successful public spaces have four qualities: accessibility, engagement of users in activities, the comfort and positive aesthetic of the place, and the ability to foster social interaction. That is, successful public places are easy to access and connected to the surrounding community, contain a range of activities for a variety of users, feel safe, clean, and attractive, have adequate seating, and most importantly, act as venues for users to interact socially (Project for Public Spaces (PPS), 2000).
The literature discussed illuminates different dimensions of public spaces in terms of their morphological and visual quality and the making of successful spaces. This paper will continue to interrogate the properties of successful public spaces by investigating how a medium-scale rehabilitation of a neglected public space can change people's experiences and perceptions and reinvigorate the space to be successful once again. Users' experience in the rehabilitated public space and their perception of the quality of improvements made by the new design will be analyzed. This analysis includes the user satisfaction with the pedestrian zone of the public space and how this encourages social interaction, privacy, ensures the quality of public services, and maintains environmental conditions and visual quality. The following sections will introduce the case study, materials, and methods used in this paper.

Historical review
En-Naser Square (also known as Sahet En-Naser, Sahatel-Manarah, Bab es-Saha, or Saraya Square) is the main public square in the historic center of Nablus. The square has functioned as a central public space in the city throughout its history, beginning with its establishment during the Roman period in 135 AD as a Forum. In this period, the Forum Square was the nucleus of the city, as it occupied a central location, easily accessible from all the city's neighborhoods. The shape of the square was rectangular (60 * 260 m). The square kept its shape and size until the late Islamic period when it underwent a transformation where it was both elongated and condensed in area. The extension was added to the northern and southern ends of the rectangle, and the area was reduced to 1/10 of the original area of the Roman Forum. This is attributed to the increase in population and the space needed for erecting new dwellings in the city. At the end of the Ottoman era, the square was a large orchard with a corridor in front of the Naser Mosque. This ended the existence of this public square in the city for almost 700 years. In 1900 the orchard was appropriated by the city administrator (Governor) to facilitate movement and passage in front of En-Naser Mosque. The administrator has built cafés and shops in the direction of the mosque and the same orchard space (Bishawi 1999).
The square has maintained its shape and urban morphology from 1900 to the present, though its use and importance have changed due to political and socio-economic factors. In the early 1900s, En-Naser Square carried significant religious, political, commercial, and social value as it was an important center of the city that had principal buildings overlooking it.
Since the re-construction of En-Naser square in 1900, its design, use, and users have changed over time. The main renovations in the redesign in 1900 were to define the square boundary, pave the square with tiles, add a clock tower, and put a fountain. Due to the square located in front of the main mosque the square was well suited for the gathering of men before and after prayers and as a sitting area for the cafes that were opened in front of the mosque.
The features and activities of the square mentioned above remained fairly constant until 1954 when the municipality made several alterations to the square at the request of some of the users. These changes included removing the fountain, some of the Sultani tiles (tiles used during the Ottoman period for streets), and trees due to overcrowding in the square area after the shops were opened (interview with engineer Sameh Abdo-old city unit-Nablus municipality). Moreover, the square was redesigned and paved with tiles to facilitate automobile traffic and parking to serve modern commercial activities and thus became a shared space both for the pedestrians and the cars. Later, in the 1970s the tiles were removed entirely and replaced by another type of tiles better suited for car mobility and after which time, the square became for car use only. See Figure 1

