Urban Sustainability
Rezvan Khalvandi; Mehrdad Karimimoshaver
Abstract
The multifaceted nature and interwoven structure of urban biophysical needs have caused solutions intended to improve microclimatic comfort—particularly in dense areas—to lead to unpredictable outcomes accompanied by a degree of uncertainty. In fact, environmental comfort in urban spaces is a complex ...
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The multifaceted nature and interwoven structure of urban biophysical needs have caused solutions intended to improve microclimatic comfort—particularly in dense areas—to lead to unpredictable outcomes accompanied by a degree of uncertainty. In fact, environmental comfort in urban spaces is a complex function shaped by the interaction of multiple environmental parameters. This study examines the hypothesis that urban interventions aimed at optimizing a single comfort factor (such as reducing temperature) may, due to contradictory behaviors and chain effects, worsen other dimensions of comfort or even reduce overall comfort. Focusing on the behavior of common structural elements in urban blocks in relation to the three key factors — temperature, wind speed, and pressure‑related environmental effects — and their interactions within urban environments, this research shows that maximizing one comfort parameter can disrupt other comfort aspects. Thus, designs based on improving microclimatic conditions require a multi‑objective optimization approach rather than relying on minimum/maximum thresholds in order to achieve stable comfort conditions. The results of computational fluid dynamics simulations indicate that fundamental changes in the volume and primary form of urban blocks — by shaping microclimates and influencing wind‑flow dynamics and shadow distribution — can improve multi‑dimensional comfort conditions by up to 70 percent. In contrast, more limited façade‑level interventions (such as adding elements or creating openings in the volume) contribute only up to 40 percent to comprehensive comfort improvements. This disparity underscores the need for a strategic urban design approach that can resolve contradictory behaviors among factors such as temperature, wind speed, and pressure effects.
Urban Design
Esmat Paikan; Sajedeh Sedaghat
Abstract
In many Iranian cities, the quantitative growth of outdoor advertising has been accompanied by a decline in visual environmental quality; yet how citizens actually experience this condition — in real space and in real time — remains unstudied. Shams-Abadi Street in Isfahan, with its distinctive medical-commercial ...
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In many Iranian cities, the quantitative growth of outdoor advertising has been accompanied by a decline in visual environmental quality; yet how citizens actually experience this condition — in real space and in real time — remains unstudied. Shams-Abadi Street in Isfahan, with its distinctive medical-commercial identity and location within the city's UNESCO-listed historic fabric, presents a case in which accumulated billboards, banners and murals stand in apparent conflict with the area's cultural-historical character. This paper investigates the lived experience of citizens encountering outdoor advertising on this street and asks: what layers of experience emerge in this encounter, and what factors shape the relationship between visual stimulus and citizen response?
A qualitative, multi-method design was adopted. The primary data-collection instrument was the go-along interview (Kusenbach, 2003), which places the researcher alongside the participant in the real environment so that lived experience can be captured in situ. Twenty participants (11 male, 9 female; aged 20–60) were recruited through purposive sampling and accompanied along an 800-metre fixed route. Data were analysed through three complementary layers using methodological triangulation: reflexive thematic analysis of interview transcripts (Braun & Clarke, 2006), thematic analysis of 113 behavioural incidents recorded during walks, and systematic visual coding of 20 purposively selected advertising images across 16 variables.
Three overarching themes emerged from the interview layer: a quantity-quality contradiction leading to perceptual saturation; a sharp gap between the street's historical-cultural identity and the content of its advertising; and the dominance of negative affect (70 codes) over positive (53 codes). The key finding from the incident layer was that 41.8% of all recorded reactions (208 instances) took the form of spontaneous unprompted discourse — not message processing. Visual analysis documented critically low design quality (mean 1.95/5) and historical contextual fit (mean 1.90/5). Based on triangulation across the three data layers, the Multi-Layer Lived Experience model (MLLE) is proposed, demonstrating that lived experience operates simultaneously across embodied, affective-cognitive, and semantic-identity levels. The study introduces cultural affordance as an extension of Gibson's theory in historically rich urban settings, and identifies 'advertising as urban discourse trigger' as a previously undocumented fourth function of outdoor advertising.
Urban Planning
Mohammad Mehdi Azizi; Samane Soltani
Abstract
The management of metropolitan buffer zones (peri-urban areas) faces complex conflicts arising from spatial conservation imperatives, private property rights, and urban development pressures. Prevailing planning approaches and management instruments, which primarily focus on physical control and land-use ...
