The Criteria for Open and Public Urban Spaces and their Role in Social Interactions under the Influence of the Historical Texture of Cities (Case Study: Imam Square in Urmia)

The existence of public spaces plays an important role in attracting people to cities and their residence there. This provides the opportunity for social interactions and results in the creation of shared public memories. Such spaces carry the historical and cultural legacy of society. Today, Iranian cities lack appropriate public spaces for the realization and reinforcement of civil and social life. Generally speaking, urban public spaces are usually formed under the influence of their adjacent structures and physical environment. This paper is intended to analyze the effective elements and criteria in the development of the dynamic open and public spaces of Imam square in the vicinity of Urmia Bazar and the historical Jami Mosque of Urmia. In this study, the author has benefitted from field studies and library documents following a descriptive-analytic research method. In the present modern era, in which social interactions are losing color day by day, it seems vitally important to explore such spaces in order to revive the spirit of collective memories and establish social relationships.