From the Collapse of Fortifications to the Idea of Highways The Background of Urban Planning and Designing in Tehran 1930-1968

After crowning as the new king of Iran, Reza Shah could manage to establish a central power after which a new period of modernization initiated that – as always had been – was manifested in urban plans and designs. In the early 30th the actions initiated by the first Pahlavi government made dramatic changes in Tehran that transformed it from a traditional city within its fortifications to a modern and progressive city. The authors in this article have focused on the evolution of urban plans and designs in Tehran from the first modernizing measures and actions in Reza Shah’s era to the first master plan of Tehran (Farmanfarma’eian’s plan, 1968); a period in which Iranian modern urbanism took form in accordance with rapid development under the influence of international ideas. Although foreign and alien ideas were effective in this period, familiar ideas also took great part in manifestation and localization of modern ideas. Many concepts that were introduced in this period remained present in the proceeding urban plans, such as the first comprehensive plan of Tehran. The main concepts and dominant urban patterns of this period are introduced and analyzed in the last part of the article.