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The management of metropolitan buffer zones (peri-urban areas) faces complex conflicts arising from spatial conservation imperatives, private property rights, and urban development pressures. Prevailing planning approaches and management instruments, which primarily focus on physical control and land-use regulation, often fail to account for or manage the social, institutional, and legal dynamics governing these spaces. While certain frameworks utilize tangible indicators such as population density, economic activity, and land use as analytical benchmarks, other studies emphasize qualitative dimensions, including community, identity, and structural interdependencies. This conceptual divergence highlights a significant gap in urban and regional planning knowledge regarding the management of peri-urban spaces.
Consequently, the primary objective of this research is to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the formation of spatial and property conflicts in metropolitan buffer zones and to identify effective criteria and indicators for their integrated management. Adopting a qualitative approach based on Grounded Theory (the Corbin and Strauss model), this study focuses on the buffer zone of Tehran’s District 13 as a case study. Data were gathered through an analysis of laws and regulations pertaining to buffer zone management, a review of urban planning documents, and semi-structured interviews with landowners and key stakeholders. Data analysis followed a multi-layered strategy to explain the interplay between institutional structures, planning policies, and the experiences of local actors.
The findings indicate that the institutional framework for buffer zone management is primarily rooted in a logic of physical control and lacks transparent mechanisms for resolving property rights, providing compensation, or ensuring stakeholder participation in decision-making. As a result, the gap between the objectives of development plans and the institutional capacity for their implementation has led to legal ambiguities and spatial conflicts. Data analysis led to the identification of “legal uncertainty of land status” as the core category. Accordingly, by proposing criteria and indicators for integrated management, this research emphasizes the necessity of transitioning from control-oriented approaches toward participatory, transparent, and rights-based governance models in the management of metropolitan buffer zones.
Planning worn-out urban fabric
raza bahador; Zeinab Talebi; shirin toghyani; amirhosein shabani
Abstract
In the sphere of contemporary urban studies, the transition from the traditional paradigm of "vulnerability reduction" to the dynamic approach of "resilience" is recognized as a strategic necessity for managing the complexities and uncertainties of urban hazards. Physical resilience, ...
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In the sphere of contemporary urban studies, the transition from the traditional paradigm of "vulnerability reduction" to the dynamic approach of "resilience" is recognized as a strategic necessity for managing the complexities and uncertainties of urban hazards. Physical resilience, as the tangible fabric of the city, plays a determining role in absorbing shocks, sustaining life, and accelerating recovery following a crisis. District 19 of Tehran, due to its composite and heterogeneous physical nature, the stressful coexistence of dilapidated residential settlements and industrial-workshop land uses, and its location on seismic zones, represents a prominent example of a "high-risk urban ecosystem" that requires a precise investigation of its resilience indicators. The present study was conducted with the aim of modeling and spatially assessing the components and indicators of physical resilience in this district. The research approach is descriptive-analytical and based on spatial analyses within the Geographic Information System (GIS) platform. In order to manage the inherent uncertainties of urban phenomena and avoid binary approaches, fuzzy logic was employed for standardizing and integrating information layers. The conceptual framework of the study was developed across five main dimensions: "structural and population vulnerability," "critical infrastructure and lifelines," "relief spaces and temporary settlement," "hazard intensifying centers," and "socio-economic supporting infrastructure." The analytical findings indicate the existence of profound spatial inequality and structural polarization across the district; such that the northern and central sectors (such as Khanabad Nov and Sharifi) enjoy a relatively favorable status due to resilient structures, optimal access to main arteries, and an appropriate density of vital services. In contrast, the southern and southwestern belt (including Ne’matabad and Ahmad Khomeini Town) are in a critical state and possess high vulnerability due to the synergy of factors such as severe physical deterioration, impermeability of passages, severe poverty in relief and medical infrastructure, and proximity to industrial hazard centers. The results demonstrate that enhancing resilience in District 19 necessitates a transition from general interventions to place-based strategies; such that in the north of the district, the focus is on density management and maintaining infrastructure efficiency, while in the southern half, priority is assigned to physical regeneration, fabric permeability, safety measures for incompatible land uses, and the equitable distribution of relief services.
Islamic- Iranian Cities
hamed abbasi; Pejman Shaghaghi
Abstract
Urbanization in the historical context of Iran remains an understudied field within urban planning research. Understanding the internal mechanisms of this process can offer new perspectives for interpreting the sustainability and livability of contemporary cities. In this regard, the Morphospace Cube ...
