Roots and Concepts of Ecological-Landscape Development and its Common Grounds with Iranian Architecture and Urbanism

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. in Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Shahid Beheshti Univerity, Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Shahid Beheshti Univerity, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Ecological-Landscape development is proposed as a mature form of Ecological-Landscape Urbanism which  is a recent discourse in Western architecture and urbanism whose roots can be traced back to environmental movements in the past century. In this regard, ecological-landscape development opens new horizons for contemporary cities by relying on conceptual frameworks such as landscape as a building block of the city, landscape ecology, and ecosystem services, where the difference between natural and built environment pales and the city is conceptualized as an ecosystem including humans. It can be stated that it departs from conventional urbanism approaches that are mostly based on modern views in many ways, and introduces a novel method of shaping the built environment. On the other hand, by dissecting the tenets and major approaches of this school, a high degree of commonality with Eastern architecture and urbanism, especially Iranian architecture, can be identified. This can be acknowledged as the point where Western architecture and urbanism meet Iranian architecture, as well as a solution to its continuity and development in today’s world. Using an analytical- descriptive approach, this paper seeks to analyze the concepts, roots, and patterns hidden within this branch as the outcome of the synergy between the two schools of landscape urbanism and ecological urbanism, and propose a manifesto, albeit incomplete. Then, it introduces its common features with Iranian architecture and urbanism under concepts such as gradual development and integrity, fusion with nature, multidisciplinary knowledge, connectivity with politics, and ecology.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Barry, J. (2007). Environment and Social Theory. New York: Routledge. 
Benson, J. & Roe, M. (2007). Landscape and sustainability. London: Taylor & Francis.
Brennan, A. & Lo, Y. S. (2016). Environmental Ethics. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved May 30, 2022, from https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2016/entries/ethics-environmental/
Dabiri, M. & Masnavi, M. R. (2015). From Urban Development to Landscape-Oriented Ecological Urbanism. MANZAR, 7 (32), 66–73.
Daniels, T. L. (2009). A trail across time: American environmental planning from city beautiful to sustainability. The American Planning Association, 75(2), 178–192.
Endlicher, W., Langner, M., Hesse, M., Mieg, H. A., Kowarik, I., Hostert, P., Kulke, E., Nuetzmann, G., Schulz, M., van der Meer, E., Wessolek, G., & Wiegand, C. (2007). Urban Ecology - Definitions and Concepts. In M. Langner, & W. Endlicher (Eds.), Shrinking Cities: Effects on Urban Ecology and Challenges for Urban Development. New York: Peter Lang.
Etezadi, L. (2016). Persian Garden Studies and Fallacy of Garden City (Ambiguities and Contradictions in Understanding and Application of the Garden City Term). Soffeh, 26 (1), 65–86.
Falamaki, M. M. (2014). Comprehension of Unity in Iranian Architecture. Tehran: Faza.
Forman, R. T. (2014). Urban ecology: Science of cities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Frazier, A. E., Bryan, B. A., Buyantuev, A., Chen, L., Echeverria, C., Jia, P., Liu, L., Li, Q., Ouyang, Z., & Wu, J. (2019). Ecological civilization: Perspectives from landscape ecology and landscape sustainability science. New york: Springer.
Ghobadian, V. (1994). Barrasi-ye Eghlimi-ye Abnie-ye Sonati-ye Iran [Climatic Study of Vernacular Buildings of Iran]. Tehran: University of Tehran Press. [in Persian]
Khansefid, M. (2016). Infrastructure as Landscape: Integrating Human and Natural Realms in Urban Highways. MANZAR, 8(36), 78-89. 
Kiani, M.(1987). Cities of Iran. Teharn: Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance
Leopold, A. (1949). A Sand County Almanac. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Liao, C., Qiu, J., Chen, B., Chen, D., Fu, B., Georgescu, M., He, C., Jenerette, G. D., Li, X., Li, X., Li, X., Qiuying, B., Shi, P. & Wu, J. (2020). Advancing landscape sustainability science: Theoretical foundation and synergies with innovations in methodology, design, and application. Landscape Ecology, 35(1), 1–9. 
Madge, P. (1997). Ecological design: A new critique. Design Issues, 13(2), 44–54.
Makhzoomi, J. (2015). Ecology,Landscape and Ecological Planning of Landscape. MANZAR, 7 (32), 52–59.
