Development of rejuvenation process in Iranian industrial heritage based on Grounded theory

Today, one of the most important issues related to the industrial heritage in Iran is the rejuvenation and reuse of such assets. The industrial buildings dating from the Pahlavi era (1925-1978) have the adaptive capacity to create modern spaces. The present study seeks to answer this question: “How is the developmental approach formed with regard to industrial heritage?” Therefore, some indicators were extracted using Grounded Theory that include four effective criteria for the revitalization of industrial heritage; so they are : the effect of hidden values on the improvement of industrial heritage, capacity to adapt to new conditions, a consistent relationship between old and new structures, and development of a new combination. The study explained a theory called "Crystallization of Industrial Heritage" by analyzing the above-mentioned indicators. As myths can be crystallized in contemporary literature, it is thus possible for the industrial heritage to be crystallized in each period. Research findings show that this approach can be generalized to the revitalization of industrial heritage. In this regard, the study focused on how the industrial heritage is crystallized and the adaptation of this theory in the development of three Iranian projects. This process in the development of the Qasr cultural complex shows that this complex succeeded in inspiring crystallization once again in the modern era by creating a significant relationship between the past and present. This creativity, which is the result of combining historical aspects and modern structures for redesigning the building, transformed different old and new components into a single entity at the present era. Consequently, this not only reflects its historical identity but also represents its former values in the contemporary era. However, definition of a spatial organization consistent with the old body in two other cases has allowed for the presence of this legacy in the modern era.