District 10 in Tehran: Urban Transformation and the Survey Evidence of Loss in Place Attachment in High Rises

Authors: Roya Morad, W. Eirik Heintz

Abstract:

The identity of a neighborhood is inevitably shaped by the architecture and the people of that place. Conventionally the streets within each neighborhood served as a semi-public-private extension of the private living spaces. The street as a design element formed a hybrid condition that was neither totally public nor private, and it encouraged social interactions. Thus through creating a sense of community, one of the most basic human needs of belonging was achieved. Similar to major global cities, Tehran has undergone serious urbanization. Developing into a capital city of high rises has resulted in an increase in urban density. Although allocating more residential units in each neighborhood was a critical response to the population boom and the limited land area of the city, it also created a crisis in terms of social communication and place attachment. District 10 in Tehran is a neighborhood that has undergone the most urban transformation among the other 22 districts in the capital and currently has the highest population density. This paper will explore how the active streets in district 10 have changed into their current condition of high rises with a lack of meaningful social interactions amongst its inhabitants. A residential building can be thought of as a large group of people. One would think that as the number of people increases, the opportunities for social communications would increase as well. However, according to the survey, there is an indirect relationship between the two. As the number of people of a residential building increases, the quality of each acquaintance reduces, and the depth of relationships between people tends to decrease. This comes from the anonymity of being part of a crowd and the lack of social spaces characterized by most high-rise apartment buildings. Without a sense of community, the attachment to a neighborhood is decreased. This paper further explores how the neighborhood participates to fulfill ones need for social interaction and focuses on the qualitative aspects of alternative spaces that can redevelop the sense of place attachment within the community.

Keywords: High density, place attachment, social communication, street life, urban transformation.

References:

[1] D. Kopec, Environmental Psychology for Design, Canada: Fairchild Publications, 2006.
[2] A. Maslow, "The Theory of Human Motivation," Psychological Review, vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 370-396, 1943.
[3] Statistical Center of Iran, "General Census of population and housing (General results of the city of Tehran)," Statistical Center of Iran, Tehran, 2009.
[4] Pearson Education , Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Fifth ed., Harlow, United Kingdom: Pearson Education Limited, 2009
[5] A. Shahcheraghi and A. Bandarabad, Environed in Environment, Tehran: Jahad Daneshgahi, 2017, p. 347.
[6] H. R. Norouzi Talab, Tehran (past and present) A Glance at the features of Life, Art and Architecture, Tehran: Yassavoli Publications, 2011.
[7] S. Mazlumi and V. Pour Keramati, "Designing a 250 Unit Residential Complex with the Approach of Apartment Garden in District 22 of Tehran," Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 2016.
[8] A. Rajabi, "The Process of Spatial Formation and Development of Tehran," Geographical Researches, pp. 73-98, 1998.
[9] A.-A. M. Farmanfarmaian and V. Gruen, "The Comprehensive Plan of Tehran 1968," Plan and Budget Organization of Tehran, Tehran, 1968.
[10] M. Hatami and H. Nadimi, "Designing a Residential Complex through the Approach of Defining Public and Private in Housing," Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 2010.
[11] S. M. Habibi, Z. Ahari and R. Emami, "From the Collapse of Fortifications to the Idea of Highways (The Background of Urban Planning and Designing in Tehran 1930-1968)," Soffeh, vol. 20, no. 50, pp. 85-102, 2010.
[12] M. Vakili Sani, S. Pourdeyhimi and A. Agha Latifi, "Open Spaces in Apartment Complexes," Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 2015.
[13] B. Alemi, "High Density Housing in Height," Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 2001.
[14] Municipality of District 10, "Introduction of District 10 in Tehran," 11 May 2019. (Online). Available: http://region10.tehran.ir. (Accessed 3 April 2020).
[15] F. Sasanpour, M. Soleimani, P. Ziaian and Z. Delfan Azari, "The position of Regions in Sustainable Urban Development," Human Geography Researches, pp. 159 - 176, 2015.
[16] Design and Architecture Consulting Engineering, Regional Development Plan of District 10, Tehran: Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, 2005.
[17] A. Eghbal Ashtiyani, History of Mongolia, Tehran: Amir Kabir Publication, 2005.
[18] Municipality of District 10, The Golden Comprehensive Book of District 10, Tehran: Municipality of District 10, 2006.
[19] R. Williamson, "Socialization in the High-Rise: a Cross-National Comparison," Ekistics, vol. 45, pp. 122-130, 1978.
[20] R. Gifford, "The Consequence of Living in High-Rise Buildings," Architectural Science Review, vol. 50.1, 2007.
[21] C. J. Holahan, "Environmental effects on outdoor social behavior in a low-income urban neighborhood: A naturalistic investigation," Journal of Applied Social Psychology, vol. 6, pp. 48-63, 1976.