Locating cultural spaces using SWOT and AHP method, research case; Nasser Khosro St. located in Darb Shazdeh neighborhood of Shiraz

Subject Areas : َArchitecture

Marziyeh Faghiholislam ^{1 *} , Ali Bamdad ²

1 - PhD in Architecture, lecturer at National Skill University, Shiraz, Iran
2 - PhD in Restoration and Restoration of Historical Buildings and Textures, Isfahan University of Art, Isfahan, Iran

Received: 2023-08-08 Accepted : 2025-01-26 Published : 2025-02-12

Keywords: Location, cultural spaces, location criteria.,

Abstract :

The Darb-e-Shazdeh neighborhood is one of the eleven districts of Shiraz and has been among the city's most politically and economically significant areas for nearly a century and a half. The presence of Vakil Bazaar, its surrounding caravanserais, Karim Khan Zand Citadel, and numerous other important structures has enhanced the economic and physical significance of this neighborhood. In addition to commercial functions, a cohesive cultural complex is essential to meet the needs of residents and workers in the area. Such a complex would not only contribute to the revitalization of the neighborhood’s fabric but also help foster a sense of belonging, thereby preventing the migration of local inhabitants. This study aims to identify the optimal location for establishing a cultural complex within the historical fabric of Shiraz. Three potential sites, located on Naser Khosrow, Saadi, and Ghaffari streets, were proposed and analyzed using the SWOT and AHP methods. In the SWOT analysis, urban planning criteria, accessibility, socio-demographic factors, and security were identified as strengths; noise and visual pollution as weaknesses; environmental potential, tourism attraction, and the possibility of fostering a sense of belonging as opportunities; and traffic congestion, lack of residents' sense of belonging, and depopulation of the neighborhood as threats to the site selection process.Additionally, the AHP method was employed, considering the criteria of compatibility, desirability, capacity, dependency, and general standards to evaluate the three proposed sites. Ultimately, the site located on Naser Khosrow Street was selected as the most suitable location for establishing the cultural complex.

 

Extended Abstract

 

Introduction

The Darb-e-Shazdeh neighborhood in Shiraz has been a politically and economically significant area for nearly 150 years, with landmarks like Vakil Bazaar, Karim Khan Zand Citadel, and other historical structures enhancing its importance. Beyond its commercial role, the neighborhood requires a cohesive cultural complex to meet local needs, revitalize its fabric, and prevent migration. Urban expansion, poor management, and inadequate resources have contributed to the deterioration of historical areas, yet they remain valuable. Their revitalization can be achieved through urban planning initiatives such as cultural centers, parks, libraries, and religious spaces.Historically, Iranian cities, particularly desert-edge settlements, developed with a clear spatial hierarchy, where neighborhoods had defined centers with essential facilities. Mosques played a key role as cultural and public hubs, often integrated with bazaars, squares, and other communal spaces. Their placement and design were influenced by neighborhood size, accessibility, and their role in fostering social identity. While grand mosques had elaborate designs, many neighborhood mosques maintained simplicity, blending harmoniously with their surroundings. The architectural scale and proportion of religious buildings contributed to their legibility and significance within the urban fabric.

 

Methodology

This research aims to find a suitable location for creating a cultural complex in the historical context of Shiraz. Three different sites located on Nasser Khosrow, Saadi, and Ghaffari streets have been proposed and analyzed using the SWOT and AHP methods. In the SWOT analysis, various criteria, including urban development, accessibility, socio-demographic and security factors as strengths, the presence of noise and visual pollution as weaknesses, the environmental potential of the site, the possibility of attracting tourists, and the possibility of reviving a sense of belonging as opportunities and traffic in the area, the lack of a sense of belonging of residents in the neighborhood and the emptying of the texture from native inhabitants as threat points have been examined for the appropriate location of the cultural complex in each site.

 

Results and discussion

The main AHP location criteria used in urban land use planning include compatibility, comfort, desirability, health, efficiency, and safety. The necessary principles and criteria must be observed in the location of cultural spaces and neighborhood mosques. Cultural use must be compatible with other neighborhood uses in terms of location. Compatibility means coordination and harmony, in other words, compatibility between neighborhood mosques and other public activities at the neighborhood level, such as markets, green spaces, and cultural spaces. Neighborhood mosques, like other public uses, are used continuously daily and on several occasions. Another influential indicator in the location of cultural use is desirability. Desirability also depends on understanding the type of activity, performance, and requirements and the actions and reactions that cultural use creates with other uses. In addition, desirability means preserving natural factors, landscapes, open and green spaces, road networks, and residential spaces. In this study, the location criteria for cultural complexes have been categorized into four groups. Religious criteria, urban planning criteria, social criteria, and demographic criteria.

 

Conclusion

Finally, the site located on Nasser Khosrow Street was selected as the best place to create a cultural complex, where the religious complex is considered a subset of cultural spaces due to its various potentials mentioned in each method.

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