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Urbanization in the historical context of Iran remains an understudied field within urban planning research. Understanding the internal mechanisms of this process can offer new perspectives for interpreting the sustainability and livability of contemporary cities. In this regard, the Morphospace Cube model—based on three indicators of built density, permeability, and information—provides an innovative tool for analyzing urban structures. This study applies and adapts the model to Qajar‑period Hamedan, seeking to determine the city’s position within the Morphospace Cube and its relationship to the drivers of urban formation. The research is motivated by two gaps: the absence of systematic quantitative studies on the morphology of Iran’s historic cities, and the need to align contemporary theoretical models with historical contexts where data are limited. The methodology relies on documentary analysis and the reconstruction of historical maps. Three primary data sources were used: a reconstructed 100×100‑meter grid map for calculating built density; the Russian Army map led by Colonel Cherikov for identifying key urban functions; and the Royal Geographical Society map for analyzing street networks and permeability. Findings indicate that built density is approximately 0.43, permeability 0.54, and spatial information 0.57. These values suggest that Qajar‑era Hamedan occupied or approached the equilibrium zone of the Morphospace Cube, with “commercialization,” accompanied by emerging occupational specialization, acting as the principal driver of urban development. Accordingly, this study not only proposes a methodological approach for analyzing historic cities with limited data but also contributes to the application of contemporary morphological models in the historiography of Iranian urbanism.
Urban Sustainability
Hojjat Ghiasvand
Abstract
Solar radiation is one of the most significant factors affecting energy performance in cold climates, and the spatial configuration indices of urban fabric play a direct role in determining the level of solar access to building surfaces. This study aims to analyze the relationship between these indices ...
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Solar radiation is one of the most significant factors affecting energy performance in cold climates, and the spatial configuration indices of urban fabric play a direct role in determining the level of solar access to building surfaces. This study aims to analyze the relationship between these indices and solar radiation absorption in the cold climate of Hamadan, Iran. To achieve this, 20 urban fabric typologies were simulated using DesignBuilder software with the EnergyPlus engine, and annual as well as seasonal solar radiation absorption values were calculated. Statistical analyses, including correlation coefficient, analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple regression, principal component analysis (PCA), and K-means clustering, were conducted in Python.
The results indicated that geometric indices have a statistically significant effect on solar radiation absorption (p < 0.05), and the regression model explained a substantial proportion of the observed variations (R²Total = 0.90, R²Winter = 0.90, R²Annual = 0.90, and R²Summer = 0.79). Three indices—S/A, Ssun/A, and H/Wanua—showed the strongest influence. PCA revealed two principal components explaining 79.35% of the total variance: the first component represented solar exposure capacity/development of physical surface areas, while the second reflected shading intensity. Cluster analysis identified three morphological typologies (shaded, solar-exposed, and open morphology), which exhibited significant differences in winter solar absorption (F = 18.227, p < 0.001).
The main innovation of this study is the introduction of the Seasonal Solar Balance Index (SSBI), which evaluates the balance between maximizing winter solar gain and controlling summer solar exposure, thereby providing a quantitative tool for design decision-making. SSBI showed significant differences among the identified typologies, with the “solar-exposed” typology achieving the highest value and the best overall seasonal performance balance. This typology, through an appropriate combination of envelope surface development and controlled shaded surfaces, enhances winter solar access while relatively limiting excessive summer radiation.
These findings provide a quantitative framework for guiding urban design in cold climates. It is recommended that urban designers prioritize greater solar exposure and controlled shaded surface ratios within street networks and mass–space configurations, while policymakers integrate the proposed thresholds into local design guidelines to ensure seasonal balance in solar performance at the urban fabric scale.
Urban Management
leila sahraei cheshmehsardeh; Alireza Sheikholeslami; Ahmad PourAhmad; Hassan Piriaei
Abstract
Qualitative Analysis of the Mechanisms Shaping Social Resilience in Relation to Urban Governance in the Context of BorujerdLeila Sahraei Cheshmeh Sarde¹, Alireza Sheikh al-Islami²*, Ahmad Pourahmad³, Hassan Piriaei⁴ExtendedabstractIntroductionIn recent years, social resilience has emerged ...
