انجمن جغرافیا و برنامه ریزی شهری ایران مجله شهر پایدار 2476-6631 9 2 2026 08 01 The Future of Spatial Developments in the Central Part of Tehran Metropolis آینده تحولات فضایی بخش مرکزی کلانشهر تهران 1 18 247241 10.22034/jsc.2026.489269.1818 FA جعفر موسی وند گروه جغرافیای انسانی، دانشکده علوم جغرافیایی، دانشگاه خوارزمی، تهران، ایران 0009-0005-3949-3134 محمد سلیمانی گروه جغرافیای انسانی، دانشکده علوم جغرافیایی، دانشگاه خوارزمی، تهران، ایران احمد زنگانه گروه جغرافیای انسانی، دانشکده علوم جغرافیایی، دانشگاه خوارزمی، تهران، ایران طاهر پریزادی گروه جغرافیای انسانی، دانشکده علوم جغرافیایی، دانشگاه خوارزمی، تهران، ایران 0000-0001-8303-1723 Journal Article 2026 03 12 A B S T R A C T The central part of the Tehran metropolis, despite its strategic location, rich historical legacy, and unparalleled role as the capital's physical and functional identity, faces deep and multifaceted challenges - including physical deterioration, population instability, decline in residential functions, and socio-economic stagnation. In such circumstances, the analytical capacities of the political economy of space and urban social ecology approaches can serve as effective drivers of regeneration and reorganization. This research aims to identify and prioritize the driving forces affecting future spatial transformations of central Tehran, with particular emphasis on the theoretical and analytical contributions of these two approaches. This applied-developmental and descriptive-analytical study employed an exploratory, scenario-based approach to identify driving factors and forces. Variables were identified through library research and environmental scanning, while data collected using the Delphi technique from 40 selected specialists and experts. Data were analyzed utilizing structural analysis in MICMAC and scenario planning in Scenario Wizard. The results indicate that the driving forces affecting central Tehran are currently unstable. Key influential factors include the centralization and concentration of facilities, social segregation and economic weakness, the north-south social gradient, changing needs, migration and marginalization, land speculation, centrifugal forces and the exodus of the middle class, the historical bazaar and the density of specific land uses, and increasing insecurity along with traffic and construction restrictions. These have collectively exerted the most significant impact on the transformations of central Tehran. The future spatial transformations of this metropolis are intrinsically linked to the effective, mutually interacting dynamics of these driving force. Extended Abstract Introduction The development of urban centers before industrialization was mainly influenced by cultural criteria. However, with the advent of the industrial age in the early 20th century, new criteria emerged, leading to fundamental changes in the urban context. Population growth and demand for modern elements pushed urban space toward disorganization and imbalance. These transformations led to the transfer of some functions from the central part to surrounding areas and the emergence of social, economic, and spatial issues. In the metropolis of Tehran, rapid population growth and excessive physical development created problems such as the central part’s lack of conformity with new urbanization patterns, as well as traffic congestion and pollution. What is important is to recognize and explain the transforming factors and mechanisms and to discover how these forces will function in the future and bring about change in the central part of the Tehran metropolis. Therefore, identifying the factors and driving forces in the developments of the central part can address the aforementioned issues, prevent the continuation of disturbances, and prepare the central part to adapt to impending needs. As the historical and functional heart of the capital, central Tehran has experienced considerable transformations over time. These transformations have been shaped by a complex interplay of social, economic, political, and spatial forces. The decline of residential functions, the outmigration of the middle class, the rise of informal settlements, and the increasing concentration of administrative and commercial activities are among the most visible manifestations. Understanding the underlying drivers is essential for any effective urban planning and policy-making aimed at revitalizing the central area. The main goal is to identify the factors and the mode of action of the driving and key forces affecting the spatial changes and transformations of central Tehran through two basic approaches: the political economy of space and urban ecology. This will pave the way to answer this fundamental question: What factors and forces affect the spatial development of Tehran’s central part? The political economy of space approach emphasizes the role of capital accumulation, land rent, and state intervention in shaping urban space, while the urban ecology approach focuses on the processes of competition, invasion, and succession among social groups. By combining these two theoretical lenses, the research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the driving forces behind the transformations of central Tehran. Methodology The research is applied-developmental in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of its nature and method. It adopted an exploratory and scenario-based approach to identify driving factors and forces. Variables were identified using library research and environmental scanning techniques, while information and data were collected utilizing the Delphi technique from a sample of 40 selected specialists and experts. The Delphi technique, which involves multiple rounds of anonymous questionnaires with controlled feedback, was chosen for its ability to generate consensus among experts on complex and uncertain issues. The experts were selected based on their expertise in urban planning, geography, sociology, economics, and related fields, as well as their familiarity with the specific context of Tehran. For data analysis, structural analysis was employed in MICMAC software, and Scenario Wizard software used for scenario planning. Structural analysis is a method for identifying the key variables that influence a system by examining the direct and indirect relationships among them. MICMAC allows researchers to analyze the influence and dependence of variables and to identify the driving forces that shape the evolution of a system. Scenario Wizard facilitates the construction and evaluation of alternative future scenarios based on different combinations of key variables. Together, these tools enabled the research to identify the most significant driving forces and to explore their potential implications for the future of central Tehran. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed via Cronbach's alpha, which yielded a value of 0.809, indicating acceptable reliability. Content validity was confirmed through expert review, with a Content Validity Ratio (CVR) of 0.7, exceeding the minimum acceptable threshold of 0.42. Results and Discussion Based on theoretical foundations, research background, and expert opinions, 75 key factors affecting the changes and developments of the central part of the Tehran metropolis were identified at three levels—local, regional, and national-international. The cross-matrix method was used to evaluate the effectiveness and influence of variables. This matrix demonstrates that indicators of political-management, economic, and physical groups are more influential than influenced, while socio-cultural groups are identified as influential variables. The analysis of the variable states in the scatter plot indicates system instability. In the analysis of the scatterplot of variables related to changes and developments in central Tehran, three categories of variables can be identified within the system: Decisive or influencing driving forces: The concentration of opportunities and facilities in Tehran and its centrality; the social isolation and economic weakness of society; migration and the formation of suburbs and marginalization; political economy, commercialism, and the land market; and the escape from the center and departure of the middle class. These driving forces represent the most powerful factors shaping the transformations. They are characterized by their high influence on other variables and their relatively low dependence, meaning that they act as primary drivers of change. The concentration of opportunities and facilities in Tehran has created a powerful magnet effect, drawing investment, services, and population toward the capital while simultaneously marginalizing other regions. This centralization has reinforced the primacy of Tehran within the national urban system, but it has also generated significant spatial inequalities and pressures on the central part. Social segregation, manifested in the north-south divide, has further exacerbated these inequalities, with the northern parts enjoying better infrastructure and services, while the southern parts, including the central area, have experienced neglect and decline. Migration and suburbs formation have contributed to the decentralization of population and economic activities, weakening the central part's role as a vibrant urban core. The political economy of space, commercialism, and the land market have driven speculative investments and land price increases, further marginalizing low-income groups and pushing them to the periphery. The escape from the center and departure of the middle class have reduced the social diversity and vitality of the central area, creating a cycle of decline and disinvestment. Two-way driving forces: These variables have two common characteristics: high influence and high dependence. Any action on these variables will cause a reaction and change in other variables. These variables can be divided into two groups: risk variables and target variables. Out of the total of 75 variables, 10 fall into this group. The two-faceted variables include: the economic value of land, the reluctance of the private sector to invest in the city center, the financial and functional-managerial weakness of the municipality, and decision-making by powerful institutions and individuals. These variables are both influenced by and influential upon other variables, making them critical leverage points for intervention. The economic value of land, for instance, is influenced by market dynamics, zoning regulations, and infrastructure investments, but it also shapes investment, development, and displacement patterns. The reluctance of the private sector to invest in the city center reflects perceptions of risk and low returns, which are in turn influenced by the physical deterioration of the built environment and the lack of effective incentives. The financial and functional-managerial weakness of the municipality constrains its ability to provide services, enforce regulations, and implement development projects, while also undermining its capacity to coordinate with other actors and to mobilize resources for urban renewal. Decision-making by powerful institutions and individuals, often driven by narrow interests rather than public welfare, further complicates the planning and governance of the central area, resulting in fragmented and inconsistent policies that fail to address the root causes of decline. Influential variables: These variables have very high influence on the system and very low dependence. They consist of building structure, the formation of suburbs around Tehran, the migration of residents from the central part to the suburbs, the micro-structure and multiplicity of land parcels ownership, increase in the insecurity factor, increase in private and public vehicles, the reduction of renovation tendencies among people, physical obstacles and the level of construction feasibility, road networks and access to roads, and the evolution of roads and communication networks. These variables are largely independent of other variables but exert a significant impact on them, positioning them as important structural determinants of change. The physical structure of buildings determines the possibilities for renovation and change of use, while the multiplicity of ownership creates fragmentation and coordination problems that hinder comprehensive redevelopment. The formation of suburbs around Tehran has drawn population and investment away from the central area, while the rise in private vehicles has exacerbated traffic congestion and pollution. The reduction of renovation tendencies reflects a lack of confidence in the future of the central area, driven by insecurity, life’s low quality, and the absence of effective incentives. Physical obstacles, such as narrow streets and dilapidated buildings, further constrain construction feasibility. Road networks and access shape the connectivity and accessibility of the central area, influencing