Enhancing the Quality of Life in Historical Contexts with an Emphasis on Urban Regeneration Approach (Case Study: Imam Ali Square in Isfahan and its Surrounding Texture)

Abstract

In recent decades, inconsistent growth in urban environment has had an impact on the quality of urban life, and historical and valuable textures, resulting in urban problems and forcing urban officials to adopt new approaches. Accordingly, refinement and improvement approaches have evolved over time with urban renaissance as the new approach. The current research assesses the quality of urban life in the historical context of Imam Ali Square in Isfahan, based on social, economical and physical criteria with urban renaissance. The research has used SWOT technique and Analytic Network Process (ANP) for the analysis. The research results showed a significant relationship between criteria and sub-criteria with an improved quality of urban life and the alternative of renaissance. The economic criterion was the most important element for improving the quality of life. The satisfaction level of the neighborhood criteria was for social quality, and the housing and land market criteria were considered for economy. Flexible development plan was considered as one of the important factors for monitoring new constructions and in urban renewal alternatives. The impact on the quality of life was also recognized in the study area. Finally, strategies such as balancing the functions of the texture by injecting business, tourism, etc., formulating urban planning rules, taking into account land economics, and monitoring the human system in new constructions were studied in order to avoid the depreciation of valuable buildings.