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Qualitative Analysis of the Mechanisms Shaping Social Resilience in Relation to Urban Governance in the Context of BorujerdLeila Sahraei Cheshmeh Sarde¹, Alireza Sheikh al-Islami²*, Ahmad Pourahmad³, Hassan Piriaei⁴ExtendedabstractIntroductionIn recent years, social resilience has emerged as a critical component of sustainable urban development, particularly in cities facing increasing social, economic, and spatial pressures. Medium-sized cities in Iran, such as Borujerd, experience compounded challenges related to unequal access to urban services, weakened institutional trust, and limited citizen participation in decision-making processes. These challenges undermine the capacity of local communities to adapt to, recover from, and collectively respond to urban stresses and disruptions.Urban governance plays a decisive role in shaping social resilience through institutional arrangements, decision-making mechanisms, and the quality of interactions between citizens and public institutions. In particular, spatial justice and institutional trust have been identified as key determinants influencing citizens’ perceptions of fairness, legitimacy, and responsiveness of urban management. Despite growing scholarly attention to social resilience, the mechanisms through which urban governance contributes to resilience—especially in the Iranian urban context—remain insufficiently explored. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the causal mechanisms linking urban governance to social resilience, with a specific focus on spatial justice as a causal driver and institutional trust as a mediating variable in the city of Borujerd.Theoretical FrameworkThe theoretical foundation of this study integrates concepts from social resilience, urban governance, and spatial justice. Social resilience is conceptualized as a multidimensional capacity rooted in social capital, trust, collective learning, and institutional embeddedness. From a governance perspective, “good urban governance” emphasizes participation, transparency, accountability, and equity in urban decision-making processes.Spatial justice serves as a critical causal mechanism through which governance quality becomes socially perceptible. Equitable distribution of urban services, infrastructure, and public spaces shapes citizens’ everyday experiences and directly influences their trust in urban institutions. Institutional trust, in turn, functions as a mediating mechanism that transforms governance practices into collective adaptive capacity. Accordingly, the study proposes a causal pathway in which urban governance influences social resilience primarily through spatial justice and institutional trust, rather than through direct effects alone.MethodologyThis research adopts a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design (qualitative → quantitative) with an applied research orientation. In the qualitative phase, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 experts, including urban planners, municipal managers, sociologists, local activists, and community representatives in Borujerd. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic content analysis, leading to the identification of key constructs and the development of a context-sensitive conceptual model.Based on the qualitative findings, a researcher-designed questionnaire was developed for the quantitative phase. Data were collected from 384 residents of Borujerd using multi-stage cluster sampling to ensure spatial representation across different urban zones. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to test the proposed model using AMOS software.Measurement validity and reliability were confirmed through multiple indicators. Convergent validity was verified with a Content Validity Ratio (CVR = 0.81), and internal consistency reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.92. Sampling adequacy was supported by a Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) value of 0.89. Model fit indices demonstrated satisfactory fit (RMSEA = 0.053, GFI = 0.91, AGFI = 0.87).Results and DiscussionThe results indicate that urban governance has a positive and statistically significant effect on social resilience in Borujerd. However, this effect is substantially strengthened through indirect pathways. Spatial justice emerged as a strong causal mechanism linking governance quality to institutional trust, while institutional trust played a decisive mediating role in enhancing social resilience.The findings confirm that citizens’ perceptions of fair distribution of services and opportunities are foundational to building trust in urban institutions. Governance practices that fail to address spatial inequalities weaken institutional legitimacy and, consequently, reduce social resilience capacity. Conversely, governance that prioritizes equitable access, transparency, and accountability fosters trust, collective engagement, and adaptive capacity at the neighborhood level.These results highlight the importance of indirect governance mechanisms and suggest that resilience-oriented urban management must move beyond formal administrative efficiency toward socially embedded and distributive governance practices.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that social resilience in Borujerd is not merely an outcome of economic or physical conditions but is fundamentally shaped by governance-related social mechanisms. Spatial justice functions as a causal driver, and institutional trust acts as a key mediating mechanism through which urban governance influences social resilience. The proposed model offers a context-specific framework for understanding resilience in medium-sized Iranian cities and underscores the need for participatory, transparent, and equity-oriented governance approaches to enhance urban resilience.KeywordsSocial Resilience; Institutional Trust; Spatial Justice; Neighborhood Networks; Borujerd
Urban Ecology
Hassan sajadzadeh; Mohsen Taban; Maryam Jafari
Abstract
Climate change and accelerated urbanization have made the redefinition of public space design patterns with a climate-oriented approach inevitable. Despite numerous studies in hot climates emphasizing increased enclosure and shading, a significant knowledge gap exists in explaining optimal massing and ...
