Qualitative Sustainability Assessment of the Large- Scale Redevelopment Plan in Samen District of Mashhad

Abstract

Redevelopment of distressed and blighted areas are targeted by most of development policies.<br />However, a number of policies have been changed as the result of the ineffectiveness of the previous experiences, the<br />incompatibility of the development tools and plans, the lack of financial resources or social movements. Large-scale<br />redevelopment projects have usually been considered as the powerful tools for urban revitalization, modernization<br />and implementation of radical plans while many of those were criticized due to their various consequences including<br />social exclusion, inequality, social conflicts, environmental damages, inconsistent scale, etc. Downtown of the City of<br />Mashhad; Samen District, has experienced various physical interventions in the form of large-scale projects during the<br />last century. Although the projects and intervention policies have been transformed during the past decades, previous<br />faults were ignored and sometimes were iterated in these experiences. In fact, it seems that urban development<br />solutions in the district have not been sustainable solutions and couldn't maintain or shape a sustainable community<br />in the historical and formerly economic urban core of Mashhad. This paper, focusing on mega redevelopment<br />projects experienced in Samen Districst after 1920s, aims to highlight the critical aspects neglected or bent in Samen<br />redevelopment program. Based on the nature of large-scale redevelopment projects and the current sustainability<br />criteria, it qualitatively assesses the sustainability of the redevelopment projects through content-analysis method.<br />According to the results, despite the competitiveness and place promotion goals of the Samen redevelopment project,<br />the adopted approaches and policies could not lead to a state of sustainable development.