Socio-Spatial Studies

Nowadays, after redirection of medical sciences from sterile and artificial spaces to the natural environment and changing treatment approaches from purely microscopic and local studies to a holistic approach about the process of treatment and recovery, special attention has been given to the design of the healing environments. The use of healing gardens has also been expanded in hospital grounds. The features and characteristics of Iranian gardens classify them among the healing gardens. Attention to the various physical, mental and psychological characteristics of human beings who have to recreate in this garden has been embodied in the delicacy of the body. In this study, common features of Persian gardens and healing gardens are investigated. This descriptive-analytical study is of a practical-theoretical nature. In identifying the process, the literature on the subject is reviewed first and the features of the Persian gardens and the healing gardens are examined and finally the common aspects are reviewed. Due to the features of Persian garden and its characteristics, they have a lot in common with the modern healing gardens and can be considered as a base for Iranian healing gardens. With regard to the Iranian identity and historical background as well as their eco-design, its properties can be used to enrich the healing gardens. In this way, we may take a step closer to using the most of our country''''''''s valuable heritage.  

Nowadays, enhancing the aspects of tourism industry is considering as one of the most important pillars of countries financial improvement. While urban spaces in different cities of Iran have wide verity of cultural and historical attractions which can attract considerable number of tourists to these cities, they have not meet special needs of tourists and as an obvious result these attractions could not play their key role in approaching to economical sustainability. One of the most important urban tourism attractions is historical pedestrian paths, which can have significant effect in enhancing tourists’ embracement of visiting path’s surrounded attractions if their qualities are improved. In this essay, the pedestrian paths’ qualities are introduced and "security and safety" and "readability" qualities are selected as the most important urban qualities in eliminating these paths from “must-see list” for tourist thorough analyzing questionaries’ data. Then, as the role of different urban maps (on-line, off-line and printed maps) in improving readability and safety qualities have been proved, the efficiency of these maps evaluated and their weakness and strength points investigated.

Nowadays, an important matter has emerged which is to pay attention to the problems of releasing historic textures. Urban regeneration with emphasis on social themes has always been a fundamental approach to eliminate the shortcomings of historic textures. Redefining social life and public events, creating unity and integrity, and social justice and etc. are of the main approaches to urban regeneration according to historical values and the existing identity in these textures.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> This research is trying to identify the social themes of dysfunctional historic textures in the northern zone of Naqsh-e Jahan Square of Esfahan, and suggest proper solutions based on the current and past situation of this neighborhood, so that it can revitalize this area through a comprehensive plan and become able to play novel roles alongside its historic identity, in coordination with new urban centers. To do so, methods of desk research, survey research and questionnaire have been employed. The volume of the samples have been calculated with Cochran formula method and the data analyses have been done with SPSS software first, and then using GIS, they have been positioned on a limited-blocks level and by overlaps of indicators, known factors of the inefficiencies have been introduced so that the problems causing inefficiencies in textures with social themes can be tackled.

Today, social participation is considered as a crucial element in renewing urban life and enhancing resilience in confronting different crises. Regarding the troubles on the one hand and the limitations of tools and financial capacities of urban management on the other hand, districts with worn textures are taken as one of the main factors in decreasing the quality of life and increasing the vulnerability of cities. so, the most effective approach to choose for facing the shortcomings and imperfections is the participatory approach. This research aims to investigate the empowerment of local communities and the establishment of participatory management with a comprehensive practice along with the participation of citizens for renewing and reviving the worn urban texture of Zeinabieh district of Isfahan. This study was done by survey, documentary and analytical research methods. The results show that the participation of the residents for regeneration and renovation was somehow low in the mentioned district mainly due to their mistrust in the project executors. Having a feeling of satisfaction in the activities of the authorities and confiding in them is an element which paves the way for residents to boost their level of participation in regeneration and refurbishment of old textures. For this reason, the empowerment of residents was proposed as the most appropriate pattern for public involvement in the worn texture of the area under study. The use of such model creates the process of programming as well as the top-down decision makings which put emphasis on community indexes and accelerate citizen participation and confidence. Empowerment model, in practice, in addition to promoting the spatial-physical resilience, enhances the development of cultural and social resiliency through the reinforcement of social relations and the trust among the citizens on the one side and between the citizens and urban management on the other side.

Today, the quality and quantity of urban spaces has become one of the most important developmental indicators in the cities. The management of citizenship relations and increase of social interactions level and presence of people in urban spaces have been considered as the backbone and capital of a dynamic and vibrant community. The purpose of this study was to determine and evaluate the effective indicators on promoting social interactions in urban spaces with a happy city approach. Sampling method was determined by multi-stage comparative stratified sampling and the number of samples was determined by using Cochran formula about 384 people in Qaemshahr. Data collection tool was a research hypothesis questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data. Inferential statistics were used to analyze the hypotheses by SPSS and LISREL software. Four effective factors for promoting social interactions were extracted. These factors are as follows: the first priority is the sense of belonging to the place (5.10), the second priority is security (3.95), the third priority is the urban pedestrian (3.67) and the fourth priority was urban furniture (3.60). The results show that all the components affect the promotion of social interactions in the city's public spaces.

Tehran as a complex and unique metropolis faces many structural challenges, numerous problems in its urban management. Tehran’s urban management system struggles with different urban problems such as sociological, economical , geographical , environmental, design & urbanization. On the other hand Tehran boosts of having elites in different fields of area planning. Elites that seem to have solutions and ideas in order to fix or diminish existing problems . Evidence shows that vast majority of consultations, conferences & meetings are held in order to improve interaction between elites and city’s urban management. What evident is that the results and finding of these actions are not used; in city’s urban planning. Tehran city planners manage the city on their own whims and likenesses. This research illustrates the grounded theory incorporation with interviews of twenty professionals and experts of their respected fields in urban knowledge; and uses their knowledge and experties in order to study them in the method of coding and analysis. These findings show that urban management system is a conflict zone for different groups in order to reach “closed rentier networks”. In this structural conflicts in order to profit from the economical , political, informational, judicial rentiers; which makes Tehran the main victim. This process only increases and expands the domination of the totalitarians in the urban fields and squizes out the elites with the right mindset and approach.