Abstract
This paper addresses the ecological changes and urban unsustainability in metropolises of Iran based on three important indicators: administrative—political centralization, worn-out tissues and urban security. Urban unsustainability engineering is a process in urban planning and urbanization that has not been administrated and managed based on Iranian regional architecture and urban planning. The research data were gathered from a statistical analysis of documents and techniques in a systematic review (1956–2016). The results of the study demonstrated that metropolises of Iran had undergone an unsustainable growth trend. The government seeks to improve indicators of urban sustainable engineering and centralization of the metropolis. Over the past 60 years, cities have been facing rapid growth and development in Iran so that development-oriented governments can play a significant role in tackling growth and urban problems. These problems are especially evident in the socioeconomic and unsustainability of urban ecology. The rapid growth of urbanism and urbanization (74% in 2016) has culminated in the emergence of metropolitan areas in an unstable process. Also in metropolitan areas of Iran, environmental and ecological threats, rural–urban migration and marginalization have posed a serious national-regional challenge. The structural–functional reforms in Iran have been accompanied with skeletal-spatial and socioeconomic changes in cities, giving rise to a new social class called the low-income characterized with non-formal businesses and informal settlements in the outskirts of metropolitan areas.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Source: Ministry of Housing and Urbanization, Islamic Republic of Iran (2010)
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- MENA:
-
Middle East and North Africa
- GDP:
-
Gross domestic product
- FDI:
-
Foreign direct investment
References
Asadi I, Barkpour N, Tavakoli S (2016) Management and urban governing. Art University Press, Tehran, p 14
Clark D (2003) Urban would and global city. Routledge, London
Elliott B, McCrone D (1982) The city: patterns of domination and conflict, London
Fanni Z (2006) Urbanization and the Iranian revolution. J Cities 23(6):405–464
Ficker B, Herberts H (1971) Urban crisis. The Macmillan, New York, p 23
Glasson J (1992) The fall and rise of regional planning in the economically advanced nations. Urban Stud 29(3/4):505–531
Habibi SM (1997) From “Shar” to City. Tehran University Publications, Tehran, p 126
Hall P (1998) Cities of tomorrow. Blakwell, Oxford (ch. 2)
Hossinzadeh Dalir K (2002) Compression city. Tabbriz University, Tabbriz, p 1
Jenks M, Burton E, Williams K (1999) The compact city: a sustainable urban form? Taylor & Francis, Esfand19, London
Kargar B (2007) Urban security, geographical organization of armed forces Publications of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran
Katouzian H (1995) The political economy of Iran. Translated by Nafisi, Mohammad Reza, and Azizi, K. Papyrus Publication, Tehran, p 322
Kumar R, Manning E, Winifred B (1993) The challenge of sustainability, centre for a sustainable future, foundation for international training. Ontario
Ministry of Housing and Urbanization Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran (2004) The Document of Empowerment and Organization of Informal Settlements, Tehran
Ministry of Housing and Urbanization Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran (2006) Secretariat of the empowerment national Headquarters, Tehran
Ministry of Housing and Urbanization Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran (2010) Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Architecture and Urban Planning of Iran, Tehran
Monshi Zadeh R (1996) Tourism. Mosamma Press, Tehran
Papoli Yazdi M (1997) Geopolitics: second part. Geograph Res Q 12:6
Pasione M (2001) Urban geography: a global perspective. Routledge, London
Pile S, Christopher B, Gerry M (1999) Unruly cities. Routledge, London
Pilehvar AA, Kamali N (2010) The government and urban Structure unsustainablity in Iran. The sustainable city VI, vol 129. Wit Press, p 48
Pilehvar AA, Pourahmad A (2005) The process of metropolitan growth and development in Iran, Mashhad case. The Geographical Journal, No. 48, summer, Tehran, p 107
Piran P (1991) Exogenous development and case-city in Iran. J Polit Econ Inf 30:245
Potter RB, Lloyd-Evans S (2006) City in the developing world. Translated by Irandoost, K. Municipal Organizations Publications of Iran, Tehran, p 56
Rahnamayi MT, Pourmousavi SM (2007) Study of security unsustainability in Tehran Metropolis, based on indicators of sustainable urban development. J Geograph Stud 57:178
Sarrafi M (1998) Decentralization of South Metropolises. J Archit Urban Plan 32:35
Soroush F, Navabkhsh M (2008) Growth and development of urbanization in Iran. J Pazhohesh 18:147
Statistical Center of Iran (1988) A glance at the general population and housing census throughout the country, Tehran
Statistical Center of Iran (2009a) A glance at the general population and housing census throughout the Tehran province (Tehran). No 4337, p 50
Statistical Center of Iran (2009b) A glance at the general population and housing census throughout the Khorasan province (Mashad). No 4359, p 50
Statistical Center of Iran (2009c) A glance at the general population and housing census throughout the Isfahan province (Isfahan). No 4321, p 50
Statistical Center of Iran (2009d) A glance at the general population and housing census throughout the Alborz province (Karaj). No 4337, p 50
Statistical Center of Iran (2009e) A glance at the general population and housing census throughout the East Azarbayjan province (Tabriz). No 4333, p 50
Statistical Center of Iran (2009f) A glance at the general population and housing census throughout the Fars province (Shiraz). No 4352, p 50
Statistical Center of Iran (2009g) A glance at the general population and housing census throughout the Khozestan province (Ahvaz). No 4320, p 50
Statistical Center of Iran (2009h) A glance at the general population and housing census throughout the Qom province (Qom). No 4337, p 29
Statistical Center of Iran (2018) A glance at the general population and housing census throughout the country, Tehran. No 4978, p18
Tavallayi N (2008) Urban ecology. In: Proceedings of Andishname 1 Research Center for Urban Studies and Architecture of Iran Publications, Tehran, p 171
The Iran per capita and growth rate in 2016. https://financialtribune.com/articles/domestic-economy. Accessed 18 Nov 2017
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Dr. Majid Ellahi for undertaking the English grammar revision of the paper. The author also thanks reviewers for their helpful comments, which greatly helped to improve the previous version of the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The author declares that there is no conflict of interest in this paper.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pilehvar, A.A. Urban Unsustainability Engineering in Metropolises of Iran. Iran J Sci Technol Trans Civ Eng 44, 775–785 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40996-019-00290-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40996-019-00290-y