Rehabilitation of en-Naser Square
Until the rehabilitation project commenced in 2017, the square had a rectangular shape with small shops on the ground level. A wide staircase was located along the western border of the square which leads to the first floor of En-Naser Mosque. A small area between the clock tower and the mosque was was kept only for pedestrians and was slightly at an elevated level. The rest of the square was tiled with rough white stone primarily used by people driving and parking their cars and there was no clearly defined zone for cars, which confused both drivers and pedestrians. The square was also lacking in basic street furniture including seating, adequate lighting, and shade. Figure 2. 1, Shows a plan for the ground floor of En-Naser square and its components before rehabilitation. Figure 2. 2 shows an aerial view of the square before rehabilitation. Low-rise buildings up to three stories in height shaped the square enclosure. The clock tower is considered the main landmark in the square.
None of the modifications between 1954 and 2017 attracted or were designed for pedestrians, instead, these modifications emphasized the car-friendly nature of the square and being strictly utilitarian for economic reasons only.
At the end of 2017, the Nablus Municipality/Old City Unit (OCU) in partnership with UNESCO Ramallah office and the Welfare association with funds from the Sweden International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) started implementing a project to rehabilitate En-Naser Square. The aim was to preserve the architectural heritage of the historical square and the surrounding buildings and to beautify the area at an estimated cost of $ 300,000. The design of the interventions pursued a minimalistic approach and was prepared by in-house designers at the Welfare association. The final design was not through an architectural competition. Figure 2. 3 shows the ground floor plan of the square after the rehabilitation project which was carried out in 2019. The rehabilitation project reorganized the space that was dedicated only for cars and expanded the area allocated for pedestrians. Tiles and infrastructure were upgraded, wooden seats were added, trees were planted to provide shade, lighting was improved and a water fountain was installed to create a relaxing ambience. The pedestrian zone was raised (leveled up) from the street level to ensure that cars do not breach the pedestrian area to park. The square was thus transformed into a shared space for both pedestrians and cars using a simple design for the site while providing essential facilities.
The new design is simple and minimal, especially in terms of interventions in the surrounding facades. The buildings' facades overlooking the square were restored, repairs were made on shop rooftops to prevent rainwater infiltration, and new unified shop canopies were installed. (see Figure 2. 4) En-Naser square was not developed based on plans but rather evolved through a process that took many hundreds of years, because this slow process permitted continual adjustment and adaptation of the physical environment to the historic center functions. The city was not a goal in itself, but a tool formed by use. The result of this process, which was based on a multitude of collected experiences, was public square that today offer extremely better conditions for life between historical buildings. (Jan Gehl-life between buildings 2011) The new design of En-Naser square contributed to enhance its positioning as the largest public square and the most valuable throughout the history of Nablus, with its clock tower; the focal landmark in the city. The pedestrianization of the square helped reclaim its original/historical function as a social interaction space for its residents and users.
The historical review shows how the square adapted the modern era requirements in different ways to include both cars and pedestrians. The square's function has changed throughout the past decades in four main phases: 1. An exclusive pedestrian square in 1900 2. A pedestrian-mainly square with limited car entrances (the 1950s) 3. A square designated mainly as a car parking and circulation, while pedestrian activities are limited (the 1970s). 4. A shared space that formulates a common square for pedestrians and vehicular traffic in the last project of the municipality (2019).
The study assumes that the current design of En-Naser square is a natural result of its transformation through history in use, function and character to adapt modernity. Now the square is a shared space, which is supposed to be the best character for reconciling the people-public space relationships. In other words, the study assumes that the last rehabilitation project of the municipality is a suitable step towards successful public space in En-Naser square.

Materials and methods
This study utilizes both a qualitative and quantitative methodological approach, to investigate and analyze how a medium-scale intervention to pedestrianize En-Naser square changed the perception of the local users and made the square successful. The approach makes use of a combination of observation, interview, and survey data which was then analyzed using appropriate software. The study was carried out in 5 phases: data collection, observations, semi-structured interviews, questionnaire survey, and data analysis.

Data collection
Information concerning the square was gathered through the study of books, reports, and other available documents. Data collected included historical documents concerning the function of the square as well as other architectural documents such as historic maps, architectural drawings, elevations, and photos before and after the rehabilitation project. Such data helped formulate a better understanding of the square's components and their development over the last century.

Observations
Observations were conducted over a period of 14 months beginning in June 2020 and ending in August 2021. The aim was to note how the square users react to the design elements of the rehabilitation project and how this new design is attracting them. Through observations, basic data was collected such as user numbers, gender, age, time of visit, behavior, where do they sit, their reaction to surrounding and environmental conditions, and if the square encourages social interaction and privacy or not.
During observations, photos were taken and notes were written. The observations informed the construction of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires in the following phases to help understand the users' behavior on the site.

Semi-structured interviews
10 semi-structured interviews were conducted with the square designers and Old City Unit engineer, municipality city engineer, and other officials. These interviews were conducted to ascertain the reasons of rehabilitation, the process of rehabilitation, and their evaluation of the square after its rehabilitation. These interviews helped to provide a thorough explanation of the results and more details about the En-Naser square rehabilitation project in terms of the reasons behind it and the impact on its users.