its attractiveness for investment and residence. The results of the structural analysis indicate that the system of variables affecting central Tehran is characterized by instability and complexity. The high number of variables located near the diagonal axis of the scatterplot suggests that the system is in a state of flux, with many variables exerting mutual influence. This finding has imperative implications for urban planning, as it suggests that interventions targeting a single variable may have unintended consequences and that a more holistic and integrated approach is needed. The instability of the system also implies that small changes in key variables can trigger significant and potentially unpredictable transformations, making scenario planning an essential tool for exploring alternative futures. Conclusion The results exhibited that among the factors affecting developments in central Tehran, the concentration of opportunities and facilities and its centrality was the most significant factor influencing the development process, especially in its central part. Succeeding this factor, social segregation—in other words, the division of society into northern and southern parts—along with the transformation of needs and changes in people's tendencies, has also played an effective role. In addition, migration has occurred in all major Iranian cities in recent decades, and Tehran is not an exception. Sustained rural-to-urban migration to Tehran has triggered comprehensive economic, social, and physical change. The expansion of suburbanization and the emergence of marginalization—aimed at settling newly arrived immigrants who cannot be absorbed into the city's economic and social system—as well as the implementation of new town plans designed to absorb population overflow in large cities, have led to intra-city and extra-city relocations, and the central parts of cities have not remained untouched. Issues related to the political economy of space, the integration of big cities (as capitals) into the world economy, the expansion of capitalist ideas, and the land market resulting from the penetration of ideas originating from the perspective of the political economy of space have also been influential. Consequently, the political economy of space has emerged as one of the driving and key effective forces in the development of central Tehran in recent decades. In general, it can be concluded that Tehran, as a national metropolis with transnational functions at the global level, has not remained isolated from the development process, consistent with the views expressed in the field of urban development globally. Based on this, from a planning and forward-looking perspective, if decisions are to be made to change and control the existing situation—in other words, urban foresight—attention to the aforementioned factors will be essential. The scenario-based approach adopted in this research has demonstrated that the future of central Tehran is not predetermined but will be shaped by the interplay of various driving forces and the decisions made by urban planners and policy-makers. By identifying the key driving forces and exploring alternative future scenarios, this research provides a valuable foundation for strategic urban planning and policy-making aimed at revitalizing the central part of Tehran and ensuring its sustainable development in the years to come. Funding There is no funding support. Authors’ Contribution The second, third, and fourth authors participated in writing the theoretical foundations and designing the research methodology. The first author conducted the data analysis and supervised the overall research process. Conflict of Interest Authors declared no conflict of interest. Acknowledgments We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper. بخش مرکزی کلان‌شهر تهران با وجود برخورداری از موقعیت راهبردی، انباشت تاریخی ارزشمند و نقش بی‌بدیل به‌عنوان هویت‌بخش کالبدی-کارکردی پایتخت، با چالش‌های عمیقی همچون فرسودگی کالبدی، ناپایداری جمعیت، افت کارکردهای سکونتی و رکود اجتماعی-اقتصادی دست‌به‌گریبان است. در چنین شرایطی، ظرفیت‌های نهفته در رویکرد اقتصاد سیاسی فضا و اکولوژی اجتماعی شهری می‌تواند محرک بازآفرینی و ساماندهی این محدوده باشد. پژوهش حاضر باهدف شناسایی و اولویت‌بندی نیروهای پیشران مؤثر بر تحولات فضایی آینده بخش مرکزی تهران با تأکید بر ظرفیت‌های نظری و تحلیلیِ دو رویکرد مذکور انجام‌شده است. این پژوهش به لحاظ هدف کاربردی-توسعه‌ای و از لحاظ ماهیت و روش، توصیفی-تحلیلی است که با رویکردی اکتشافی و سناریو نگاری نسبت به شناسایی عوامل و نیروهای پیشران مبادرت نموده است. شناسایی متغیرها با استفاده از روش کتابخانه‌ای و تکنیک‌های پویش محیطی و جمع‌آوری داده‌ها با تکنیک دلفی از ۴۰ نفر از متخصصان و خبرگان منتخب انجام‌شده است. داده‌ها با تکنیک تحلیل ساختاری در نرم‌افزار میک‌مک و سناریو نگاری با نرم‌افزار سناریو ویزارد تحلیل‌شده‌اند. نتایج نشان می‌دهد که در شرایط کنونی، پیشران‌های موردبررسی در بخش مرکزی تهران وضعیت ناپایداری دارند. از بین عوامل کلیدی مؤثر، نیروهای پیشران مرکزیت و تمرکز امکانات، جدایی گزینی اجتماعی و ضعف اقتصادی، شیب اجتماعی شمال-جنوب، تحول نیازها، مهاجرت و حاشیه‌نشینی، سوداگری زمین، مرکزگریزی و خروج قشر متوسط، وجود بازار تاریخی و تراکم کاربری‌های خاص، افزایش ناامنی و محدودیت‌های ترافیکی و ساختمانی به ترتیب بیشترین تأثیر را بر تحولات بخش مرکزی تهران داشته‌اند. آینده تحولات فضایی کلان‌شهر تهران در پیوند مؤثر و متقابل با این نیروهای پیشران است.

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انجمن جغرافیا و برنامه ریزی شهری ایران مجله شهر پایدار 2476-6631 9 2 2026 08 01 The Role of E-Municipality in Enhancing Urban Governance: A case study of Malayer نقش شهرداری الکترونیک در بهبود حکمروایی شهری مطالعه موردی: شهر ملایر 19 38 247068 10.22034/jsc.2026.585232.1916 FA شیلا به سرشتی گروه جغرافیا و برنامه‌ریزی شهری، واحد ملایر، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، ملایر، ایران پارسا قنبری گروه جغرافیا و برنامه‌ریزی شهری، واحد کرمانشاه، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، کرمانشاه، ایران 0000-0001-9776-0425 مجید شمس گروه جغرافیا و برنامه‌ریزی شهری، واحد ملایر، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، ملایر، ایران Journal Article 2026 03 03 A B S T R A C T The realization of the e-city not only introduces a novel paradigm at the urban level but also facilitates citizens' and administrators' access to the hallmarks of a developed, creative, clean, cultural, and knowledge-based urban society. This study aims to investigate the role of e-municipality in improving urban governance in Malayer, Iran. Employing an applied-developmental approach with