Investigating the Role of Urban Historical Social Centers in the Identity of Historical Cities (Case Study: Shiraz)

Subject Areas :

Arash Didehrowshan ¹ (Department of Architecture, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran)
Hamed Moztarzadeh ² (Department of Architecture, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran)

Received: 2022-06-25 Accepted : 2022-09-11 Published : 2022-12-22

Keywords: Shiraz, Urban Reconstruction, historical centers, urban identity, Historical social centers,

Abstract :

In the face of rapid economic development, population growth, increasing needs of people and changing lifestyles, most of the historical centers of Iran have seen difficulty in making the necessary adjustments and adaptations to current needs and changes. This article examines the role of urban regeneration in reviving redundant historical and social urban centers and how to use them to strengthen the urban identity of their cities. This study is based on a case study approach focusing on urban regeneration in the historical center of Shiraz. Since the construction project has not been completed, this study will focus more on the physical aspects of urban identity rather than its social dimensions. The related experimental research has used a comprehensive fieldwork done through multiple site visits. This article argues that one of the ways to restore the urban identity of Shiraz urban historical social centers is to return to its original roots and try to preserve them in the face of emerging environments. This article examines a novel experience in Iran and Shiraz in creating a new urban identity inspired by the past through a project in order to study the role of urban historical social centers. The results of this study show that the architectural indicators of the historical context of Shiraz have the highest score and average in the continuity index, indicating that the explicit meaning means a visual cognition difficult to fit in human memory.

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