Questionnaire-survey
A questionnaire survey was conducted in En-Naser square and the surrounding streets, which constituted the main method in examining the study's target group i.e., square users. This survey was conducted over three weeks (21 working days separately) during the spring-summer of 2021 (April-July). Two types of questionnaires were used: a printed questionnaire that was directly filled in the square by a random sample of users, and an electronic questionnaire to reach more users that often use the square.
The questionnaire attempted to measure users' satisfaction with the current design of the public space and its qualities. To ensure the inclusion of useful, clear questions on the questionnaire, it was essential to do a sample pre-test (Stockemer 2018). Thus, a sample pre-test of 10 users was completed and the questionnaire was modified based on the test feedback.

Sample size
Sample size was estimated using stratified random sampling which is based on dividing the users into smaller groups and then a sample from each group is extracted based on the proportional size of the group to the total users (Kenneth T. Wang et al. 2015). Thus, users of the square were divided into two groups by gender: males and females. During the observation period, the proportional size of these groups was estimated at around 33% males and 67% females of users who stay more than 10 minutes in the square -excluding passers-by. The random sample was estimated to be 20%-25% of users of the square during the days of the survey, which is a sufficient ratio for a study of users of public spaces (Dorofeev and Grant, 2006). The number of users was estimated by observation finding that 50-60 users stay in the square for more than 10 minutes, a number which was then extrapolated to find the required number for the random sample. Accordingly, the sample included 260 participants during the survey period (21 days) with 220 filling out the printed form and 40 using the electronic form.

Sample characteristics
The disaggregated data from the random sample is broken down as follows in terms of gender, age, address, profession, place of employment, and education level. Gender: 75 males (33.8% of the sample) and 147 females (66.2% of the sample). Age: almost half (49.5%) of the users of the square were youths (17-25 years) while the other users' age varies between 37 years (16.7%), 30-3 years (13.5%), and 45 years and more (20.3%). It was indicated that many of the users were not from Nablus governorate (38.3%), and from Nablus city (32.4%) ( Figure 3 shows the characteristics of the chosen sample)

Analyzing data
The last phase of the study included data compilation and classifications. The data collected from the questionnaires were categorized and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Excel. SPSS software was used to enter and code input data then the data were analyzed using the descriptive statistic tools including frequencies and crosstabs tools depending on desired results. Finally, an output result sheet was generated to show the statistical results in both tables and charts. This software was used to analyze the data, produce the charters, and derive the results.

Results
The implemented methods provided sufficient data regarding the users of En-Naser Square, their satisfaction with the new design, and how this new design attracted users to visit the square and socially interact. Data concerning how the new design impacted the users' perception of the value of the square through its visual quality and the buildings surrounding and appreciation of the environmental conditions. The general results of the observations and interviews and questionnaires are as below:

Users' satisfaction with the pedestrian zone in En-Naser square
Users' satisfaction with the current design is important and a good indicator of its success especially regarding the allocated pedestrian zone within the square. En-Naser Square's new design allocated a large portion of the square for pedestrians, compared with the previous design did not consider pedestrians, and was generally deserted by pedestrian users as 90% of the interviewee mentioned that they did not sit in the square before the rehabilitation project.
The results show that En-Naser Square users feel satisfied and comfortable with this design. Pedestrianization-encouraged users (both sexes) to feel comfortable and safe and increased their presence in the square; 56.3% of the sample (37.9% females, 18.91% males) agreed that the current design increased their inclination to stay in the square.
Most of the interviewed sample visit the square once a month (30.2%) or rarely (28.8%). There is a variation between males and females in terms of the frequency of visiting the square, with most males sampled visiting the square daily or once a week and most females sampled visiting the square rarely or once a week. This indicates that further action needs to be taken to increase the frequency of females' visits to the square.
See Table 1 5-93% of the sample interviewed found the square comfortable and to be in good to a medium condition -of those who held this opinion, 31.98% were male and 61.26% were females. This indicates that the users agree that the current design of the square is better than the previous one, however, 43.69% of participants also stated that the current design needs improvements as it will be indicated in the following parts.
The current design has changed the square into a shared space that is suitable for both cars and pedestrians (Table 1 shows the current satisfaction of users from both sexes on the current design in terms of car movement). However, most users (67.6%) have a negative opinion on cars entering the square, while a smaller percentage accepts cars entering the space at specific times. This signifies that the main objective of changing the square into a shared space meets the needs of most users. Yet it is important not to forget that functional-wise, cars must enter the square under specific conditions. Users also agree on the current approach of the design to be for the public and not exclusively catered to specific categories like tourists and shop owners.
Regarding the existence of En-Naser Mosque adjacent to En-Naser Square, it was noted here that the  majority of the sample do not feel that sitting in the square adjacent to the mosque creates a problem in terms of their comfort. Others asserted that sitting in the square does not cause any annoyance to those attempting to pray. And this was confirmed in observations and field visits when it was noticed how females mainly 18-24 years old were using the square easily and some were sitting on the stairs leading to the mosque taking selfie or eating. The reason may be because the mosque is leveled up one floor higher from the square. Additionally, almost half of the sample believe that the current design had some form of impact on the worshippers of the mosque including the increase in social contact between them and the users of the square, especially during the times of prayer. Most users do not consider this effect as negative, and it was suggested as a suitable way of communication after praying in the conducted interviews.

