نشبریه آمایش فضا و ژئوماتیک
سال بیست و هشتم شماره 3 (پیاپی 125، پاییز 1403)

The phenomenon of urban shrinkage, recognized as a pervasive global challenge, induces significant alterations in demographic patterns. The primary indicator of urban shrinkage manifests as a decline in the urban population, which is influenced by a myriad of economic, social, environmental, and political factors and catalysts. Shrinkage can transpire at various scales, encompassing national, regional, urban, and rural dimensions, and its implications profoundly affect both the tangible and intangible frameworks of the settlement in question. Presently, in light of the economic and demographic dilemmas confronting Iran, the mitigation of the population growth rate has emerged as a salient concern. Nonetheless, the decline in population is markedly more pronounced in certain locales; such that the population growth rate progressively trends negative, resulting in a diminished capacity of those areas to retain existing residents and attract prospective migrants. Empirical research indicates that Bostan-Abad city has consistently experienced population decline and contraction during the years 1375 to 1395. The current study employed a quantitative approach, analyzing statistical data and land use modifications within the city over these years through the utilization of object-oriented processing techniques. Subsequently, the interrelations among the examined variables were assessed employing the random forest machine learning algorithm. According to the research findings, the contraction of Bostanabad city is intricately linked to rural depopulation, with its rural populace consistently diminishing. This predicament, correlated with an uptick in out-migration from the city and an aging demographic, has precipitated a decline in agricultural activity within the city; if unchecked, it poses the risk of inflicting more severe detriments upon this urban area.

The regional network approach endeavors to furnish a platform conducive to the integrated development of rural and urban areas by enhancing the interconnections between these domains. Notwithstanding the extensive research background and the experiences derived from various implementation strategies, the practical application of this approach within the nation has faced significant obstacles and challenges. The current study, employing the Q methodology and concentrating on the developmental agenda of the rural constellation in Tarem, Zanjan province, investigates the essential requirements and priorities pertinent to the regional network approach in the context of national development planning, as perceived by experts, officials, practitioners, consultants, and facilitators associated with the initiative. To this end, the study initially delineates the concourse on the vital requirements necessary for the actualization of the regional network approach through semi-structured interviews and the analysis of extracted sources, subsequently refining these into 31 pivotal factors categorized predominantly into six dimensions: environmental-ecological, structural-institutional, educational, economic, physical-spatial, and social. Subsequently, a cohort of 25 specialists and pivotal stakeholders involved in the project was meticulously chosen through purposive sampling, and they systematically prioritized the derived items utilizing the Q table. The amassed data underwent rigorous analysis employing KADE software, alongside Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Varimax rotation. In light of the research outcomes, one can assert that there exists a quartet of perspectives concerning the requirements and critical priorities essential for the effective implementation of the regional network approach, which encompass: the enhancement of the village's role and significance within development planning, the transformation of the strategy into a network-oriented plan in rural development planning, the fortification of its operational framework, the allocation of job-generating financial resources towards the network approach's priorities, and ultimately, the consolidation of coordination and synergy among the implementing entities. Conversely, the necessity for capacity building and the empowerment of local communities has been universally acknowledged and accentuated across all four perspectives.

The assessment of ecological capacity and balance evaluates the permissible human activities within each land zone, while also identifying activities that are either infeasible, lack economic viability, or adversely affect environmental sustainability. This investigation seeks to safeguard environmental functions through the analysis and evaluation of ecological potential in Lorestan Province, which is undergoing significant urbanization. In pursuit of this objective, the ecological capacity for settlement expansion within Lorestan Province is assessed, alongside the identification of the opportunities, capabilities, and constraints inherent in the region's land resources, thereby establishing a foundation for effective planning. The research utilizes a land capability analysis methodology based on an ecological framework developed through fuzzy land-use planning techniques. Among the myriad criteria and variables influencing land capability, three primary factors—agricultural potential, forestry, and urban-residential development—were scrutinized. Significant environmental and ecological potentials act as critical constraints on urban development. Approximately 94% of the province’s territory is deemed suitable for residential and industrial advancement; however, this statistic pertains exclusively to areas earmarked for development, while approximately 6% of the land exhibits insufficient ecological capacity to support such expansion. Consequently, it is imperative to enhance urban green infrastructure, foster biodiversity-oriented agricultural practices, and implement initiatives such as forest restoration to improve regional vegetation cover.

