Abstract
The aim of this research is to introduce guidelines and concepts to optimize the urban Design and planning for residential area and to contribute to the sustainable housing development in Kurdistan cities. The Housing Sector as one of the most important sectors in the city development has facing a lot of challenges in terms of sustainability due to the rapid population growth in cities of Iraqi Kurdistan. The city of Duhok as an example of other cities in the region has experienced dynamic urban growth in the last decades as a result of the unstable political and economic conditions in the Region. The local government has tried to cover housing shortage by many strategies such as plot distribution as well as supporting investors to provide housing units to meet people 's housing need. The main research objective is to evaluate the urban sustainability of the selected neighborhoods in the new developed area of Duhok city. The research used the principles of UN- Habitat for analyzing neighborhood sustainability by quantitative measurement of: efficient streets network, high density, mix use, social mix and limited land use specialization. The research outcomes indicate that there is an urgent need to direct the urban growth to more walkable mixed land use neighborhoods rather than car-oriented development by integrating the urban sustainability principles in the new housing projects to create healthier living environment for the residents.