The users-typologies to the square
Users of En-Naser square visited the square at different times of the day. Observations showed that the square is usually visited in the mornings in limited numbers and large numbers (different age categories: youth, adult, and elderly around midday for noon prayer in the adjacent en-Nasser mosque see Figure 4. Users come mostly in the afternoon (53.6% of the sample). The square is also visited by different categories and groups of people: families, friends, and individual users from different governorates on the West Bank. Moreover, during summer vacation, many school summer camps from different governorates visit the historic city of Nablus and in particular En-Naser Square.
To establish a more detailed idea about users' attitudes about En-Naser square, users were asked about their willingness to spend their free time there and it was found that 94.1% (62.1% females and 32% male) of the sample responded that they liked to visit the square and spend between half an hour and two hours there which is the time frame that 86.5% of the sample indicated (60.4% females and 26.1% males). The shorter visits for females compared with males are notable, which makes it more likely to find a greater number of females in the square in a relatively short time. (Table 2) The square is visited throughout the year, however, spring is the most popular season in which to visit the square according to 35.6% (14.4% females and 21.2% males) of the users who visited the space. The results differ also for both sexes in terms of the preferred season for visiting the square: 21.6% of females prefer winter. This may indicate that females tend to be in the square at times when males are not very present because only 14.4% of males prefer to be in the square in the winter.
Users come to the square for many reasons; the main reason is to rest (33.8%), enjoy the area (26.1%), and eat (17.6%). More users came to the square with their friends than any other group (44.6%) though some come with their family (32.4%), 14.9 % come alone indicates, and 8.1%with their children.
There are no significant differences in the answers between the sexes concerning the preferred time to visit the square and the purpose of the visit, the largest percentage of both sexes prefer the afternoon because it is dedicated to entertainment and enjoyment of the place more than the morning periods that are devoted more to shopping and work. Table 2 shows varying percentages between males and females in terms of how they spend their free time, whether during the day or at night. It should be noted that the males in the selected sample spend their free time in public places in greater percentage than females.
The sample was asked to what extent their presence in public spaces helped reduce that boredom. 77% of the sample agreed that public spaces reduce boredom (53.2% females and 23.8% males). This indicates a high desire among females to use public spaces as areas in   which to spend their leisure time. This is despite the results showing that only 8.8% of females are currently spending their free time there, which is a low percentage compared to males 21%. Still, En-Naser Square meets the requirements of both sexes as a public space that is desirable for spending leisure time compared to other spaces and squares in the city.

