Comparative study of design disciplines to promote the identity of historic urban cores in Iran

Subject Areas : Space Ontology International Journal

Noella Yaghoub Nejad ¹ , Toofan Haghani ^{2 *} , Alireza Bandar Abad ³

1 - Department of urban Planning, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Department of urban Planning, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of urban Planning, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2025-04-28 Accepted : 2025-09-04

Keywords: Urban conservation, Morphological identity, Historic fabric, Planning regulation, Historic zones,

Abstract :

Historic zones are vital components of urban structures, linking past and present within the process of morphological evolution. In Iran, many such areas have experienced significant physical and functional decline over the last century. Revitalizing them requires innovative approaches, as prevailing planning strategies tend toward extremes—either strict conservationism or aggressive interventionism. Conservationists aim to preserve historic identity, whereas interventionists priorities modernization at the cost of historical character. This study critiques Iranian urban planning regulations concerning historic urban fabrics, using a comparative approach with successful international cases from England, France, and Spain. Key challenges in Iran include fragmented management and the lack of comprehensive standards—such as colour, style, material, and proportion—to assess new urban and building designs during approval and implementation. The research follows three steps: first, employing a descriptive-analytical method alongside comparative study; second, conducting qualitative analysis through review, description, and interpretation of conservation policies in the three European countries and Iran; third, formulating an urban design guideline and strategy to safeguard the historical identity of Iranian urban fabrics. Findings highlight the necessity of revising planning and design regulations, incorporating criteria that preserve historic identity while encouraging creativity and urban vitality. This study contributes to the discourse on heritage conservation by offering insights for more effective, balanced approaches to sustaining the identity of Iran’s historic zones.

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