Application of the Urban Regeneration Approach in Central-historical Districts Stricken with Urban Decline (Case study: Central-historical District in Qazvin)

A city grows during the history, transforms and its shape changes based on economic and social affairs and natural factors. These changes have not been brought out with regular intensity and pace during the centuries, as if they have been the reflection of past andpresent culture during the history and are the evidence of different durations of life. A desirable city is the one which revitalizes the old and ancient urban contexts based on new requirements parallel with ongoing developments and new urban context and so during this process it makes a reasonable and constructive relation between oldand new contexts as though the urban integrity and identity are kept. In general, the urban context approves the history. Maintenance of the central and historical districts of a city without changes is neither possible nor sensible. So with holding multi-dimensional and strategic views, the challenge of urban planners is giving attention to the urbancore of a city within new-experienced approaches in the world which might be applicable in preventing known urban decline and offering more systematic approaches. This study attempts to identify the cause of urban decline in central-historical district of Qazvin and to apply the urban regeneration in the stream of urban decline and changereflection.