Users' satisfaction with social interaction in En-Naser square-cultural aspect
Social interaction is very important to the success of public space and is to be measured in terms of how comfortable users feel being in the square and interacting with others, this is especially important for Palestinian women who tend to feel less comfortable interacting in groups in public and in particular with men. Users of the square come and sit for different reasons, however, while individuals socialize within groups, most groups do not interact with other groups.
Observations showed that each group of visitors sit in their selected area on the benches/seats and do not interact with other groups, especially females, however, females (in different age categories) feel very comfortable using and sitting in the square together (talking, eating and drinking, taking photos) in the presence of men (youth and old) . Observations showed that women do not usually visit the square during the night because many males come and spend time in the square and otherwise the historic city of Nablus is almost deserted from users. However, during the month of Ramdan, most of the square users at night are females. This is because during Ramadan the historic city is heavily populated at night and people engage in different activities and women feel safe coming and visiting the square. Thus, women visit public spaces and interact with others when they feel safe and secure. Regarding the likelihood of sitting with strangers and initiating conservations with them in the square, the answers show that 59.5% of the sample do not initiate any contact with others (almost half of the sample contains young users: less than 25 years old) (41.5% females, 18% males), while 40.5% of the sample (24.77% females, 15.76% males) responded that doing so can be a way of building new relations among those in the square and strengthen existing ones. 63.1% of the sample (41.89% females, 21.17 males) agreed that the current design of the square helps in fostering new relations. This signifies that the design encourages social contact at a relatively good level.
The square is located in a very busy area in the center of the historic center and this make it not suitable place for focusing on private work or studying as what most users (79.3%) indicated. Yet, 56.3% of the sample feel the square offers them their required privacy, however, this differs between females and males, where 41% of the females in the sample did not feel the square offered them privacy, while that number is 18.5% for males.
The sample of users was asked with whom they spend their time in the square, and the results varied between genders; 14.9% of the interviewed sample indicated they sit alone in the square (5.9% females, 9% males). This indicates the importance of being accompanied by other people in public places for females as compared to males (see Figure 5). The rest of the answers revolved around spending time with friends and family in the square and were comparable between males and females. Moreover, Table 2 indicates a higher percentage of males were willing to visit the square during times when the coronavirus was widespread and on religious occasions like Fridays and during Ramadan, which indicates that females do not prefer visiting the square during emergency times when the square will be relatively empty nor during occasions that attract large crowds of users.

Users' satisfaction with the new design facilities in En-Naser square
It is an important factor in the provision of successful public space to offer high-quality facilities to attract users to spend time in the squares and feel comfortable doing so. Observations and interviews showed that the new design of the square provided some facilities and services for the users. Still, some services were not provided (public toilets for example), and other facilities are inadequate (seats, walkways, light at night, and accessibility to the square). The number of seats is not enough especially when the square is overcrowded on Thursday afternoon and during other special events, thus women were observed sitting on the ground because all seats were occupied. Moreover, some facilities such as fountains and kiosks are in bad shape and too poor of quality to use or are not suitable (see Figure 6). As a result, it was noted that none of the specified facilities in the questionnaire were highly satisfactory to the users. (Table 3) The shortage of facilities negatively affects the satisfaction of users in the square. When the sample members were asked about their satisfaction with the facilities, the answers were very similar between the two sexes.

Users' satisfaction with the environmental conditions of En-Naser square
Environmental conditions are important in attracting users to come to the square by providing shading, greenery, natural light, and cleanliness. Observations showed that the new design took environmental factors such as the quality of lighting, greenery, shading, and level of cleanliness into consideration however did so in with limited success. The square suffered generally from noise pollution caused by motorcycles, lack of cleanliness, and the lack of sufficient trees and umbrellas to protect users from the sun during the afternoon.
Accordingly, environmental conditions have an impact on user satisfaction which reflects in their frequency in coming to use the square. En-Naser Square's environmental conditions vary according to the indication of users surveyed. Regarding smell, most of the sample (56.3%: females 37.4% and males 18.9%) found it between acceptable and bad. The largest percentage of sample members believed that natural and artificial lighting and air movement were good. But the rest of the environmental issues were either just acceptable or subpar; the largest percentage of the sample believed that the level of thermal and acoustic comfort was acceptable to some extent. However, the level of cleanliness was bad from the point of view of the largest percentage of the sample. It is notable that women are more sensitive to environmental conditions than men and generally find them to be more satisfactory than men. See Table 4.

User's satisfaction with the visual quality of the En-Naser square
The square is defined as an enclosed positive space surrounded by low-rise (max. three floors) historic building overlooking the space which is very important to the perception of various elements of the square. The buildings are a traditional Ottoman period architecture except for the mosque which was reconstructed in 1935 during the British Mandate. These buildings's facades were restored at the time of the square rehabilitation. This implies that the visual quality of the surroundings of the square maintains      continuity with the greater historic city. For the square itself, the visual quality of the design of the square is acceptable.
The comfort of users is also related to their acceptance of the public space visually. Therefore, it was also necessary to ask the users about their visual satisfaction concerning the architectural components of the square. Five categories that measure visual comfort were chosen: distinctive signs, the beauty of building materials, building heights, building form, and visual pollution. Most members of the sample (around 70%) agreed that the visual quality of the distinctive signs and beauty of the building material in the square ranges from very good to excellent, while 75% agree that building height and form vary from acceptable to very good. Regarding the visual pollution of the buildings overlooking the square, it was found that 53.2% of the sample participants thought that they formed moderated visual pollution. However, as mentioned previously, the visual quality and height of the buildings overlooking the square are generally very good See Table 5.
Referring to Tables 4 and 5, it is worth noting that the satisfaction of females on both environmental and visual quality are, in many categories, slightly higher compared to males. This indicates a high level of interest among females in the new design of En-Naser Square both physically and emotionally. It can also be noted that the comfort of users in the square is generally based on emotional and visual quality rather than the physical aspects discussed above.

