Evaluating urbanization process in Iran : urban, metropolitan or post metropolitan development ? Case studies of Tehran and Mashhad

In the past decade, the urban population in the developing world grew an average 1.2 million people per week, or slightly less than one full year’s demographic growth in Europe’s urban areas. Therefore, it seems necessary to investigate urbanization process in developing countries. In this research I tried to evaluate urbanization trends in Iran, by focusing on two major cities of Tehran and Mashhad. By focusing on polycentric development method I tried to understand the trends in Iran. There is a trending fashion in urban studies, a new urban form has been anticipated and explained by several scholars. This new urban form is spread out over a large area, contains a number of cities more or less within commuting distance, and one or more international airports that link the region with other parts of the world. Instead of one dominant central business district, there appear to be multiple centers, many with a strong presence of producer services housed in their telltale concentrations of high-rise buildings. This is what Edward Soja calls a shift from ‘metropolitan’ mode of urbanization to ‘post-metropolitan’ urbanization all around the world. While most of the studies are based on European and North American context, it is anticipated that this the new form of urbanization in which all urban areas will experience. Based on the findings of this research through applying measure of polycentric development and mega-city regions, Tehran urban-region cannot be considered polycentric in all terms. While morphologically this region can be considered polycentric, functional relationships within the region are not polycentric. Meanwhile, the determinants of polycentricity are completely distinct from European or American phenomenon. At the same time, Mashhad urban region as a monocentric entity is not following the aforesaid trend in whole world. In conclusion, urbanization trend in Iran seems to dependent of what has been discussed recently by European and American scholars. It is not possible to consider Tehran or Mashhad delayed examples of the emerging form, while there are many different indicators, rather than proposed measures. In Iran case the trails of Oil-based economy, life style, urban traditions; political indicators and many other contextual indicators could be counted. And it is impossible to claim that in the same economic situation with European prototypes, the future of regions would be the same in terms of spatial configurations.

In questa ricerca ho cercato di valutare le tendenze di urbanizzazione in Iran , concentrandosi su due principali città di Teheran e Mashhad . C'è una moda trend in studi urbani , una nuova forma urbana è stato anticipato e spiegato da diversi studiosi . Questa nuova forma urbana si estende su una vasta area , contiene un certo numero di città più o meno raggiungibili pendolarismo , e uno o più aeroporti internazionali che collegano la regione con le altre parti del mondo . Invece di un quartiere centrale degli affari dominante , sembrano esserci diversi centri , molti con una forte presenza di servizi alla produzione alloggiati in loro concentrazioni rivelatori di grattacieli . Sulla base dei risultati di questa ricerca attraverso l'applicazione di misure di sviluppo policentrico e delle regioni mega -città , Teheran urban- regione non può essere considerato policentrica in tutti i termini . Allo stesso tempo , Mashhad regione urbana come entità monocentrica non segue la suddetta tendenza nel mondo intero . In conclusione, non è possibile considerare Tehran Mashhad o ritardati esempi della forma emergente , mentre ci sono molti indicatori diversi , piuttosto che misure proposte . Nel caso in cui l'Iran i sentieri di economia a base di olio , stile di vita , le tradizioni urbani; potevano contare indicatori politici e di molti altri indicatori di contesto . Ed è impossibile sostenere che nella stessa situazione economica con prototipi e