Planning and Design of Urban Sustainable Riparian Park (Case Study: Kan River- Valley)

Subject Areas : Urban Design

Hassanali Laghai ¹ , Seyedeh Maryam Gilani ²

1 - Associate Professor, Department of Art and Architecture, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
2 - M.Sc., Environmental Design, Department of Environmental Planning, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2013-08-22 Accepted : 2014-07-26 Published : 2014-08-01

Keywords: Landscape Ecology, Sustainable ecologic landscape, Urban river-valleys, Riparian parks, Kan River-Valley,

Abstract :

One of the most important natural factors and critical facilities in Tehran is presence of AlborzSlopes River-Valleys which have been considered as natural tourist places for citizens since a long time ago, especiallyin hot summers and play effective role in creating a balance between manmade and natural spaces. Importance ofthese river-valleys as ecological pathways is enhanced with the increase in population and development of river-valleycities can become a vital element of urban life cycle. However unfortunately, their inappropriate use has only reducedthe quality of life in their area. Design of riparian parks, establishing dynamic edges and creating lively urban spacemay give a new spirit into the lifeless body of these river-valleys. This paper has been written aiming at planning anddesign of sustainable resorts in the area of Kan River-Valley (The largest urban watercourse of Tehran) and attemptedto answer this question that has Kan River ecological context and environmental characteristics to become a greenurban corridor? Land use planning process has been used and strategic planning has been performed using analytical- descriptive method of artificial, natural and visual characteristics of the subject area, relying on the table Strengths,Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threat (SWOT) and using present capabilities and removing barriers. The researchresults show that using sustainable ecologic landscape design and compatible with the environment, is an appropriatestrategy for revitalizing the urban river-valleys.

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