Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

• Mostafa Hosseini Koumleh ¹
• Mehran Alalhesabi ²
• Seyed Abdolhadi Daneshpour ²

¹ Ph.D. in Urban Planning, Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Architecture and environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.

² Associate Professor, Department of Urban Planning, School of Architecture and environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology,Tehran, Iran

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.

Graphical Abstract

Highlights

- Categorizing collective memories of the historical center of Tehran into memories related to home and neighborhood, socio-cultural, religious, national-political, natural and urban memories.
- Theoretical formulation of the concept of change in Tehran Historical Center with reference to the four syndromes of “continuous change”, “leaving the paternal neighborhood”, “empty nest” and “continuous forgetfulness”.
- Defining the optimal threshold of change, continuity and constancy based on the cessation of “continuous change”, continuity of the identity structure and constancy of the anchors of memory by preserving/finding physical, social and cultural clues.

Keywords

• Collective Memory
• Change
• Continuity
• Constancy
• Optimal Threshold
• Historical Center of Tehran

این مقاله برگرفته از رساله دکتری نویسنده نخست با عنوان «چارچوبی نظری در تعیین آستانه بهینه دگرگونی، پیوستگی و پایایی مفهوم خاطره جمعی در مرکز تاریخی تهران» می‌باشد که به راهنمایی نویسنده دوم و سوم در دانشگاه علم و صنعت ایران انجام گرفته است.

This article is derived from the first author`s doctoral thesis entitled “A theoretical framework in determining the optimal threshold of change, continuity and constancy of collective memory in the historical center of Tehran”, supervised by the second and third author, at Iran University of Science & Technology.