Discussion
The new design of En-Naser Square implemented by the municipality was not consulted or discussed with the local inhabitants of the historic city or the owners of the shops surrounding the square. The architect who designed the square informed us that he tried to fulfill the need for a successful place, thus he designed the space accordingly. Moreover, he mentioned that he did not like the previous design where cars were dominant in the square with very limited pedestrian usage. Fortunately, the inhabitants of the city and the historic center had a positive perception of the new design; this was ensured by observations and fieldwork results.
En-Naser Square is an important historic place since its construction as perceived by users and the city inhabitants. This importance and value was enforced after rehabilitation and design. A female user (20 years old from Nablus) even perceived the square as a home where she comes often to spend time.
After the square rehabilitation, users enjoyed being in the square where the design facilities (seats, trees, fountain) encouraged them to sit easily and comfortably. Most of the users preferred to sit under trees seeking shade and enjoy looking at the clock tower which is the favorite landmark for 90% of the users. Some may sit on the main stairs of the mosque if there is not enough space on the seats in the square. Visually, the users highlighted the high aesthetic value of the clock tower and they also enjoyed seeing the historic buildings surrounding the square, the mosque, the fountain, the trees, birds, children playing, and the other people around. Culturally, the new design provided some safety measures for females, as it attracted females from different age category to come and sit in the square.
Results indicated that the new design is successful and illuminated three positive observations of En-Naser Square that should be taken into account in any rehabilitation project of public spaces in Palestine: (1) Feeling secure and comfortable: Users in En-Naser square feel secure as a result of the relatively comfortable atmosphere. Feeling comfortable leads users to spend more time in the space. Beyond the physical aspects, comfort also includes feeling psychological comfort, which helps users to relax, and thus it is important to any space that aims to provide a place for users to rest the body and mind to provide an adequate atmosphere.
(2) A heavily populated public space is an indicator of its success. Observations and interviews indicated that En-Naser Square is active with users every day and throughout different times. However, a significant problem with use as a major indicator of success is the fact that activity alone is not a good gauge of the public value attached to a space. The space may be occupied but not loved, appreciated, or used for its original purpose (Francis 1989). En-Naser square's new design and central location in the historic city were the main driving forces in attracting users to come and spend time and not because users loved the space or were attached to it. (3) Establishing pedestrian areas and activities in En-Naser Square has improved physical conditions and has resulted in an impressive increase in the number of pedestrians, lengthening the average time spent in the square. William H. Whyte, in his book "The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces", describes the close connection between qualities of city space and city activities and documents how often quite simple physical alterations can improve the use of the city space noticeably (Gehl 2011).
Furthermore, based on the above analysis, it is clear that the new design is generally successful, nevertheless, observations and user surveys indicate that some of the interventions need improvements, and others that have not been implemented are needed. Some challenges should be taken into account when considering the square as a successful space that should also be considered in any further rehabilitation of public spaces in Palestinian cities: (1) Environmental conditions (noise, lighting, hygiene, shade, etc.). Observations and surveys showed that the environmental conditions are not of high quality and the square suffers from a lack of cleanliness and noise pollution caused by traffic. The study also showed that sound and familiarity have some effects on environmental appraisals. The relative influence of visual and auditory cues has been found to vary concerning arousal. Noise, especially from traffic, has been found to produce major decrements in judgments of environmental quality. Familiarity has been found to influence cognitive and evaluative responses (Nasar 1989). Hygiene-wise, the square should be cleaned including the tiles and trash bins should be added. Moreover, more trees should be added to provide adequate shade in the square to make users comfortable sitting.
(2) Although aesthetic dimensions are better than before the rehabilitation, users still are not satisfied with the visual quality the new design brought. The fact that the majority of the users of the square are visitors to Nablus city could account for some dissatisfaction in light of their high expectations about the city. However, some visual qualities can be easily improved by fixing visual pollution and installing adequate street furniture. (3) Social safety and cultural aspects is another specific element that is essential to public space and which may pose a problem. Some issues such as lighting at night can be fixed to increase safety to increase female presence in the square. Other issues are related to the control and maintenance of urban space, and to the extent to which it can be observed. Not only will users not use a space when they do not see it (Whyte 1980, 58), they may avoid it. (Trip 2007). (4) Having places to sit in the public square is very important to attract users to visit and spend more time. "Users tend to sit most where there are places to sit" (Whyte, 1988:110). Therefore, the presence of benches and other resting surfaces is an important element of pleasant public spaces. (Trip 2007). However, there are not enough seats in the square, especially on Thursdays. Thus, more seats should be added. Providing more area for the sitting area in En-Naser square will increase peoples' stays of any duration. Gehl (2011) argues that the existence of good opportunities for sitting paves the way for the numerous activities that are the prime attractions in public spaces: eating, reading, sleeping, knitting, playing chess, sunbathing, watching people, talking, and so on. Seating is vital in En-Naser Square because before the new design, there were no sitting opportunities.
The new design proved that improving the quality of the outdoor environment in an area by simple means, is almost always an asset to creating more and better opportunities for sitting. (Gehl 2011) (5) Lastly, several other factors are mentioned, such as the availability of specific amenities. These include the above-mentioned vegetation and water features and the possibility of purchasing food and drinks. Trees and water may improve the micro-climate and absorb or hide urban noise. However, En-Naseer is a small public square that has few trees and only one small fountain that is not functioning. The quality of the stalls for food and drinks is not good according to users.
Finally, the significant improvement in daily and social activities in cities can be observed where pedestrian areas or traffic-free zones have been established in existing urban areas.
In several examples, improved physical conditions have resulted in impressive increases in the number of pedestrians, a lengthening of the average time spent outdoors, and allowing users of public space to participate in a considerably broader spectrum of outdoor activities. Gehl (2011)

