Monitoring regeneration components to improve the quality of the environment in historical neighborhoods based on experts' approach (case study: historical neighborhoods of Shiraz)

Residential neighborhoods, especially historical neighborhoods, have a special place in cities. Nowadays, inappropriate planning and design policies in Iranian cities have caused socio-physical problems for these neighborhoods, causing their sustainability to be considered. Hence, to reach sustainability and enhance life quality in historical neighborhoods, it is proposed to apply regeneration and revitalization approaches. The present study aims to examine regeneration components and indicators in historical neighborhoods from the perspective of experts to improve the quality of the environment in them. Therefore, it pursues two objectives A) explaining regeneration components and indicators in historical neighborhoods, and B) proposing planning strategies, interventions, and design tactics that can improve the physical quality of historic neighborhoods. The current study is applied descriptive-analytical research carried out using quantitative methods and modeling experts' minds. Moreover, multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) techniques are applied to prioritize the components influencing the regeneration of historical neighborhoods. The current research includes three main stages. The first stage reviews the theoretical foundations of urban regeneration and explains its components and indicators in historical neighborhoods. In this stage, the required data are collected through information sources, and finally, the conceptual research framework and historical neighborhood regeneration components are presented. In the second stage, the historical neighborhoods of Shiraz city are investigated in regeneration components and indicators explained in the previous stage from the perspective of experts (in the field of urban planning and architecture). It should be mentioned that at this stage, 14 selected experts (academic and professional, in the field of urban restoration, architecture, urban design, and planning), who were fully familiar with the historic fabric of Shiraz, participated in the research. Moreover, in this stage, the evaluations carried out were analyzed using MADM techniques (Dematel and Network Analysis Process). The network analysis process was applied to rank the regeneration components and indicators using the Superdecision V.2.10 software. In the last stage, according to the results of the evaluations, planning strategies, interventions, and design tactics were suggested for valuable historical neighborhoods. The findings showed that the economic component, with two indicators of local economy and job creation, had top priority, followed by the social component with the security indicator. Moreover, the physical component and density development indicator were relatively less important in the regeneration of the historical neighborhoods of Shiraz from the point of view of experts. This view of the experts can be attributed to the fact that indicators such as the local economy can strengthen other dimensions and criteria and thereby, provide a sustainable context and enhance public participation in neighborhood regeneration. The network analysis of the relationships between the regeneration indicators reveals that security and the quality of the residential environment are the most important indicators. Also, the mentioned indicators are considered the most influential and influenced regeneration indicators from the experts’ viewpoints. Finally, based on the findings, some planning, and design strategies are suggested to urban decision-makers in three dimensions: A) Economic strategies, including strengthening micro-socioeconomic activities in the neighborhood; B) social strategies, including engaging residents in the design and planning process, as well as revitalizing cultural and social events; and C) physical strategies, including enhancing the quality of the residential environment, preserving and revitalizing outstanding historical elements in the neighborhood, and strengthening public realms.