Explaining the Conceptual Framework of Place Dignity in the Urban Regeneration Process Using Grounded Theory

Subject Areas : Creative City Design

Habib  Khorasani ¹ (PhD Candidate, Planning and Management of Cultural Affairs Department, Khorasgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.)
Siamak  Korang Beheshti ² (Business management and communication Department, Khorasgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran)
Hamid  Davazdahemami ³ (Planning and Management of Cultural Affairs Department, Khorasgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran)
Maryam  Ghasemi sichani ⁴ (Architecture and Urban Studies Department, Khorasgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran)

Received: 2023-06-24 Accepted : 2023-10-17 Published : 2023-10-01

Keywords: dignity, Grounded Theory, Place Dignity, place identity, The Relationship between Human and Place,

Abstract :

In the past and in Iran's traditional architecture, urban neighborhoods were regarded as the spine and the most significant small urban complexes. However, physical renovation measures have stripped these neighborhoods of their dignity and identity indices. During urban development, neighborhoods with identities were gradually subjected to physical deterioration, leading to their dignity waning. As a result, urban places of these neighborhoods lost their identity elements and this led to deserted neighborhoods especially from their original inhabitants. Due to the importance of place dignity and lack of conceptualization of that in the field of urban geography, this study by using the grounded theory aims to discover and extract dimensions and components of place dignity from middle and historic fabrics to achieve a particular conceptual structure linked to it. Because the elites of urban planning and architecture of the country have influenced the decisions and implementation of urban renewal policies in the contemporary century of Iran and have played an important role in planning or guiding urban development programs and projects and also, due to the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of the topics related to the "city", in this research data was collected through an in-depth interview with several leading and decision-making experts in the academic, policy-making and executive fields of architecture, social sciences, geography and urban planning of the country. 435 phrases or sentences were extracted at the first coding stage. Afterward, 23 sub categories were identified as components of place dignity in six main categories, including cultural, physical-environmental, social, perceptual, functional, and economic dimensions. Validity in this research was ensured through constant comparative analysis and by following the theory of Davis and Rodd regarding precision in doing research.