Journal of Iranian Architecture & Urbanism(JIAU)

Abstract Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: Change of values, intellectual customs, lifestyles and human relationship with the universe and nature, distortion of long-standing physical, socio-cultural cohesion are among the challenges of contemporary Iranian cities that have led to forgetting collective memories and changing the concept of the city. The research problem begins with the general concept of “collective memory” in Iranian cities. In order to observe the indigenous originality of the research, the research has been defined based on a “problem- oriented” research with a comparative evaluation of existing challenges of collective memory in Iranian cities and identifying the concept of “change” as the key issue of collective memory in Iranian cities. Therefore, while delimiting the scope of the study, the aim of the research is to study change, continuity and constancy of the concept of city and collective memory and determine its optimal threshold in Tehran historical center as a symbol of change in Iranian cities.
Methods: The research uses a qualitative method and a phenomenological strategy (descriptive phenomenology). In this article, while reviewing the literature of collective memory, change, continuity and constancy, a theoretical framework for phenomenological study has been developed and accordingly, an in-depth semi-structured interview with 41 residents of the historical center of Tehran (people born in different decades and among various social groups) has been conducted. 
Findings: The results of this research encompass not only the categorization of collective memories (home and neighborhood memories such as the culture of acquaintance and neighborhood, courtyard, children’s games in the alley, socio-cultural memories such as the nicknames of people, storytelling, ritual of Pahlavani and peaceful coexistence of religions, religious memories including home prayers, Muharrams and Mid-Sha’ban celebrations, national-political memories such as the coup of August 19, 1953, the Islamic Revolution and the Imposed War, natural memories like the organic relationship of human with nature at home and neighborhood, water supply system and Qanats, and harmony with nature through summer migration to Shemiran and urban memories such as new streets building in Reza Shah reign and the construction of modern urban buildings and facilities such as Plasco Building and electric buses), but also include the theoretical formulation of the concepts of “change”, “continuity” and “constancy” in the historical center of Tehran. In order to explain and analyze the concept of “change” in the historical center of Tehran, the theory of “continuous change” has been proposed, which introduces a kind of repetitive and continuous patterns of radical change in the city. According to this theory, the historical center of Tehran in the contemporary period, after encountering modernity, faces four syndromes including “continuous change syndrome”, “syndrome of leaving the paternal neighborhood”, “Empty Nest Syndrome” and “continuous forgetfulness syndrome”. Also, the analysis of the concept of continuity shows that the “continuity of the identity structure” of the historical center of Tehran in some physical dimension (through the presence of historical buildings and architectural traditions), functional dimension (continuity of religious sites, the continuity of residence in some neighborhoods and functional continuance of Tehran Bazaar) and meaning-memory dimension (continuity of local character of some places and neighborhoods) are relatively still established. However, in terms of ecological structure, this continuity has been distorted over time and therefore needs to be revived by restoring the role of wooded yards in creating a balance between private and public green spaces. Persistence of some historical buildings and urban spaces (such as Golestan Palace, 30th Tir Street), some religious rituals, historical bazaars and some natural elements (such as the continuous shadow of Alborz and the old plane tree of Imamzadeh Yahya) also indicate the constancy of physical, behavioral, subjective and natural anchors of memory in the historical center of Tehran.
Conclusion: Based on the theoretical framework of the research, it can be concluded that the optimal threshold of change, continuity and constancy in the historical center of Tehran is achieved when the “continuous change” of the area stops. This should be reached by continuing the identity structure through dominance of restoration culture over culture of demolition and new construction, preserving the character of the historical center, original lifestyles and permanent dwelling, which entails “stopping leaving the paternal neighborhood” and “returning to empty nests”.  Also, the anchors of memory should be stabilized by preserving or finding physical clues (historical buildings), social clues (social context) and cultural clues (stories, proverbs and the sweet language of Tehran), which in turn leads to cessation of “continuous forgetfulness” and preservation of collective memory.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: Urban rivers are public spaces whose relationship with humans has been the focus of renewed attention in the 2000s and are considered a suitable opportunity for local communities. The experiences of the cities such as Dezful, Isfahan, Shushtar, etc., show that rivers have played an effective role in locating and expanding cities, providing water and energy, ventilation and climate comfort, creating social spaces and spending leisure time, and have been a part of the residents’ lives. However, their current situation indicates oblivion and ignorance of the links between people, cities, and rivers. So, rivers have faced many challenges, such as instability, pollution, habitat destruction, and malfunctions with the rapid development of urbanization. In urban design, this situation has weakened the spatial quality and turned rivers into wetlands with various problems. Therefore, any effort to preserve and restore these water sources is very important. In this regard, urban design can play an important role by re-establishing the links between the city and the river. For this purpose, the current research seeks an integrated approach of “river regeneration as a sustainable public place”; A natural-urban area that brings the river from the peripheral regions to the urban context to be effective in the quality of urban life. The latter approach of “sustainable waterfront urban regeneration” seeks to revive them as “sustainable places” in balance with the category of ecological protection. The current research is trying to explain how to revive the river as a sustainable public place while investigating people’s assessment of the measures taken on rivers and their macro quality as public places.
Methods: The philosophical foundation of the research is pragmatism. Therefore, the research approach is combinational, and the research method is based on the case study of the rivers in Isfahan, Ahvaz, Ardabil, and Rasht. The concepts and methods of sustainable revitalization have been analyzed through literature review and similar experiences and have been completed through field surveys based on content analysis and contextual theory.
Findings: “Sustainable revitalization of the river as a sustainable public place” is a comprehensive and integrated approach and a strategic and synergistic program in the framework of sustainable development (with a priority on the environmental dimension) in line with connecting the river with the city’s life system and returning it to the context of citizens’ lives. So, this framework is introduced along with revitalizing the river and paying attention to its challenges, with minimal physical interventions and changing the instrumental view of humans, through the processes of bed creation, place-making, exploitation, place ownership, and place cultivation, as a “sustainable public place” focusing on the urban rivers to emerge, play a role in the social life of citizens and compete with other economic sectors. Using the latest aspect of sustainable urban regeneration, i.e., creating a “sustainable place” that relies on the dimension of social sustainability as a certainty of development, this approach has made the public space of urban rivers centered on the river a criterion of action and the relationship between the city and its residents. It establishes a close relationship with nature. In fact, the attraction and access of the city people to the river by relying on the social aspect of nature, such as spending leisure time, their common interest, the protection of the river in the minds of the citizens, etc., leads to a balance between economic interests and environmental goals and provides public access to the river. 
Conclusion: The geospatial information of the case studies shows that from people’s point of view, the quality of public places based on Karun and Zarjoub is at a medium to a low level, Balgholi Chai of Ardabil is at a medium level, and Zayandehrood of Isfahan is at a medium to a high level. Nevertheless, corrective measures have improved the condition of the rivers and their public places to some extent. The sustainable revitalization of urban rivers seeks to revive them in the form of a “sustainable public place”. The macro mechanisms of this approach include the balancing of the river dimensions, an active and comprehensive consideration, the facilitation of various functions, a holistic approach to the river, the priority of the river sanitation condition as an open biological system full of diversity, simultaneous focus on “input, process, output, qualities, effects”, river integration, grounding the human presence to experience the place, redefining the place of the river in macro-environmental, social, economic systems, balancing the process with the life cycle of the public place and relying on its formations, paying attention to the expectations of the citizens in the process and facilitating the communication of the city, the citizens, and the river.

Abstract