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Climate change and accelerated urbanization have made the redefinition of public space design patterns with a climate-oriented approach inevitable. Despite numerous studies in hot climates emphasizing increased enclosure and shading, a significant knowledge gap exists in explaining optimal massing and spatial enclosure patterns for thermal comfort in cold and semi-arid climates. This research aims to fill this gap by quantitatively investigating the impact of physical indicators—including height-to-width ratio (H/W), shadow angle, and spatial openness—on pedestrians' perception of thermal comfort in Shahid Noubahaar Street, Kermanshah.
The methodological approach of this study integrates three complementary strategies: first, field microclimatic measurements conducted on February 15, 2016, using instruments for temperature, humidity, wind speed, and radiation at 1.5 meters above ground level; second, microclimate simulation using ENVI-met software version 5.5 with 1-meter grid resolution, validated against field data; and third, shadow mask analysis using a protractor tool to calculate shadow angles of eastern and western building fronts at different times of day. Noubahaar Street was selected as the case study due to its enclosure diversity across four distinct sections (A, B, C, D), active land use with high pedestrian traffic, and suitable access for field measurements. Kermanshah, located at 34°19' north latitude and 1,322 meters above sea level, has a cold mountainous climate.
The findings demonstrate that reduced enclosure (lower H/W ratio) during the cold season significantly increases the relationship between mean radiant temperature (Tmrt) and the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) index. Linear regression analysis confirms a strong correlation (R² = 0.77) between these two variables, meaning that approximately 77% of the variation in pedestrians thermal perception on winter days is explained by received solar radiation. Conversely, high enclosure with stable shadows leads to reduced Tmrt and intensified cold sensation. Shadow angle analysis across the four street sections revealed that the western front (29° angle) and eastern front (23° angle) create significant thermal asymmetry in the existing condition.
Based on these analyses, contextual and quantitative design strategies have been proposed. In Section A, reducing the western front's shadow angle from 29° to 20° through stepped setbacks (second-layer buildings up to 18 meters height followed by 9-meter deep setbacks) along with controlled increase of the eastern front's angle to 30° using strategic evergreen tree planting is recommended. In Section B, permitted height increase in future developments conditional on maintaining 26° shadow angles for both fronts is proposed. Section C, which has the most unbalanced conditions (eastern front 8°, western front 35°), would benefit from reducing the western angle to 32° and increasing the eastern angle to 15°, resulting in significant reduction of shadow coverage at street level by noon and shifting thermal conditions from "cold" to "neutral-comfortable." In Section D, creating spatial openings 7.2 meters deep within building masses, planting deciduous trees with horizontal canopies in the median strip, and installing a horizontal lattice canopy at 4 meters height are proposed.
The discussion reveals that the findings are significantly aligned with existing theoretical and empirical literature while extending and localizing prior knowledge. Unlike hot climates where increased enclosure is the primary strategy, in Kermanshah's cold climate, reduced enclosure and increased spatial openness play a more determining role in winter thermal comfort. This finding fully aligns with Guo et al. (2024) in China's cold climate, confirming the necessity of redefining "optimal enclosure" independently for each climate. Furthermore, the strong correlation between Tmrt and PMV (R² = 0.77) emphasizes the vital role of solar radiation in outdoor thermal comfort, consistent with Ji et al. (2022) and the foundational theories of Höppe (1999) and Matzarakis (1999).
The design strategies demonstrate a multi-seasonal and dynamic approach, not only optimizing winter radiation but also addressing the inherent contradiction of thermal needs across seasons through summer shading. This aligns with Taleghani et al. (2015), who identified semi-open forms as providing the best radiation-shade balance. The creation of spatial openings and small plazas (as proposed for Section D) extends beyond purely climatic solutions to create collective spaces and enhance social life, directly corresponding to Paale and Ginge (2025), who emphasize the link between urban form, thermal comfort, and public space dynamics, considering thermal comfort a necessary condition for civil life and citizen presence in the public realm.
This research, by providing a quantitative and contextual model for intelligent enclosure management in urban streets within cold climates, not only contributes to the development of climate-responsive design knowledge but also provides operational tools for urban designers and planners to enhance environmental quality and public space vitality. The findings conclusively demonstrate that massing and spatial enclosure have direct and significant effects on pedestrians' thermal comfort perception. In cold climates, street design must ensure pedestrian comfort through maximum solar radiation absorption in winter and appropriate shading in summer. The use of deciduous trees, high thermal mass materials, and stepped building setbacks at higher elevations are among the effective strategies in this context.