a descriptive-analytical design, the research draws on a statistical population comprising citizens, municipal experts and managers, city council members, and information technology specialists in Malayer. Based on Cochran's formula, a sample size of 384 respondents was determined. Data were collected through a standardized questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS software via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The reliability of the instrument was confirmed through Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The findings reveal that the implementation of e-municipality exerts a positive and statistically significant influence on all dimensions of urban governance. The strongest effect was observed on "managerial efficiency" (path coefficient = 0.71), followed by "transparency" (0.65), "citizen participation in decision-making" (0.63), and "citizen satisfaction" (0.58). Nevertheless, the barrier analysis indicates that the most critical challenges are predominantly human and institutional in nature, with "staff skill deficiencies," "shortage of specialized IT personnel," and "lack of interoperability among information systems" ranking as the foremost obstacles. The results underscore that achieving sound urban governance necessitates more than a sole focus on technical infrastructure. The prevailing gaps in financial transparency and genuine citizen participation call for a strategic shift from infrastructure development toward human capital empowerment, software integration, and the reinforcement of supervisory mechanisms. Extended Abstract Introduction The transition from traditional management paradigms to urban governance represents a critical juncture in shaping the quality of life within human settlements and ensuring the sustainability of urban development. This is because the effectiveness of urban management fundamentally determines the regulatory framework for urban programs and the capacity to address multifaceted urban challenges. In contemporary urbanization, the conventional managerial model has become obsolete, proving inadequate in responding to the multidimensional, interdisciplinary, and interconnected social, economic, and environmental sustainability challenges that define modern cities. Consequently, urban managers must capitalize on emerging opportunities that facilitate integrated analysis of urban problems and, in turn, yield comprehensive solutions. Today, cities worldwide are embracing a novel conceptual framework to tackle these challenges and enhance urban administration: the concept of "urban governance." In essence, urban governance coalesces around the triad of public-private partnerships, community engagement, and their dynamic interaction with information and communication technologies (ICTs). Given the extensive scope of municipal responsibilities in many countries, the realization of e-government has often been initiated at the municipal level. Provided that e-readiness within organizations and nations is adequately developed, the effective deployment of e-city and e-municipality initiatives can be pursued. In Iran, within the coming years, citizens will inevitably need to function as e-citizens, and the government will be compelled to deliver a wide array of electronic services—including e-municipality, e-commerce, e-banking, e-entertainment, e-consultation, e-health, and even e-gaming, among others. The congestion and density characteristic of large metropolitan areas, coupled with the diurnal population fluctuations, pervasive light, noise, air, and spatial pollution, along with persistent traffic congestion and time constraints, have necessitated the search for remedial measures to alleviate the hardships inherent in urban life. The simultaneous advent of the communication and computer industries, followed by networked communications via the internet, has engendered a new urban sphere often referred to as the "virtual city." Urban managers are thus compelled to pursue the realization of e-municipality through well-designed plans and effective operational measures. Malayer, as the second most populous city in Hamadan Province and a regional industrial and agricultural hub, confronts specific urban management challenges, including inter-departmental incoordination within the municipality, a lack of transparency in financial and budgetary processes, and low levels of citizen engagement in electronic participation. According to internal reports, the utilization rate of non-face-to-face municipal services in this city is estimated at below 20%, indicating a suboptimal status compared to peer cities of similar scale. Moreover, the absence of any systematic investigation into the impact of e-municipality on urban governance in Malayer renders this study an inescapable necessity. The findings of this research are expected to serve as a strategic roadmap for urban managers, facilitating optimal resource allocation and prioritization of executive actions. The establishment of e-municipality in Malayer holds the potential to enhance urban governance by fostering transparency, mitigating administrative corruption, and expediting service delivery to citizens. This approach not only enables residents of Malayer to access municipal services anytime and anywhere but also, by reinforcing public participation and leveraging ICTs, contributes to addressing local challenges such as traffic management, waste disposal, and neighborhood-based development. Hence, the implementation of e-municipality in Malayer can be regarded as a strategic pathway toward achieving sustainable development and improving the overall quality of life in the city. Methodology The present study is applied-developmental in terms of its objective and employs a descriptive-survey design with respect to its data collection method. The descriptive approach was adopted to delineate the current state of affairs, while the survey approach was utilized to test the research hypotheses through structural equation modeling (SEM). Data collection in this research combined library and documentary studies—to elucidate the theoretical foundations and research background—with field surveys using a questionnaire. The statistical population consisted of the residents of Malayer, totaling 181,000 individuals, stratified into four homogeneous categories: (1) citizens (85% of the population), (2) municipal experts and managers (10%), (3) city council members (1%), and (4) information technology