An evaluation of the building coverage ratio and building footprint regulations specific to the historical district of Rasht city

During recent decades, new constructions in the historical fabric of Rasht City have generally been erected without paying attention to the historical patterns of building placement in the related plots, which has resulted in severe damage to this context. Currently, for the first time, the "specific design guidelines for the historic fabric of Rasht city" are being prepared, which will be included in the plan of this city, if approved. In this regulation, in addition to other issues, the issues of "building coverage ratio (BCR)" and "building placement" have been specifically addressed. The present study is an attempt to criticize and modify this regulation based on a typo-morphological study and aims to protect and continue the relevant historical patterns in new constructions. In the current research, by referring to the aerial photos of Rasht from 1956, 1976, and 2022 and related maps and documents, an attempt is made to investigate the historical patterns used in determining the footprint of residential buildings. The condition of Qajar houses in 1956 is compared with new houses until 2022, and a total of 305 houses are examined. The investigated variables include the common patterns of building placement, the common sizes of length and width, the ratio of width to length of building masses, the depth of courtyards, and the BCRs. The current research indicates that the new regulation, instead of continuing the historical patterns of the fabric, tries to stabilize its new patterns. In the following, based on the findings of the research, some recommendations are presented to be included in the new regulation. It is expected that the use of these tips will help to harmonize the new and old constructions in terms of the shape and geometry of the building footprint.