The research concludes that in north-south oriented streets within cold climates, the height of eastern building fronts affects morning radiation reception, while western front heights influence late-afternoon reception. Through physical modifications and passive solar design strategies—even modest increases in solar radiation—thermal comfort can be meaningfully enhanced. The innovation of this research lies in three levels: methodologically, integrating field measurements, microclimate simulation, and shadow mask analysis; analytically, separately analyzing eastern and western fronts to explain thermal asymmetry; and strategically, extracting quantitative, contextual setback patterns with specific angles (reducing western shadow angle from 29° to 20°, increasing eastern angle from 23° to 30°) that maximize winter radiation while maintaining building density.
Regeneration and revival of historical context
mohsen shakeri; Majid Ansari
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to propose a comprehensive theoretical model using the Grounded Theory method to ascertain the factors affecting the residence-weakening process of Yazd city's historical fabric during the last four decades.
Design: The research resulted in highlighting both the process ...
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Purpose: This study aimed to propose a comprehensive theoretical model using the Grounded Theory method to ascertain the factors affecting the residence-weakening process of Yazd city's historical fabric during the last four decades.
Design: The research resulted in highlighting both the process model and the storyline of this phenomenon, indicating the weakening agent of social life and behavioral systems in the historical fabric of Yazd as the central and core phenomenon in the model. The causal conditions included a lack of participatory management, the absence of social mixing and diversity, the worsening socioeconomic balance of the fabric, the government's inattention to the successful experiences of other countries in reviving settlement, dwindling government support measures, and the incompatibility of the predominant housing pattern with the changing needs of today’s urban life.
Findings: The emergence of the core phenomenon has led to three interconnected strategies, including reduced investment in housing, business recession in the urban fabric, and waste of accumulated social capital. However, the combination of these factors has gradually produced consequences such as the reduction of social status, the weakening of authenticity, and the erosion of sense of belonging, security, and identity in the fabric, eventually leading to the continuous outflow of a part of the population from the historical districts.
Originality: The time has come for urban planners and policymakers to pay serious attention to the social dimension of regeneration. The development of tourism and the protection of valuable buildings is not the ultimate goal of regeneration but should be transformed into a cohesive tool for sustainable social development, the revival of neighborhood vitality, and facilitating the long-term settlement of residents in the historical fabric.
Urban Planning
Reza Azimi; Naser Barakpur
Abstract
Highlights
• Homelessness in Iran is shaped by a dual policy gap in definition and policy targeting.
• The dominance of a supply-oriented housing approach has marginalized low-income groups.
• Lack of formal data systems has rendered homelessness invisible in housing policymaking.
• Housing policies ...
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Highlights
• Homelessness in Iran is shaped by a dual policy gap in definition and policy targeting.
• The dominance of a supply-oriented housing approach has marginalized low-income groups.
• Lack of formal data systems has rendered homelessness invisible in housing policymaking.
• Housing policies have reinforced structural inequalities through financialization processes.
• Policy evaluation (process and effectiveness) reveals a disconnect between development plans and lived housing realities.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Housing is widely recognized as a fundamental human right; however, global evidence indicates an escalating housing crisis, with millions experiencing inadequate housing or homelessness. Although homelessness is a multidimensional phenomenon rooted in economic, social, and institutional structures, its strong linkage with housing systems makes it a central concern in urban policy and planning.
In Iran, despite the visible expansion of various forms of homelessness ranging from street homelessness to hidden housing insecurity this phenomenon remains largely absent from formal housing policy discourse. The lack of an official definition, combined with criminalization-oriented approaches and insufficient data systems, has contributed to its marginalization. This study evaluates the position of homelessness within Iranian housing policies and examines how housing policies have contributed to the reproduction or prevention of homelessness through their goals, interventions, and outcomes.
Theoretical Framework
This study is grounded in Clapham’s tripartite framework of housing policy analysis, encompassing rational, political, and structural approaches. These perspectives enable a multi-dimensional understanding of policy processes, including goal attainment, power relations, and the broader structural conditions shaping housing outcomes. The framework facilitates linking policy evaluation with the dynamics of homelessness within the housing system.
