Creative City Design
Volume:2 Issue: 1, Apr 2019

What creates human capitals in any country is the macro policies toward learning them. Interactive learning can be defined on the basis of the socio-cultural theory of Russian psychologist, Vygotsky, (1896-1934), as he believes that one's values evolve in interaction with others. In fact, the cognitive development of a person is not understandable regardless of his socio-cultural environment. Based on this theory, learning happens by the social interaction of individuals with each other. Studies have shown in inefficient textures the inhabitants are socially weak. These people have a weak and limited social network. Perhaps one of the influential factors in promoting the social network of these areas is the use of effective potentials in such districts, which helps to improve the self-esteem and social prestige of the inhabitants by learning and enhancing the skills of human forces. Regarding the method, the present study is applicable and regarding the implementation, it is survey-based. Employing Confirmatory Factor Analysis, the Construct Validity for the interactive learning and social prestige indexes was confirmed. The data gathering tool in this study was a self-made questionnaire using questions from common indicators of previous research and standard questionnaires, which was developed based on the interactive learning and social prestige indexes. For this purpose, a single-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used. Based on the results, there was a meaningful relationship between the interpersonal learning indices and the social prestige variables. The concept of the role of interactive learning in promoting the social prestige of Abkouh neighborhood was expressed quantitatively through interactive learning six indexes. The job index with a six times meaningful relationship has been affected mostly by the interactive learning indices.

Today, medical centers are considered to be healing environments. A healing environment provides a space with a positive effect on its occupants. Architecture has an undeniable role in creating such an environment. Comfort factors should be carefully considered when designing health centers. Amongst these factors, acoustic comfort in hospitals plays a prominent role. The adverse effects of noise on patients have been well documented in many studies. Architectural design can have a major impact on the quality of a hospital's acoustic comfort. In this article, studies related to the acoustic design of therapeutic buildings are reviewed. First, different approaches to building acoustic analysis will be reviewed. Then, architectural approaches for controlling noise pollution in medical centers are discussed. Common criteria concerning acoustic comfort in healthcare spaces are introduced. Major acoustic annoyance factors in medical centers are discussed and some potential solutions are presented. This review shows that factors such as site selection, arrangement of different sections, facilities, internal and external noise sources, geometry and structure of the interiors and construction materials have a direct impact on the acoustic comfort of the hospital. General guidelines in acoustical design of medical centers are presented. Some psychological and mental factors associated with acoustic annoyance have also been introduced.

The research presented here may sound on the surface to have aimed towards aspects of the science of stability and the factors of stability which seemingly protect the buildings against earthquakes. But what is truly submitted here is but the reassertion and reaffirmation of the language of the Iranian architects of the past and the buildings they left behind where myriads of lessons are to be traced, fathomed into and learned by the generations to come. The multitudes of buildings that have lived to this day reveal the very heed paid by their architects and the knowledge they possessed. And we, as the recipients of centuries of experience and innovations are bequeathed with a body of wealth that should be fully examined, evaluated and fathomed in details in order to be used in the best and the most appropriate manner. IntroductionThe Iranian architecture has always attracted most attentions onto its positive aspects such as logic, principles, stability, technical and scientific issues of the buildings, humanistic criterion, and the use of local materials, frugality and so forth.Trial and error, frequent experiments, long-lasting experiences, proper use of the principles of geometry and proportions, paying heed with precision and care and intelligent approach towards issues were amongst the many platforms upon which the Iranian architects stood to view the broader scopes in solving the problems methodologically and perform mastery.

Today, due to the rapid expansion of urbanization, the decline of social status and neglect of cultural values ​​have led to the expansion of urban inefficient neighborhoods. One of the greatest challenges of this context is the level of social and institutional resilience and tolerance of these societies against the management and control of change. Social resilience includes the conditions under which individuals and social groups adapt to environmental changes and in fact reflect the ability of the community to respond to the crises, while taking into account the high economic, social and cultural values of old textures. This issue is of importance in ancient urban textures, especially in Mashhad as the first metropolitan city and the second metropolis of Iran. This research has been designed to investigate social resilience for sustainable urban regeneration in urban inefficient neighborhoods. In the methodology, library and valid documents have been used to identify the main criteria for social rehabilitation. A total of 50 questionnaires were distributed among the residents of Noghan district and analyzed using Smart-PLS software, which is a method for data with abnormal data distribution. The results of the study show that the component of the torsion social cohesion and sustainable regeneration have a direct relationship with increasing the components of recreating social resilience in the neighborhood.

