Spatial preferences of the creative class as driving forces to development in metropitan Areas; Case study of Tehran metropolis

In the age of globalization and competitiveness of urban centers, the creative class is considered as one of the main drivers of growth and development of metropolitan areas. In this regard, the recruitment and maintenance of this social group, by identifying and evaluating their spatial preferences, has been included in the agenda of spatial development planning of cities and metropolitan areas. Accordingly, the aim of the present study is to (1) explain the relationship between the creative class as driving forces and growth and development as an achievement and also (2) identify the various spatial preferences of creative classes of Tehran metropolis to allocate residential, leisure, activity and communication needs. The combined methodology (qualitative and quantitative) has been used in this article; In collecting information, the methods of documentary, statistical and social analysis were used in the form of interviews and questionnaires, and in the classification of creative groups, the scenario method was used. The high correlation between the share of creative manpower and the value-added output confirms this claim. Similarly, the analysis makes it possible to identify four distinct groups: naturalistic, urbanist, knowledge-based, and artistic, depending on the differences in the characteristics of the activity and the spatial preferences of the creative class. Creating and maintaining a creative class in the metropolis of Tehran requires identifying the differences, features, and preferential spatial preferences of each of these groups. Based on this, their spatial-activity preferences were identified and presented in the form of solutions.