specialists (4%). Inclusion criteria encompassed: (a) at least 5 years of residency in Malayer for citizens, (b) a minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience for experts, (c) basic familiarity with the concepts of electronic services, and (d) willingness to cooperate and complete the questionnaire. Exclusion criteria comprised: (a) failure to complete more than 10% of the questionnaire items, and (b) provision of repetitive or nonsensical responses. Given the heterogeneity of the population, a stratified proportional sampling method with optimal allocation was employed. The sample size was calculated using Cochran's formula for a finite population (with a 5% margin of error and a 95% confidence level), yielding 384 respondents. The sample distribution was allocated as follows: 189 citizens, 139 municipal experts, 9 council members, and 47 information technology specialists. The primary research instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire comprising 32 items, designed based on the theoretical framework of the study and the extant literature (including the works of Khatam et al., 2023; Karamodini et al., 2023; and Krasnykov et al., 2024). The Content Validity Ratio (CVR) for all items was calculated to exceed 0.78. Construct validity was further confirmed through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), with Average Variance Extracted (AVE) and Composite Reliability (CR) indices meeting the acceptable thresholds. Reliability was established via Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which yielded a value of 0.89 for the entire questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach, implemented through SmartPLS software (version 3.3.9). Results and Discussion Of the 384 participants, 60.9% were male and 39.1% were female. The predominant age group was 30–40 years (41.9%), while the smallest cohort was aged above 50 years (9.9%). Approximately 63.5% of respondents were under 40 years of age, which is likely attributable to this demographic's higher utilization of electronic services. In terms of educational attainment, 44.5% held a bachelor's degree and 3.1% possessed a doctorate. Overall, 65.3% held a bachelor's degree or higher, indicating a relatively elevated level of knowledge among the respondents. Regarding occupational distribution, ordinary citizens constituted the largest share at 49.2%, followed by municipal experts and managers (36.2%), information technology specialists (12.2%), and city council members (2.3%). This distribution suggests that the perspectives of both service providers and service recipients were adequately and equitably represented in the research. The results of the first hypothesis test confirmed that the e-municipality of Malayer exerts a statistically significant impact on transparency, citizen satisfaction/accountability, participation, and managerial efficiency. Notably, the strongest effect was observed on managerial efficiency (path coefficient = 0.71, effect size = 0.49, large), primarily driven by reduced in-person referrals and accelerated administrative processes. In contrast, its effect on citizen satisfaction/accountability (path coefficient = 0.58, effect size = 0.18, medium) was comparatively weaker, suggesting that the mere digitization of services does not necessarily translate into full citizen satisfaction or effective accountability. Furthermore, while transparency demonstrated improvement (path coefficient = 0.65), a pronounced gap persists between the dissemination of information regarding civil projects and financial/budgetary transparency, necessitating dedicated attention. At the macro-level (drawing on network society theory), these findings indicate that in Malayer, the "space of places" continues to dominate the "space of flows," with traditional power structures exhibiting resistance to transformations driven by digital networks. At the meso-level (governance), the research revealed that the technical impact of e-municipality (efficiency) significantly outweighs its social impact (participation and accountability), thereby challenging the hierarchical governance model and underscoring that transformation in deeper layers—namely power dynamics, trust, and participatory culture—requires more time and enabling conditions. At the micro-level (technology acceptance), the findings demonstrated that performance expectancy (from the UTAUT2 model) constitutes the most significant predictor of e-municipality adoption, whereas hedonic motivation plays no discernible role—suggesting a predominantly functionalist orientation in Iran's urban management context. Regarding the second hypothesis, the research established that the barriers to e-municipality implementation in Malayer are substantive and multifaceted. Critically, the foremost obstacles are human and skill-based (e.g., staff knowledge deficiencies and a shortage of specialized IT personnel) as well as technical-institutional (e.g., lack of system interoperability and budget constraints), rather than deficiencies in physical infrastructure, which ranked seventh among the challenges. This underscores the futility of investing exclusively in hardware without concomitant attention to workforce training and software integration. Finally, the third hypothesis was confirmed; that is, e-municipality demonstrates substantial potential for enhancing citizen participation in urban decision-making (path coefficient = 0.63, effect size = 0.22, medium). Nevertheless, descriptive data indicate that such participation remains in its nascent stages, with deeper interactive platforms—such as online forums or participation in plan approval processes—remaining underdeveloped. Based on the research findings, a three-tiered model is proposed to transition from the current state to the desired state: · Tier 1 (Short-term, 6 months): Focus on immediate employee empowerment through skill-oriented training programs grounded in work-based learning approaches, alongside the establishment of a performance-based digital incentive system aimed at mitigating resistance to change. · Tier 2 (Medium-term, 1–2 years): Integration of information systems through the design of a unified urban platform enabling inter-departmental data exchange. Concurrently, an open data portal should be launched for non-confidential information, such as civil engineering projects. · Tier 3 (Long-term, 3–5 years): A paradigmatic shift from service provision to power-sharing in decision-making, through