An Analysis on the Control of Public Space in the Parks of Tehran

One of the most influential trends in the production of contemporary public spaces is the growing tendency to control and monitor of these spaces. This research was conducted in two parts with the aim of "evaluating the control of public space and its methods in the parks of Tehran" and "reviewing the views of users of these parks about the control of public space". The study area includes the "Mellat", "Laleh", "Razi" and "Shahr" parks in Tehran. The research method is descriptive-analytic and data was collected based on field observation and questioning of 100 users of each park. Based on the results, the Mellat and Laleh Park have a low degree of control, and the Shahr and Razi Park are highly controlled. Although Tehran's parks are often controlled by hard methods, but users of these parks frequently want to space be controlled by soft methods. Also women are more likely to agree with soft controls than men. In terms of exacerbating control over space, Razi Park users, unlike three other parks, demanded more control over space, due to the low security of the area where the park is located in. Finally, users of all four parks, with a high degree of agreement, wanted preventing the entry of marginal groups such as beggars, child labor and homeless people into the parks. The results of this study highlight the need to address the demands and interests of individuals and groups as part of the space stakeholder in the public space management process.