Identifying the Influencing Factors on Changing the Social Functions of Urban Spaces with an Emphasis on Political Economy and Development Plans (Case study: 3 and 12 regions of Tehran metropolis)

The social function of space is one of the most important functions of urban spaces, which creates the possibility of engaging in meaningful interactions with society, socialization, the formation of a sense of place and the opportunity to gather and enjoy the experience with others in citizens. Unfortunately, in different cities of Iran, over the past years, these social functions of spaces have undergone many changes under the influence of political economy and development plans. For this purpose, the present study was written with the aim of Identifying the influencing factors of political economy and development plans on changing social functions of new urban spaces (region 3) and old (region 12) of Tehran metropolis and to provide solutions to develop positive social functions of urban spaces. Therefore, the research method in the present study is applied in terms of purpose and analytical and exploratory in nature. Also, the analysis of the studied urban spaces has been done using the Delphi method (opinion of 16 elites and managers) and the application of cross-impact analysis technique in MICMAC software. Findings indicate that the most effective in changing the social functions of urban spaces in Tehran (new and old) are related to the components of lack of proper formation of the relationship between economy, society and government, incoherence and proper relationship between economic, social, environmental and functional dimensions and body elements in the design of urban spaces and the lack of benefit from people with different tastes and preferences is at the forefront. The results also show that the gradual changes of old urban spaces in recent years and their modernization along with the effects of modernism, have caused these spaces to be unable to meet the daily needs of residents and their social role is reduced.