Methodology
The research adopts a qualitative approach based on a policy evaluation strategy, encompassing process evaluation and effectiveness evaluation. The study relies on documentary analysis across three analytical levels: (1) conceptualization of homelessness, (2) analysis of policy documents and development programs, and (3) assessment of policy outcomes and impacts. At the first and second levels, a process evaluation is conducted using political and rational lenses to identify implementation barriers and the gap between discursive goals and actual outputs. At the third level, an effectiveness evaluation is applied through a structural lens to analyze the causal relationship between macroeconomic housing policies and the long-term socio-economic impacts on vulnerable groups and the phenomenon of homelessness.
Results and Discussion
Findings reveal a systematic disjunction between stated policy objectives and actual outcomes. While the process evaluation identifies significant deviations in resource allocation, quantitative targets for housing production have often been met, yet indicators such as housing poverty and affordability have deteriorated. The analysis shows that housing policy in Iran is dominated by a supply-oriented paradigm, where housing production serves as an economic driver rather than a social right. The evaluation of policy effectiveness indicates that the absence of reliable data and the criminalization of certain forms of homelessness have led to its exclusion from policy priorities. Structural factors, including housing financialization, have further intensified inequality, pushing vulnerable groups into persistent rental dependency and chronic housing insecurity.
Conclusion
The study demonstrates that homelessness in Iran is the outcome of a dual policy gap: the absence of clear definitions and the misalignment between interventions and target groups. Unlike previous studies that have mainly examined homelessness or housing policies separately, this study evaluates the place of homelessness within Iranian housing policy across three analytical levels: conceptualization of the phenomenon, policy content, and policy outcomes. The overall evaluation of policy process and effectiveness suggests that housing policies have shifted from addressing social needs toward supporting economic objectives, particularly the expansion of the construction sector. Furthermore, the disconnect between development programs and the lived realities of low-income populations remains a key barrier. The findings indicate that without a shift toward recognizing homelessness as a policy priority and ensuring the effectiveness of social housing interventions, the current supply-oriented strategies will continue to reproduce structural inequalities in the housing market.
Urban Planning
Fatemeh Sadat Sajedi; Seyed Mahdi Khatami
Abstract
The contemporary world is experiencing rapid urbanization, with approximately half of the global population now residing in urban areas. However, if urbanization and urban development are not adequately managed, they can engender profound challenges, including inequality, social exclusion, and widening ...
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The contemporary world is experiencing rapid urbanization, with approximately half of the global population now residing in urban areas. However, if urbanization and urban development are not adequately managed, they can engender profound challenges, including inequality, social exclusion, and widening social divides within cities. In response to these challenges, this study addresses the lack of a systematic, ethically grounded framework for the concept of the "inclusive city" in urban studies. The primary objective of this research is to establish an ethical foundation for understanding the position and dimensions of an inclusive city. This is achieved by providing a multidimensional definition of urban inclusivity through a systematic literature review and an ethical evaluation based on four normative ethical theories: consequentialist (teleological), deontological, virtue, and contractarian ethics. The present study employs a qualitative research design, utilizing a systematic literature review (SLR) framework coupled with an inductive thematic analysis strategy for data analysis. The systematic review was conducted using the Web of Science database. Following a three-stage screening process based on the PRISMA guidelines, 48 peer-reviewed articles were selected for the final analysis. Subsequently, the core themes of the inclusive city were extracted from the selected literature using inductive thematic analysis. Finally, these extracted themes were analyzed as the underlying dimensions of the inclusive city through the lens of normative ethical theories. The thematic analysis reveals that the inclusive city possesses a multidimensional structure comprising four overarching themes: (1) socio-political justice; (2) physical form, accessibility, and urban infrastructure; (3) governance, participation, and planning processes; and (4) sustainability, environment, and quality of life. The ethical evaluation demonstrates that these dimensions are not merely technical or tactical planning objectives; rather, they constitute profound and strategic ethical imperatives. Consequentialist ethics frames inclusivity as the maximization of collective welfare subject to prioritizing constraints; deontological ethics grounds it in the inalienable rights and inherent dignity of every citizen; virtue ethics posits it as the manifestation of good governance and civic virtue; and contractarian ethics interprets it as the realization of a just social contract. This research offers an innovative synthesis of contemporary urban studies and normative ethics. By systematically bridging the "what" (dimensions) and the "why" (ethical foundations) of inclusive cities, this study provides a coherent, multidimensional conceptual framework for urban planners, designers, policymakers, and researchers to foster more equitable and inclusive cities for the future.
