Abstract
Growing populations and rapid worldwide urbanization are recognized as constituting one of the most complex processes in the world and have raised concerns about the sustainability of cities. Sustainable development, a widely accepted strategic framework in city planning, singles out urban green spaces as a primary solution for addressing these issues. Growing empirical evidences indicate that the presence of natural areas contributes to a better quality of life in many ways. Urban green spaces serve as places of identity, memory, and belonging; enrich human life with meaning and emotions by providing important social and psychological benefits; and enhance the quality of life of citizens, which is a key component of sustainability. Despite our understanding of the benefits of urban green spaces, little is known about the benefits of historical urban green spaces. To highlight their importance with regard to environmental sustainability and citizens’ well-being, this study analyzes a number of historical Persian gardens that are still actively used by urban residents. The findings suggest that historical Persian gardens could accommodate many social functions and address many of the psychological issues relating to urban dwelling. It has been generally acknowledged that sense of community and place attachment is pivotal to creating sustainable urban environments. Historical gardens as physical components can cohesively weave together many parts of cities of any cities while providing places for public congregation as well as attracting a variety of local economic activities. All these attributes can make historical Persian gardens as a valuable municipal resource and a key ingredient for city’s living sustainability.
Highlights
Today, approximately half of the earth’s human population lives in cities, and this phenomenon is progressively on the increase (United Nations, 2005) [1]
The social activities that take place in these gardens verify the effect of natural elements in encouraging the use of outdoor spaces (Coley et al, 1997) [92] and the role of natural features in increasing social integration and interaction among urban residents, thereby empowering a sense of place attachment or sense of community (Kuo, 2003 [115]; Kim and Kaplan, 2004 [116]; Dempsey, 2006 [106]), which leads to trust, mutual understanding, shared values, and supportive behaviors (Loures et al, 2007) [63]
The following are some concluding remarks: First, the study suggests that urban planning, with its contributions to tackling many detrimental environmental problems, which have recently been recognized as characteristic of crowded city centers and urban environments, can be considered as a premise towards creating sustainable urban living
Summary
Approximately half of the earth’s human population lives in cities, and this phenomenon is progressively on the increase (United Nations, 2005) [1]. Concept of sustainability, sustainable development, heritage, urban green spaces and quality of life and well-being are considered as the main outline of the study and discussed . The concept of sustainability has been an integral part of development work since the late 1980s This word is often combined with concepts such as protection, support and continuity, its definition is not simple. The concept has become well known since the Brundtland Commission released Our Common Future and its report on the state of the environment, development, and poverty in 1987. The report defines sustainable development as “development that seeks to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’’ (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987) [3]
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