The Feasibility of smartening Grand Bazaar of Tabriz

Urban development is still one of the crucial topics of the 21st century. However, many cities around the world struggle with inequality issues. The use of technology and innovative approaches is essential to create intelligent, inclusive, livable, and sustainable urban environments. This article examines the smartification of the Grand Bazaar of Tabriz. What makes this study significant is that despite facing the challenges and issues of the modern era, the Tabriz market continues to play a more prominent role than any other element in the spatial and physical organization of the city. This research utilizes both quantitative and qualitative methods to achieve its objectives. In the quantitative section, a questionnaire was administered to 40 qualified individuals involved in the Bazaar using the Delphi method. Deep and semi-structured interviews were conducted in the qualitative section, and data analysis was performed through phenomenology. The study results indicate that in enhancing the quality and smartification of the Tabriz Bazaar, principles and criteria such as governance, construction, technology, and intelligent citizens play a significant role with a medium to high importance rating. Therefore, expanding smartification through policies, developing communication infrastructures, providing the necessary education, promoting research and technological development, and focusing on startups and knowledge-based companies in the field of e-commerce, alongside qualitative development and improvement of physical spaces and attention to historical values of the market, can contribute to its more incredible value.