Urban Planning
Mohammad Reza Haghi; Mojtaba Lorzangeneh
Abstract
Modern cities have become increasingly vulnerable to human-induced threats such as warfare, as they have become increasingly reliant on centralized and complex networks for the delivery of infrastructural services. The present study aims at re-interpreting the garden-city model as a traditional and historical ...
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Modern cities have become increasingly vulnerable to human-induced threats such as warfare, as they have become increasingly reliant on centralized and complex networks for the delivery of infrastructural services. The present study aims at re-interpreting the garden-city model as a traditional and historical pattern of settlement to enhance the city’s resilience against wartime threats. The city of Khansar in Iran has been chosen as a case study. The research is based on a future-oriented paradigm and uses a descriptive-analytical method with structural analysis. Data were collected using a systematic literature review and the Delphi technique, with 15 experts in the fields of urban planning, disaster management and passive defense. Cross-impact analysis and MICMAC software were used to analyze the data and to investigate the relations of 23 variables affecting urban resilience under wartime conditions. The results show that among the research variables, 8 key variables of city scale, spatial dispersion and deconcentration, water resource security, biodiversity and natural infrastructure, ecosystem services of green spaces, public participation, economic diversity and community self-organization are the main driving and two-fold variables of the resilience system of Khansar and maintain a critical position in both direct and indirect analysis. The analysis of three alternative scenarios suggests that Khansar, with its natural and spatial assets (springs and qanats, extensive orchards, small urban scale, and dispersed structure) and social capital (active mosques, vibrant religious ceremonies, and kinship ties in historical neighborhoods), has great potential to be a “model city” for wartime resilience, provided that urban planning and crisis management consider the simultaneous activation of these drivers, especially the strengthening of social capital and the local economy. Otherwise, the continuation of the current trends including the extensive destruction of orchards, contamination of groundwater resources through traditional wastewater disposal and weakening of social interactions in new neighborhoods will lead to increasing dependency on external networks and the collapse of the city’s resilience in future crises. The findings indicate the necessity of preparing integrated plans and operational scenarios based on the identified key drivers, including the quantitative and qualitative protection of water resources, the increase of food self-sufficiency through the development of organic agriculture and local cooperatives, multifunctional use of orchards as green corridors, the empowerment of neighborhoods through the establishment of local crisis management councils, the dual-purpose equipping of mosques as emergency bases, the economic diversification through agro-processing industries and sustainable tourism, to enhance the adaptability of garden-city patterned settlements to complex human-induced threats.
Urban Design
mahsa sholeh; Aida Afshari
Abstract
Multisensory perception of urban spaces, particularly the role of non-visual senses such as olfaction, remains an underexplored area within urban studies. The present study aims to conduct a systematic analysis of smellscape perception in the historic Vakil Bazaar of Shiraz and to elucidate its role ...
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Multisensory perception of urban spaces, particularly the role of non-visual senses such as olfaction, remains an underexplored area within urban studies. The present study aims to conduct a systematic analysis of smellscape perception in the historic Vakil Bazaar of Shiraz and to elucidate its role in shaping users' sensory experience. Grounded in the theoretical framework of smellscape and adopting a mixed-method approach, this research seeks to address the following questions: How is the smellscape perceived within this bazaar? Which odor sources exert the most significant influence on user experience? And what relationships exist among olfactory perception, subjective perception, and overall spatial perception?
The research employs a descriptive-analytical methodology based on field data collection. The identification and classification of dominant odors within the study area were carried out using the novel scent-walk technique. Perceptual data were gathered through structured questionnaires administered to a randomly selected sample of 120 space users. Key indicators assessed included odor intensity, pleasantness, spatial extent of diffusion, and odor harmony. Data analysis was performed using correlation tests in SPSS software.
The findings reveal that odors associated with traditional land uses—particularly herbal medicine shops (attari) and carpet workshops—exert the greatest impact on users' olfactory perception and function as identity-defining elements of the space. In contrast, odors emanating from newer commercial uses exhibit significantly lower levels of pleasantness and harmonic integration. Furthermore, a statistically significant correlation was observed among olfactory perception indicators, subjective perception, and overall spatial perception. The study concludes that acknowledging smellscape as an integral component of urban intangible heritage can effectively contribute to enhancing the experiential quality of historic spaces and strengthening the sense of place.
