The impact of regulations on the typo-morphological transformation of residential buildings in Tehran

Abstract

The typo-morphology of residential buildings in Tehran has changed tremendously from the introduction of the first building and urban regulations in the 1950s. This paper explores the role of these regulations in typo-morphological changes, how the internal arrangement and building form of residential architecture were shaped, and the nature and extent of how the layouts were influenced by building and urban regulations. A morphological and typological analysis of residential buildings was carried out and validated by in-depth interviews. The regulations with the greatest effect on typo-morphological changes include the land subdivision system, the occupancy level code, parking regulations, staircase and elevator requirements and daylight access such as patio spaces. This research also identifies issues for policy-makers to consider in any review of the building and urban regulations and their enforcement in the design process.