the deployment of e-participation platforms that enable citizens to play an active role in participatory budgeting, project prioritization, and performance monitoring of the municipality. Conclusion The overarching conclusion of the present study, focusing on the role of e-municipality in enhancing urban governance in Malayer, reveals that while the implementation of electronic services has exerted positive and statistically significant effects on key governance dimensions, this trajectory is confronted with serious structural and human-induced challenges. Initially, the results of the first hypothesis test confirmed that the e-municipality of Malayer significantly influences transparency, citizen satisfaction/accountability, participation, and managerial efficiency. Notably, the strongest effect was observed on managerial efficiency (path coefficient = 0.71, effect size = 0.49, large), primarily driven by reduced in-person referrals and accelerated administrative processes. In contrast, its effect on citizen satisfaction/accountability (path coefficient = 0.58, effect size = 0.18, medium) was comparatively weaker, suggesting that the mere digitization of services does not necessarily translate into full citizen satisfaction or effective accountability. Furthermore, while transparency demonstrated improvement (path coefficient = 0.65), a pronounced gap persists between the dissemination of information regarding civil projects and financial/budgetary transparency, necessitating dedicated attention. At the macro-level (drawing on network society theory), these findings indicate that in Malayer, the "space of places" continues to dominate the "space of flows," with traditional power structures exhibiting resistance to transformations driven by digital networks. At the meso-level (governance), the research revealed that the technical impact of e-municipality (efficiency) significantly outweighs its social impact (participation and accountability), thereby challenging the hierarchical governance model and underscoring that transformation in deeper layers—namely power dynamics, trust, and participatory culture—requires more time and enabling conditions. Funding There is no funding support. Authors’ Contribution Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none. Conflict of Interest Authors declared no conflict of interest. Acknowledgments We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper. تحقق شهر الکترونیک علاوه بر ایجاد الگویی نوین در سطح شهرها، دسترسی شهروندان و مدیران را به خواسته‌های یک جامعه شهری توسعه‌یافته، خلاق، پاک، فرهنگی و دانش‌محور فراهم می‌کند. پژوهش حاضر با هدف بررسی نقش شهرداری الکترونیک در بهبود حکمروایی شهری شهر ملایر انجام‌شده است. این مطالعه از نوع کاربردی-توسعه‌ای با رویکرد توصیفی-تحلیلی است. جامعه آماری شامل شهروندان، کارشناسان و مدیران شهرداری، اعضای شورای شهر و کارشناسان فناوری اطلاعات شهر ملایر است که بر اساس فرمول کوکران، حجم نمونه ۳۸۴ نفر تعیین گردید. داده‌ها از طریق پرسشنامه استاندارد و مصاحبه‌های نیمه ساختاریافته گردآوری و با استفاده از نرم‌افزارهای SPSS و SmartPLS و مدل‌سازی معادلات ساختاری (SEM) تحلیل شدند. پایایی ابزار با ضریب آلفای کرونباخ تأیید شد. یافته‌ها نشان داد که استقرار شهرداری الکترونیک تأثیر مثبت و معناداری بر ابعاد حکمروایی شهری دارد. بیشترین تأثیر آن بر «کارآمدی مدیریتی» (ضریب مسیر ۰.۷۱) و پس از آن «شفافیت» (۰.۶۵) و «رضایت شهروندی» (۰.۵۸) بود. همچنین، شهرداری الکترونیک پتانسیل قابل‌توجهی برای افزایش «مشارکت شهروندان» در تصمیم‌گیری‌های شهری دارد (ضریب مسیر ۰.۶۳). بااین‌حال، تحلیل موانع نشان داد که مهم‌ترین چالش‌ها، ماهیت انسانی و نهادی دارند؛ به‌طوری‌که «ضعف مهارت‌های کارکنان»، «کمبود نیروی متخصصIT»»، و «عدم یکپارچگی سیستم‌های اطلاعاتی» در اولویت‌های نخست قرار دارند. نتایج نشان داد که برای تحقق حکمروایی مطلوب شهری، تمرکز صرف بر زیرساخت‌های فنی کافی نیست. شکاف موجود در شفافیت مالی و مشارکت واقعی شهروندان، نیازمند تغییر رویکرد از توسعه زیرساخت به سمت توانمندسازی سرمایه انسانی، یکپارچه‌سازی نرم‌افزارها و تقویت سازوکارهای نظارتی است.

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انجمن جغرافیا و برنامه ریزی شهری ایران مجله شهر پایدار 2476-6631 9 2 2026 08 02 Urban Form Design for All: A Spatial Model for Enhancing Vehicular and Pedestrian Safety: A Case Study of the Park Mellat Neighborhood, Mashhad طراحی فرم شهر برای همه: مدل ارتقای کیفیت ایمنی سواره و پیاده در شهر مطالعه موردی: محله پارک ملت مشهد 39 60 248214 10.22034/jsc.2026.584807.1915 FA امین کدخدایی گروه شهرسازی، دانشگاه علم و صنعت ایران، تهران، ایران مهران علی الحسابی گروه شهرسازی، دانشگاه علم و صنعت ایران، تهران، ایران 0000-0002-0908-0516 Journal Article 2026 03 13 A B S T R A C T Urban form serves as a pivotal determinant in urban planning and design, playing a critical role in traffic safety performance and pedestrian vulnerability. The present study seeks to provide a spatially grounded urban form design guide aimed at enhancing the safety quality for both vehicles and pedestrians within the Park Mellat neighborhood of Mashhad. applied research adopted a mixed-methods (quantitative-qualitative) design, analyzing 277 recorded traffic accidents occurring between 2018 and 2020. Spatial data were processed using ArcMap, while 53 indicators across five urban design systems were assessed through field observations and a review of higher-order planning documents. Statistical analysis was performed using logistic regression and odds ratios. Content validity was confirmed by 15 experts, and reliability was established through test-retest procedures (85%).Pedestrians accounted for over 50% of accident casualties. In contrast to findings reported in international studies, wide roadways (30–38 m)-which were associated with 76% of accidents—high population density (250–300 persons/ha), and proximity to Park Mellat, where 53% of pedestrian accidents were concentrated, were directly correlated with diminished safety. Additionally, mixed-use land uses and linear retail establishments along the northern and eastern edges, along with a concentration of billboards (70% of the 95 signs), exhibited a significant positive association with accident frequency. Conversely, predominantly residential land use within the interior fabric, narrow streets (12–14 m), and high building density were associated with enhanced safety outcomes. The proposed model incorporates 14 corrective dimensions—including reducing roadway widths, moderating density along the park margins, organizing signage, and establishing continuity in pedestrian spaces—which collectively provide a robust foundation for structural interventions aimed