Mansouri, S. A. (2015). Is the ‘Landscape Ecology’ a Corect Phrase? MANZAR, 7 (32), 100-103.
McHarg, I. L. (1996). A quest for life: An autobiography. New york: John Wiley & Sons. 
Miles, M. (2007). Urban Utopias: The built and social architectures of alternative settlements. New York: Routledge.
Mohebbi, H. & Tahbaz, M. (2021). Influential Movements on Sustainability Concept at Neighborhood Scale. Bagh-e Nazar, 18 (105), 93–105.
Mostafavi, M. (2010). Why ecological urbanism? Why now. Harvard Design Magazine, 1(32), 1–12.
Mostafavi, M. (2015). Keynote: Ecological Urbanism. Retrieved May 30, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ohi0fJTfm54
Mostafavi, M. & Doherty, G. (2010). Ecological urbanism. Baden: Lars Müller Publishers.
Mumford, L. (1927). Regionalism and irregionalism. The Sociological Review, 19(4), 277–288.
Peet, R., Watts, M., & Watts, M. (2004). Liberation Ecologies: Environment, Development and Social Movements. New York: Routledge.
Pirnia, M. K. (2004). Stylistics of Iranian Architecture. Teharn: Memar.
Pirnia, M. K. (2013). Islamic Architecture of Iran. Teharn: Soroush Danesh.
Khansefid, M. (2016). Infrastructure as Landscape: Integrating Human and Natural Realms in Urban Highways Planning and Design. MANZAR, 8 (36), 78–89.
Shieh, E. (1998). City and Region in Iran. Tehran: Iran Univerity of Science & Technology Pablication.
Soltani Mohammadi, M. (2017). The Impact of Qanat In Physical Form Case Study: Mohammadiyeh Village, Nain, Iran. Journal of Architecture in Hot and Dry Climate, 5 (6), 97–115.
Steiner, F. (2011). Landscape ecological urbanism: Origins and trajectories. Landscape and Urban Planning, 100(4), 333–337.
Steiner, F. (2014). Frontiers in urban ecological design and planning research. Landscape and Urban Planning, (125), 304–311.
Thompson, I. H. (2012). Ten Tenets and Six Questions for Landscape Urbanism. Landscape Research, 37(1), 7–26.
Treib, M. (Ed.). (1994). Modern landscape architecture: A critical review. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Tusi, N. M. M. (1992). Akhlagh-e Naseri [The Nasirean Ethics].Tehran: Elmiye Eslamiye.
Turner, T. (2010). The definition of landscape urbanism. Retrieved May 30, 2022, from https://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/the-definition-of-landscape-urbanism/
Turner, T. (2014). Landscape design: Theory and methods. Retrieved May 30, 2022, from Gardenvisit.com.
Van der Ryn, S., & Cowan, S. (2013). Ecological design.Washington: Island Press.
Waldheim, C. (2002). LANDSCAPE URBANISM: A GENEALOGY. PRAXIS: Journal of Writing + Building, (4), 10–17.
Waldheim, C. (2012). The landscape urbanism reader. New York: Princeton Architectural press.
Waldheim, C. (2016). Landscape as Urbanism: A General Theory. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Wheeler, S. M. (2013). Planning for sustainability: Creating livable, equitable and ecological communities. New York: Routledge. 
Wu, J., & Hobbs, R. (2002). Key issues and research priorities in landscape ecology: an idiosyncratic synthesis. Landscape Ecology, (17), 355-365
Wu, J. (2019). Linking landscape, land system and design approaches to achieve sustainability. Journal of Land Use Science, 14(2), 173–189. 
Wu, J. (2013). Landscape sustainability science: ecosystem services and human well-being in changing landscapes. Landscape Ecology, (28), 999-1023
Wu, J. (2014). Urban ecology and sustainability: The state-of-the-science and future directions. Landscape and Urban Planning, (125), 209-221
Grimm, N. B., Faeth, S. H., Golubiewski, N. E., Redman, C. L., Wu, J., Bai, X., & Briggs, J. M. (2008). Global change and the ecology of cities. Science, 319(5864), 756-760.
MANZAR, the Scientific Journal of landscape
Volume 15, Issue 63
July 2023
Pages 70-85

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics