سخن سردبیر

Sustainable Development: Rethinking Land Governance, Urban Identity, and Quality of Life
In recent decades, sustainable development has evolved from a theoretical concept into a strategic framework for urban policy-making and planning—one that seeks to establish a balance among economic growth, social justice, environmental protection, and cultural sustainability. As Iranian cities face challenges such as spatial inequality, housing crises, declining livability, and disruptions in urban identity, revisiting the foundations and instruments necessary for achieving sustainable development has become increasingly essential.
The articles presented in the Winter issue of the journal each address a different dimension of this conceptual constellation. The introduction of a political economy of land approach in urban planning draws attention to the mechanisms of power, ownership, and the distribution of benefits in the production of space—an issue without whose reform the realization of spatial justice and urban sustainability would remain unattainable. In this regard, examining the impact of the Grand Mosalla of Tehran on the development of surrounding neighborhoods, as well as analyzing housing quality in the Mehr Housing projects in the city of Bijar, reflects the broader social and economic consequences of large-scale physical interventions in urban structures.
From a cultural and identity perspective, the articulation of the historical landscape and urban tourism potentials of the city of Maragheh demonstrates that sustainable development does not rely solely on physical or economic indicators. Rather, the preservation and regeneration of cultural capital constitute an inseparable component of it. A city that disregards its past will inevitably encounter difficulties in constructing a sustainable future.
Attention to urban livability—emphasizing housing indicators in the city of Jiroft, the analysis of social interactions within urban spaces in Tabriz, and the examination of urban planners’ participation in realizing the concept of a “calm city” in the Bagh-e-Feyz neighborhood of Tehran—collectively underscores that sustainability cannot be achieved without improving citizens’ everyday quality of life and strengthening social capital. A sustainable city is one in which security, tranquility, social interaction, and a sense of place coexist alongside appropriate physical infrastructure.
Moreover, the exploration of the influence of the physical and social work environment on employees’ creativity in the Khorasan Science and Technology Park highlights a less frequently addressed dimension of sustainable development: innovation-driven economic sustainability. An economy grounded in knowledge, creativity, and human capital can, while reducing pressure on natural resources, foster balanced and long-term growth.
Taken together, these studies illustrate that sustainable development in the Iranian city is a multi-layered and interdisciplinary issue—from reforming land and housing structures to enhancing the quality of public spaces, from safeguarding historical identity to strengthening professional and civic participation.
This issue seeks, by bringing together diverse perspectives, to provide a platform for scholarly dialogue about a future in which spatial justice, livability, cultural identity, and economic efficiency acquire meaning alongside one another.
It is hoped that the discussions presented in this collection will inspire policymakers, planners, and researchers in their efforts toward achieving a sustainable, human-centered, and forward-looking city.