Conclusion
This paper aimed to evaluate the current design of En-Naser square, in order to propose it as a pilot project for rehabilitating public spaces in historic areas of Palestine. Deep analysis for the square was held, and the hypothesis of the study was verified: the current shared space that formulates a common square for pedestrians and vehicular traffic is the better choice for establishing a successful public space in the historic center, because it contains the benefits of the previous characters of the square: a square for pedestrians, and a square for cars. In terms of reconciling users-public space relationship. Accordingly the paper tried to understand what makes the relationship between users and public squares successful in historic centers. The study was approached with a specific reference to requirements for successful spaces in the literature and with a focus on investigating how a medium-size rehabilitation intervention in En-Naser square turned the square into a pedestrian area that changed the local community's perception and transformed it from an abandoned square to a successful one.
The paper developed an evaluation approach that was based on a combination of successful space requirements in historic squares and interrogated what are the factors/elements that make En-Naser Square successful by surveying the most essential needs for public square users and analyzing data using the software.
The En-Naser Square new design and rehabilitation did not include consultation with the inhabitants of the city and its historic center, however, the new design was perceived as successful by its users although 68% of the users of the square were from outside Nablus city. En-Naser Square as a main traditional square in the historic center of Nablus has suffered from deterioration and random use which is the primary force that drove its rehabilitation and reconciliation of users' relationship with the space. Nevertheless, En-Naser Square proved that it is still able to provide a suitable environment for users seeking refuge in public space.
Nevertheless, the field survey revealed some cultural needs related to females that may not be fully taken into account in the design. The most important of which is the sense of safety, especially at night or on crowded occasions. It may be appropriate to increase the amount of lighting and to provide security points, for example, on those occasions to encourage females to be in the place freely. These results are contextually specific and would not be appropriate for all projects, however, they give insights into the human experience in a space that contained all the aspects of a successful public space but was lacking several key attraction points.
Finally, this paper recommends minimum interventions of En-Naser square as a leader for rehabilitating public spaces in the historic centers if the discussed issues were solved. Hence, considering users' comfortfrom all categories-when redesigning public spaces in the future is the key. Moreover, the design should influence the contemporary design of public spaces; there is a need for subsequent studies devoted to the concept of learning from traditional squares and studying them to link modern designs in public areas with their historical surroundings in Palestine. It is hoped that the results from this paper will support the designers and decision-makers to develop a model of a successful space in any future rehabilitation project, concerning users' needs. It is also hoped that this paper will contribute to the evaluation studies needed for improving the quality of public squares in other cities of Palestine.