The historical district with its hidden physical and cultural values has a high urban identity and has the potential of tourism due to its unique historical elements. Despite their potentials and strengths, these districts have undergone many changes over time and have gradually been disrupted. Urban redevelopment, however, is a comprehensive process in terms of social, economic, functional, and physical dimensions which enhances the quality of life in the targeted areas and neighborhoods in relation to the whole city, which can be a good tactic to address the challenges of historical districts. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to achieve an urban regeneration framework for Noghan neighborhood of Mashhad in order to attract maximum tourists. In this regard, the research method used in this study is practical in terms of purpose and in terms of research method; it is a descriptive-analytical method and data gathering method was based on library-documentary studies and content analysis as well as field survey methods such as observation and questionnaires. Prioritization of criteria was done in the data analysis section using ANP method. Thus, in order to reach Noghan historical district, the semantic component has the highest coefficient and it has the first priority over other components. The results of this study indicate that there are potentials for tourist attraction in this neighborhood, which have been neglected due to lack of attention to the identity-creating elements as well as the indiscriminate construction, resulting in the loss of the identity of this neighborhood.

Nowadays tourists don’t choose destinations only because of their historical, cultural or natural attraction, but visual attractions of destination are too important. This study with emphasizing on importance of tourism in urban development focuses on the role of cityscape in tourist attraction and progressing urban tourism. In this context, effects of cityscape on tourism development by focusing on urban furniture as one of its important factors have been considered. City of Kelardasht which is one of the main tourist destinations was studied as case study. Theoretical findings showed that when tourists face to urban furniture (as one of cityscape factors), their objective dimensions become subjective matters and converted to tourists’ images of destination. This factor effects on attracting tourists in destinations. Also, relationship between objective and subjective aesthetic parameters of cityscape and urban tourism was studied and effectiveness rate of urban furniture elements on tourism development was evaluated. After collecting field data, relations between research variables were analyzed by descriptive statistics (tables, figures,) and inferential statistics (factor analyzes and Pearson correlation coefficient analyze). Analyzed data showed that there are significant relationship between cityscape and tourism development and also between urban furniture and tourism progressing. In this way aesthetic elements of environment and perceptual- identical factors of environment have the most effectiveness of tourist attraction and urban furniture elements are after them. Also, in between urban furniture elements, boards and signs, urban benches, trees and flower boxes, lighting, trash bins, W.C, telephone booth and kiosks are effective on tourist attraction respectively.

Tehran has experienced significant physical changes in recent years through various development and redevelopment projects.  Navab project which started in 1994 has been one of the largest urban renovations in modern urban planning in Iran. Choice experiment method (CEM) has been used to assess some of the hidden and unaccounted social and environmental costs of this project.  The results show that people were willing to pay significantly higher prices for houses that would provide them with cleaner, safer and more secure as well as more social networking opportunities as compared to the houses that were built as part of the redevelopment project.

Diversity and complexity of the process of physical changes in urban environments have led to consider the conceptual framework as a tool for simplifying the perception of changes in identifying the indicators and variables affecting changes and changes types resulting from classifying variables and indices. The conceptual framework can be used to identify the levels of study and kinds of variables as well as to analyze, and illustrate their impact on the environmental change. The present study has adopted structure of DPSIR conceptual framework with the aim of introducing a functional tool capable of describing and classifying variables affecting such physical changes in urban areas, regarding kind and level of effectiveness. This conceptual framework is considered one of the most common analytical tools in environmental studies. DPSIR is the acronym which stands for Drivers, Pressures, States, Impacts, and Responses. In this study, the causes of physical changes occurred in the study area (Region 11 of Tehran Municipality) and their implications have been identified through the study of content analysis of the urban plans and methods of field data collection (such as questionnaires and interviews) on the basis of DPSIR conceptual framework with respect to the level and type of impact each variable exert on the descriptive analysis method. The results of the analytical-descriptive diagnosis show that four variables of intention to reside, immigration, ethnic orientation and expanding markets for goods and services in the study area are the key drivers of change in the status of the physical and social structure of the area.