at improving vehicular and pedestrian safety. Extended Abstract Introduction Places are inherently characterized by a multitude of qualities, and human interventions prove successful only when these attributes are thoroughly understood. At its core, urban design is centrally concerned with creating better environments for people. With the proliferation of motorized life and the concomitant rise in mobility demands, streets and roadways have evolved into foundational elements of urban structure. Accordingly, urban design must foreground principles such as ease of movement, accessibility, and safety. The surge in travel demand, however, has imposed substantial social, economic, and environmental costs—including traffic accidents, congestion, energy consumption, and air pollution. The Public Health Agency of Canada (2010) has corroborated the significant association between urban form and public health outcomes, particularly with respect to traffic safety. Notwithstanding the ongoing efforts of architects and urban designers to implement traffic-calming measures, other critical dimensions—including land-use distribution, the siting of open spaces, streetscaping, and the hierarchical organization of road networks—have remained largely overlooked. The present study specifically addresses these under-explored dimensions. Over the past half-century, rising car ownership and mounting traffic congestion have rendered roadway safety a major public health challenge, with young adults aged 15 to 44 bearing the brunt of fatalities. According to the World Health Organization, road traffic injuries rank as the ninth leading cause of death globally. In Iran, where accident rates are notably high, they represent the second leading cause of mortality, following cardiovascular diseases (Azimi & Farouqi, 2008). National statistics for 2013 report 17,997 traffic-related fatalities, of which 28.1% occurred in urban settings (Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, 2013). Within this context, Mashhad ranks 25th among 53 global metropolises, with a fatality rate of 8.5 per 100,000 population. Given that ensuring safety constitutes one of the five overarching principles of roadway design, the primary objective of this study is to formulate a comprehensive urban form design guide for the Park Mellat neighborhood in Mashhad, aimed at improving the quality of safety for both pedestrians and vehicles. Methodology The present study is applied in nature and falls within the domain of developmental research, as it draws upon the theoretical foundations established in basic research to address practical human needs and refine the tools, patterns, and methods of urban design aimed at enhancing vehicular and pedestrian safety. Given the nature of the data, this research adopts a mixed-methods approach (combining quantitative and qualitative techniques). The integration of these two approaches concurrently ensures both validity and reliability while facilitating a more comprehensive understanding of the research problem. The statistical population of this study comprises all recorded intra-urban traffic accidents in Mashhad over three statistical periods—2018, 2019, and 2020—totaling 277 incidents. The primary data consist of various urban form layers derived from the spatial database (Geographic Information System), the Comprehensive and Detailed Plans of Mashhad, and accident statistics obtained from the Traffic Organization of Mashhad Municipality. Additionally, part of the data was gathered through field surveys, the findings of a traffic safety expert's roadway audit, and systematic observations aimed at documenting the behavioral patterns of residents and employees within the study area. The content validity of the indicators was confirmed by 15 experts in urban planning, urban design, and transportation (comprising 8 university professors and 7 senior traffic specialists). To this end, the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) method was employed, and indicators receiving a CVR score below 0.49 were excluded from the analysis (Lawshe, 1975). The reliability of the field data was established through a test-retest procedure conducted at a two-week interval, yielding a correlation coefficient of 85%. Data collection was carried out through both documentary and field methods. For the documentary approach, the theoretical underpinnings of the research and quantitative data were compiled by consulting books, journal articles, transportation statistical yearbooks, maps, approved urban plans, dissertations, and online databases. In the field survey, qualitative data were gathered through direct and participatory observation by the researcher, in-depth interviews with local residents, and photographic documentation. Initially, accident records and relevant information were classified using Microsoft Excel. Following quality control and data screening procedures, statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 26. Results and Discussion The findings of the present study reveal that the relationship between urban form and traffic safety in the Park Mellat neighborhood diverges substantially, in several respects, from the established paradigms derived from prior studies (predominantly conducted in developed countries). This discrepancy underscores the imperative for locally contextualized urban design models. 1. Challenging Global Patterns in the Local Context: Contrary to studies emphasizing the role of fine-grained, compact blocks in reducing vehicle speeds and improving safety (Marshall & Garrick, 2011), in the Park Mellat neighborhood, fine-grained and medium-sized blocks located along arterial roads were associated with increased accident frequencies. Furthermore, unlike findings that link high population density with enhanced pedestrian safety (Jones & Jha, 2010), the high-density area along the eastern edge (adjacent to Park Mellat) accounted for 44% of total recorded accidents. This contradiction suggests that density alone is not a determinant of safety; rather, it is "density combined with an appropriately designed street network and the segregation of vehicular and pedestrian flows" that plays the decisive role. 2. The Paradox of Public Spaces: A finding consistent with both domestic (Ayati & Bahraini, 2016) and international research confirms the role of trip-attracting land uses. However, the novel insight offered by this study lies in the observation that the presence of a high-quality public space (Park Mellat) adjacent to wide, high-speed thoroughfares (Emamat and Moallem Boulevards) not only failed to enhance safety but actually emerged as the primary hotspot for pedestrian accidents. This finding aligns with the OECD (1998) warning that the mere provision of pedestrian facilities does not guarantee increased safety, while extending that caution to a broader scale concerning the relationship between "trip-attracting uses" and "high-speed roadway networks." 