Metropolitan Sprawl, Annexation and Conflicting Physico-Spatial Fabric: The Case of Darband-Kashanak Axis (Northern Teheran)(1951-2014)

Excessive growth of towns and cities is caused by a variety of factors and forces that can be traced in correlated chain. In fact, one of the most dramatic and well-known factors involved in the process, is in one hand, the unwelcomed movement of population, and in other hand, inappropriate centralization of amenities and resources in the cities, especially in metropolitan areas. The two related phenomena, namely urban sprawl and gobbling (up) the scarce natural resources, considered as complementary to the process of irregular growth of urban centers, are closely linked in deterioration of peripheral rural lands. If in fact most insufficiencies of metropolitan areas are not caused by these two phenomena, many fundamental urban environmental problems and physic-spatial issues can be traced in their background effects. This article besides reviewing these phenomena, discusses some measures which instead of helping to sustain urban environments, lead to more complexities and disordered and uneven urban spaces. The Darband-Kashanak Axis, including 15 former rural distinct spheres, is an example of deterioration of natural landscapes, caused by inappropriate and unplanned sprawl of metropolitan areas. The results of the study reveal that the expedite growth of metropolitan area, through rapid constructions in the area, have changed dramatically the local indigenous harmonic landscape, containing a beautiful and fertile section of well-known landscape of alborz mountains, into a conflicting and perverted urban space. Continuation of this process, led not only to disordered physiognomy of this axis, but in near future would metamorphose its natural and cultural vision.