THE IMPACT OF PLANNING POLICIES ON THE CITIES’ MORPHOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATIONS CITY OF KIRKUK AS A CASE STUDY

Cities witness a number of morphological transformations in the stages of their growth, which might be a normal correspond to city growth and expansion, or the result of external political, economic and social forces. The urban growth is one of the important phenomena that affect the morphology, shape and urban functions of the city, where it is a qualitative indicator of the behavior of non-performing and unstable systems in controlling the growth of the city. Cities as natural systems tend to connect and communicate. Connectivity explains the tendency of a system to spread according to various kinds of urban forces, they spread through time in spatial orders, tearing the existing urban fabric searching for of attractive urban areas, forming a new urban centers outside the urban fabric forming new directions for transformation. Planning policies considered one of the most important reasons that control the growth of cities which draws their transformation; therefore the defined research area is concentrated on the impacts of planning policies towards the transformation and growth of cities. Kirkuk has been chosen as a case study in the research for significant importance and natural resources of oil, which has attracted many parties. In addition to the social structure, which includes; Kurd, Arab and Turkmen nationalities the existence of Kirkuk Castle bring a significant importance in regards to the city's morphological transformation. This ancient monument contains holy evidence of the three monotheistic religions, Islam, Christian and Judaism.