The Elucidation of Safety Theories in the Regeneration of Informal Urban Settlements

Subject Areas : Urbanism

ali tehranchi ¹ , elham pourmahabadian ² , Alireza bandarabad ³

1 - Department of Architecture and Urban engineering, CT.C., Islamic Azad University,Tehran,Iran
2 - (Assistant Professor) Department of Architecture and Urban engineering, CT.C., Islamic Azad University,Tehran,Iran
3 - (Associate Professor) Department of Architecture and Urban engineering, CT.C., Islamic Azad University,Tehran,Iran

Received: 2025-09-25 Accepted : 2025-10-06 Published : 2025-11-21

Keywords: Urban Safety, Informal Settlements Regeneration, Resilience, Risk Management, Spatial Justice,

Abstract :

Informal urban settlements, as prominent manifestations of spatial inequality and unbalanced development, represent one of the most critical challenges in contemporary urban planning. Their regeneration requires an approach grounded in the principles of urban safety and spatial justice. This study aims to elucidate and systematize the theoretical frameworks of safety within the regeneration processes of these settlements by critically analyzing contemporary theories in urban planning and design. To this end, the theories of risk management, urban resilience, crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), and spatial justice were examined as the core conceptual foundations. The research method is based on a descriptive–analytical approach and qualitative content analysis of specialized literature. The findings indicate that enhancing safety in these contexts demands a multilayered and integrative perspective in which physical interventions and the redesign of public spaces are pursued simultaneously with the strengthening of social capital, upgrading of urban infrastructures, and institutionalization of participatory governance. From this perspective, integrating safety theories into regeneration policies can foster urban resilience, improve environmental quality, reduce social and spatial vulnerabilities, and reinforce residents’ sense of belonging. Ultimately, the study emphasizes the necessity of developing localized, multidimensional, and flexible frameworks for effectively embedding safety theories into urban regeneration processes—frameworks capable of responding to the dynamic and complex conditions of informal settlements in contemporary cities

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