The recent increase in Islamic awakening in many Muslim societies have created a momentum to the rise of contextual necessity for Islamic culture. Islam framed in cities as a religion and lifestyle. City morphology based on Islamic ideology has brought interest to the discussion among the specialists and professionals in Muslim world for many decades particularly in Iran. This goal can be achieved by experts and intellectuals and its particularity should be defined and illustrated. The present paper attempts to synopsize and express some visions of contemporary and future urban form and architecture for Muslim cultures and societies particularly Iran. This research attempts to pursue the main frameworks for the study of cultural fabrics reflecting on urban configuration, and also delineates the qualities of spatial aspects, and make some recommendations at the end.  This effort is a tentative rebirth which, it is hoped, will stimulate further discussion and research on the merits of the Islamicity.

In this article, soil and its developing stages in the framework of traditional and modern buildings are investigated. The tradition of building construction is a dynamic outcome where structure builders consciously yet gradually and progressively put their efforts into action for the development and improvement of their methods and shapes. If the new structures be built with modern stuff and materials they will be of more favorable and accepted, but there should be no reason to hesitate in finding innovative solutions in using traditional building materials such as soil, rocks and pottery clay suitable in certain cases. The use of soil in housing projects was not only a prevalent fashion in all over the world but also in Iran since ancient times. Masons and architects knew the significance role that this substance plays in building construction. However, people are today more habituated to other types of environments involving concrete and metal buildings and thus demands materials according to time requirements that are also abundantly available and easily acquirable.  Experts as well as lay people have become rather ignorant and estranged from a true, beautiful humanistic lifestyle based on human interests and values. But if they can be exposed to such lifestyle, they will surely become attracted. The answer to the question that why soil is used as an element of value in buildings, should be sought in the facts and premises determining its manifold applications. The main focus of this article is to present these qualities as well as the innovative methods with which many problems in construction can be solved.

Currently, sustainability has become a significant issue in urban revisions due to the consequences of unequal urban development. In order to increase the sustainability in a city, the criteria of sustainable development should be considered for neighborhoods as the main module of a city. Neighborhoods’ sustainable development includes various dimensions which are required for recognizing and defining the indicators and their priorities. Consciousness about operative factors of residential neighborhoods and their priorities, provides a foundation for sustainable development of a city. The objective of this paper is to identify and analyze the major factors in the field of residential neighborhoods’ sustainability. In order to achieve this aim, two districts were taken as case studies: one with historical background and organic urban fabric (Sarab area) and the other one with modern society and gridline urban fabric (Sajjad area) that have different physical, economic, and social contexts. Their overall conditions have a significant role in the resolution of sustainability criteria. The research method of this paper is descriptive-analytical; information was collected using 310 questionnaires filled by individuals who are the residents of the neighborhoods. The calculation process (factor analysis) was carried out for five main features consisting of economic, social, environmental, physical, and managerial.

The necessity of citizen’s participation in the process of cities’ spatial development is obvious. Having the necessary infrastructure to achieve this goal is one of the important challenges for policymakers in urban communities.  Requirements for the rights of citizens and residents in the process of city development have been predicted in Iran’s city council election laws which go back to about 100 years ago, at the time of the Constitutional Revolution in Iran. In the current century, the election law of the city councils and villages has undergone some changes and has developed over time. With all these developments and reforms in the city councils’ law, there is still a large gap between the voters (citizens) and the candidates (city council members). The main objective of this research is to analyze the barriers to realization of citizens’ participation in the context of city council election law in the city of Tehran and to propose a solution to eliminate these obstacles and realizing the participation of citizens in the true sense. In this research and in order to achieve the specified objective in the case study of Tehran, descriptive- analytical methodology using logical reasoning techniques were used to analyze the organization, duties and selection of Islamic councils’ law. The results of the analysis of the laws and the study of resources show that the gap between citizens and the urban management (municipal administration) is the absence of citizens' constitutional demands realization mechanism and lack of city council and municipality performance evaluation process by citizens in different districts of Tehran.