The Sustainable Architecture of Bazaars and its Relation with Social, Cultural and Economic Components (Case Study: The Historic Bazaar of Tabriz)

Abstract

Urban commercial quarters such as bazaars can be found all over the world, from Turkey to<br />Egypt, from Tajikistan to Iran. In Iranian cities, bazaars have very specific and unique architectural features and they<br />have played an important role as economic and social engines. In addition, bazaars are an integral part of the cultural<br />geography of Iran and have contributed to the definition of urban development patterns. This paper aims to critically<br />explore sustainable architectural elements in historic bazaars and their relation to social and cultural components. This<br />paper's theoretical exploration is developed by detailing relevant findings from a case study on the significance of<br />the sustainable architectural elements of the historic Bazaar of Tabriz, and it debates the relationship between those<br />architectural elements and socio-cultural and economic components. A qualitative methodology, specifically in-depth<br />interviews with shop-owners and customers and in loco observation, was employed. Findings show that the Bazaar of<br />Tabriz has preserved its sustainability both in terms of architecture, by rigorous preservation, and in terms of sociocultural<br />and economic components, by maintaining an exciting daily dynamic and a healthy relationship between shopowners,<br />customers, local administration and the city of Tabriz. The preservation of unique and authentic sustainable<br />architectural features, together with the maintenance of public spaces, such as mosques and schools, benefits the<br />population of Tabriz and brings visitors every day to the shopping area of the complex, thus maintaining a constant flux<br />and social, cultural and economic dynamics.