Artificial Nature

Document Type : Review

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate in Architecture, University of Tehran, Iran.

2 M.A in Landscape Architecture, University of Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Tehran's River Valley has had positive effects on the environment and it has played an important role in strengthening a sense of place and identity as a natural ecosystem of the city and as a place for social events. Expanding Tehran development along the valley has led to creation of the most important natural organs in the physical structure of the city. The invasion of construction and the built fabric of the city to the River Valley have resulted in disruption of the balance between the natural environment and the built urban landscape of the city and it has undermined the quality of role of River Valley in Tehran's urban landscape. There are still large and tall buildings which define formation, identity and legibility of the city. For this reason, in recent years the authorities have been planning, organizing and restoring them to a full potential detrimental effect of the artificial body, the original plan was comprehensive plan of Tehran. Since 2007 Tehran's River Valley was considered natural part of the city and its recreational function in the master plan have been underscored. However, the planning and implementation of few projects on Tehran's River Valley suggests that the potential of natural and important component of identity in Tehran in three dimensions of sustainable urban management and urban planning and design in the space scale have been neglected in a serious way. The taken actions changed the major natural -structural elements of the city into urban gardens. This paper attempts to critically review two projects within the organizing Kann River Valley (Park Javanmardan) and organizing Farahzad River Valley (Park Nahjolbalaghe). Approaches to the management, urban planning and design of these projects in Tehran will be criticized and their success in achieving the goals of sustainable urban development in these two measures will be studied as well.

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