In recent decades, the term "right to the city" has been noticed first in philosophy and then in urban planning. Perhaps the right to the city can be defined as the right of citizens to benefit a rich cultural urban space. Based on this, urban development plans can play a significant role in realizing or not realizing this right. The question is how to find out to what extent an urban development plan is based on the right to the city In order to answer this question, a scale should be proposed to measure the right to the city in urban development plans. Due to the relative nature of the achievement of the right to the city in urban development programs, the present research, while proposing a scale, by selecting two study samples (Tehran Comprehensive Plan and Paris Sustainable Development Plan), uses the comparative method in evaluating the right to the city. The research approach is a documentary and comparative approach. In the first step, while examining the theoretical foundations and existing literature (based on the opinions of Lefebvre, Soja and Harvey), a framework for measuring the right to the city in urban development programs is proposed, and then a comparative study has been done based on the data obtained from the study of the documents of the Tehran Comprehensive Plan and the Paris Sustainable Development Plan (Le Projet d'Aménagement et de Développement Durable- PADD) as well as the results of in-depth interviews with the planners and urban managers of Tehran and Paris. The research approach is a documentary and comparative approach. In the first step, a framework for measuring the right to the city in urban development programs is proposed via examining the existing literature (based on the opinions of Lefebvre, Soja and Harvey). Then a comparative study has been done based on the data obtained from the study of the documents of the Tehran Comprehensive Plan and the Paris Sustainable Development Plan (Le Projet d'Aménagement et de Développement Durable- PADD) as well as the results of in-depth interviews with the planners and urban managers of Tehran and Paris. The results indicate that urban development plans can be articulated based on to the right to the city along a continuum ranging from "the eradication of religious and racial discrimination" to "the right to urban existence". Furthermore, the comparative analysis of the urban development plans of Tehran and Paris, utilizing this proposed continuum range, reveals that the notion of the right to the city is significantly diminished within the Tehran comprehensive plan. Although the Tehran comprehensive plan document acknowledges certain facets of citizens' rights pertaining to urban existence, it predominantly adopts a physicalistic perspective, thereby neglecting the citizens' entitlement to experience an environment imbued with identity and cultural richness. Conversely, the sustainable development agenda of Paris contemplates a more elevated conception of the right to the city, such that it incorporates the right to the city at the level of "equitable access to economic and social opportunities" as a fundamental component of its strategic framework.

The expansion of the elderly demographic alongside the intricacies of their urban requirements underscores the imperative to reassess urban planning paradigms. The 15-minute city framework, regarded as a progressive model for sustainable advancement, seeks to facilitate equitable and prompt access to urban resources, particularly for marginalized populations such as the elderly. This investigation concentrates on the historical urban landscape of Urmia to explore the viability of this model in enhancing the quality of life for the elderly demographic. The research examines the existing conditions of accessibility for the elderly to vital services, including healthcare facilities, retail establishments, recreational areas, and public transit systems.
The methodological framework is predicated on spatial analyses employing Geographic Information System (GIS) software to assess the accessibility radius and the spatial distribution of services, in conjunction with modeling the interrelationships between accessibility metrics and service quality utilizing Smart Partial Least Squares (PLS) software. The overarching objective of this investigation is to evaluate the practicality and prerequisites for the adoption of the 15-minute city paradigm in Urmia, with a particular focus on enhancing access to vital services and amenities for the senior population. The research findings elucidate that the augmentation of infrastructure quality, the proliferation of services in proximity to residential areas, and the assurance of equitable allocation of urban facilities can markedly enhance accessibility for the elderly, thereby promoting their autonomy and social engagement. The data imply that the adoption of the 15-minute city model has the potential to ameliorate the quality of life for senior citizens in Urmia while simultaneously addressing urban disparities and advancing social equity, thus contributing to the principles of sustainable development. This investigation emphasizes the imperative for an inclusive planning framework that is specifically attuned to the requirements of the elderly, and it advocates for priorities such as the establishment of accessible public transit systems, the enhancement of pedestrian thoroughfares, the creation of communal spaces for social interaction, and the elevation of the quality of urban services.

The examination of the official metropolitan regions of Iran elucidates their pivotal function in the configuration of the spatial frameworks of provinces. These regions serve as economic and social nuclei, shaping the allocation of resources and fostering development. Comprehending this function is instrumental in developmental strategizing and mitigating regional disparities. This research investigates the influence of metropolitan regions on the spatial configurations of provinces through the analysis of demographic concentration, regional activities, and urban hierarchies. Quantitative techniques, including the Ttest, Kmeans clustering, and Moran's I index, are utilized in this scholarly inquiry. The results suggest that the eight provinces possessing established official metropolitan centers exhibit a higher level of advancement compared to the 23 provinces that do not have such centers. Furthermore, the adjacent provinces surrounding these metropolitan regions also demonstrate a greater degree of development. The outcomes derived from the Moran's I index illustrate a clustered spatial arrangement, which is corroborated by the Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) map, thereby underscoring the concentration of development in the central plateau of Iran. Nevertheless, the province of Khorasan Razavi deviates from this pattern due to its geographical proximity to less developed regions. The application of Kmeans clustering has identified Tehran, Isfahan, Fars, and Alborz as the most developed provinces, while Qom and Sistan and Baluchestan are categorized within the less developed cluster. These results underscore the critical importance of metropolitan areas in facilitating the structural transformations occurring within Iran's provinces.