3. Photos by Mohammadali Sabbaghi ﻋﻜﺲﻫﺎ ﺍﺯ ﻣﺤﻤﺪﻋﻠﻲ ﺻﺒﺎﻏﻲ
Where is our beloved Tehran? Where are its natural and historical val- with the Judiciary’s Notary Org. of documents and properties, and the
ues hidden in the midst of this chaotic sprawl? Maybe it’s all because Development company of the Ministry of Housing, have in April 2012
nobody knows and loves this city any more. Many young architects signed a Memorandum of Understanding to “facilitate”! the ‘renovation’
don’t even know where the iconic ‘Shams-ol-Emaret’- the Sun of all [that is: destruction and construction from scratch], of ‘obsolete urban
Palaces- stands in the city center! fabrics’ [this is how our historical neighborhoods are being called!].
This issue is a response to our owing to our city, Tehran, all our This also means the easier appropriation of the lots that hamper the
memories. The old city of Tehran is rapidly vanishing, making way for ‘renovation projects’ by giving them ‘persuasive packages’. What is
mediocre commercial buildings. A disaster. A real pity, because it does going to become of old Tehran with these by-laws who are promoted
have precious historical buildings and urban spaces that are worth by the slogan of this year: “National production, protection of Iranian
being discretely restored in the context of a comprehensive regenera- work and capital”? We can pray they hire good architects, and build in
tion of the old core of the city. So, we will here discuss all what can smaller scales, and on smaller lots.
draw the attention of all Tehranis, including architects and planners-, There are also contradictions and incoherence in what is techni-
to make them look at the city with more interest and dedication. And cally done in the field of urban planning and architecture. In the recent
we will continue doing this until something moves… zoning ordinance approved after a decade of work of the whole
Tehran is the capital city of Iran,- an ancient, world famous civiliza- professional society of urban consultants and planners, there are no
tion- since 200 years ago; and there are signs of 8000 years old set- clear regulations or by-laws which would effectively protect the herit-
tlements in the region. Once the old city of Rey, whose ruins lay now age buildings, and the regulations give out permits for 9 storey high
in the south of Tehran-, was an important city on the Silk Road; and buildings on commercial zones all along the main streets of the city.
all during her recent history, Tehran has been a beautiful, wealthy and This means that soon all fine facades in old Tehran will not be able to
strong city, full of Plane trees, gardens, fields and pastures, and also resist the wave.
very nice buildings, of which many still remain from the epoch of Qajar Cultural Heritage Organization is legally responsible for the
and Pahlavi. Today, the metropolis is an endless sprawl devouring all conservation of monuments and valuable buildings, but does not have
the land that lies in its surroundings, with a population of 14 or more the means to pursuit its tasks and functions, at least to supervise
millions in the metropolitan area, who give an overall impression of an the works that are being done around the old city. Consultants to the
extended village with a provincial culture. municipality are not taken seriously as planners, but when it comes
How can we save the soul of our city? First by knowing it well, to finding solutions to compromise the interests of the developers
and second by trying to analyze the dynamics of drivers for urban and ‘the city’ at the same time, then the same consultant architects
change, and the way they are dealt with. Also by promoting future put forward strange, unprecedented proposals about building higher
directions by persuading the stakeholders and the public opinion that buildings in the middle of the urban blocks, in order to save the lower
the best is to stop the destruction of our heritage, and to regenerate it facades on the edges of the block. Architectural firms have to survive,
by all means. It is also necessary to enter into some kind of dialogue and we will sit and watch the results! It will be one of those rare inven-
with the urban authorities who maybe don’t see deeply into what this tions tailor-made for Tehran like a by-law that came out some 15 years
process might bring in future. ago introducing a model for building all higher buildings in Tehran with
Today the money that is raised by the municipality of Tehran by a pointed head. Some were alright, but many were really horrible!
selling construction permits to developers is easily spent in highways The truth is that like in many other underdeveloped poor countries,
and other urban infrastructure, but the metro net spreads with great we in Iran have neglected our precious heritage[ including Monuments
difficulty, and public transport does not cover sufficiently. So, the traffic with Modern Art Deco Architecture], in the old cities. But are we really
crisis persists. The city becomes more compact especially in the north, not aware of these values? And are we that financially and technically
losing its villages and trees together with the low density neighbor- poor, not to be able to manage or afford some urban regeneration
hoods, where it is so hard to move around today. The developers do project? The answer is no. But many, just don’t see the importance.
not care much about quality or beauty, and do whatever they think This is why we architects should start to give our contribution to
profitable by relationships. Many urban plans are drawn and planned, our city. First by knowing it and loving it, and second by taking effec-
but none is really followed. The urban authorities try hard, but little is tive steps for it when we are given the chance.
the result of all their efforts, because the approach is not quite right.
The generalized myopia puts them all to the service of the speculative * Taraneh Yalda graduated in Architecture and Urbanism from Torino and Paris
in 1978, and has since been working in Tehran as an architect of the urban
investors, who are not very cultivated people, and want big short-term environment, and since 2004 has been collaborating for the presentation of the
profit. The only thing we do not hear them talk about is Historic Tehran. new Development Plans of Tehran. She has been writing during all these years
The Renovation Org. of the Municipality of Tehran, who together as a critic to urban events, especially in Tehran.
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