3. The Moderating Role of Physical Form: Another noteworthy finding concerns the inverse effect of certain indicators. While the literature generally suggests that wide roadways and low building density are associated with higher speeds and diminished safety (Norouzi et al., 2014), in the Park Mellat neighborhood, narrow internal streets (12–14 m) and high building density (compact fabric) were correlated with enhanced safety. This outcome can be attributed to the "physical enclosure effect," which fosters a sense of natural surveillance and reduces drivers' perceived speed, thereby rendering the environment safer for pedestrians. 4. Non-significant Indicators and Contextual Complexity: A considerable number of indicators (e.g., MA5, MA7, MA9, ULS1, ULS6) exhibited no significant association with safety in this neighborhood. This finding is entirely consistent with the argument advanced by Ewing and Cervero (2018) that the cumulative effect of design qualities surpasses the sum of individual attributes. In other words, the presence of improved sidewalks (MA11) or bicycle lanes (MA12) alone is insufficient to enhance safety within a context where the street network lacks a logical hierarchy and is intermixed with trip-generating activities. Overall, the preceding discussion demonstrates that localized, piecemeal physical interventions (such as traffic calming) cannot yield sustainable safety improvements unless accompanied by a fundamental reassessment of the macro-scale urban form—encompassing street hierarchy, land-use distribution, and the siting of public spaces. Conclusion The most significant finding of this study is that the spatial clustering of accidents is a function of the dissonant juxtaposition of three key components: (1) wide roadways with a fragmented hierarchy; (2) high-traffic public spaces with direct access to these roadways; and (3) the skewed distribution of trip-attracting activities and billboards along these axes. Contrary to common assumptions, factors such as high population density and fine-grained blocks, within this specific context, did not prove to be safety-enhancing; rather, owing to their adjacency to the primary roadway network, they acted as aggravating factors. Furthermore, despite their considerable theoretical potential, urban landscape systems and public spaces have failed to play an effective role in improving safety under existing conditions. A major public space such as Park Mellat, in the absence of secure buffer zones and continuous pedestrian access routes, has effectively become a traffic trap for pedestrians. Moreover, the lack of a significant correlation between many conventional indicators—including lighting, paving quality, and roadside greenery—and the accident pattern underscores the reality that such features lose their effectiveness when the overarching structure of the roadway network remains inherently unsafe. In addressing the core research question, the urban form design guide developed here—organized around 14 principal axes—does not constitute a one-size-fits-all prescription but rather a spatially explicit, evidence-based decision-making framework that delineates intervention priorities. This guide emphasizes reducing the geometric dimensions and lengths of major arteries, moderating population densities around public spaces, relocating trip-generating land uses, and establishing a safe access hierarchy for pedestrians. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that achieving a "city for all" necessitates moving beyond a doctrinaire application of global findings and embracing the principle that a safe urban form is one in which the roadway network, land-use distribution, and the siting of public spaces are integrated and calibrated to serve the most vulnerable users—pedestrians. The model proposed herein can serve as a template for revising urban development plans and prioritizing safety interventions in other contexts across Mashhad and other Iranian metropolises. Funding There is no funding support. Authors’ Contribution Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none. Conflict of Interest Authors declared no conflict of interest. Acknowledgments We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper. فرم شهری به‌عنوان یکی از مؤلفه‌های بنیادین در برنامه‌ریزی و طراحی شهری، نقشی تعیین‌کننده در کیفیت ایمنی ترافیک و آسیب‌پذیری عابران پیاده ایفا می‌کند. پژوهش حاضر با هدف ارائه راهنمای طراحی فرم شهری مبتنی بر شواهد مکانی، به دنبال ارتقای کیفیت ایمنی سواره و پیاده در محله پارک ملت مشهد است. پژوهش کاربردی با رویکرد آمیخته (کمی-کیفی) بر روی ۲۷۷ فقره تصادف ثبت‌شده (۱۳۹۷-۱۳۹۹) انجام شد. داده‌های مکانی با ArcMap و ۵۳ شاخص در پنج نظام طراحی شهری از طریق مشاهدات میدانی و اسناد فرادست ارزیابی گردید. تحلیل آماری با رگرسیون لجستیک و نسبت شانس صورت گرفت. روایی محتوایی با نظر ۱۵ متخصص و پایایی با باز آزمون (۸۵٪) تأیید شد. بیش از ۵۰ درصد از مجروحان تصادفات را عابران پیاده تشکیل می‌دادند. برخلاف یافته‌های مطالعات خارجی، معابر عریض (۳۰-۳۸ متر) با ۷۶ درصد تصادفات، تراکم جمعیتی بالا (۲۵۰-۳۰۰ نفر در هکتار) و مجاورت با پارک ملت (تمرکز ۵۳ درصد از تصادفات عابر پیاده) به‌طور مستقیم با کاهش ایمنی همراه بودند. همچنین، وجود کاربری‌های مختلط و خرده‌فروشی‌های خطی در لبه‌های شمالی و شرقی، و تمرکز تابلوهای تبلیغاتی (۷۰ درصد از ۹۵ تابلو) با افزایش تصادفات ارتباط معنادار داشت. در مقابل، کاربری غالب مسکونی در بافت داخلی، معابر باریک (۱۲-۱۴ متر) و تراکم بالای ساختمانی با افزایش ایمنی همراه بودند. مدل تدوین‌شده شامل ۱۴ محور اصلاحی از قبیل کاهش عرض معابر، تعدیل تراکم حاشیه پارک، ساماندهی تابلوها و ایجاد پیوستگی در عرصه‌های پیاده، مبنایی برای مداخلات ساختارگرایانه در جهت ارتقای ایمنی سواره و پیاده ارائه می‌دهد.

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انجمن جغرافیا و برنامه ریزی شهری ایران مجله شهر پایدار 2476-6631 9 2 2026 08 02 A Design Model for Sustainable Neighborhood Units in the Face of Health Crises: A Health- and Resilience-Based Approach الگوی طراحی واحدهای همسایگی پایدار در مواجهه با بحران‌های بهداشتی: رویکردی مبتنی بر سلامت و تاب‌آوری 248070 10.22034/jsc.2026.549799.1885 FA عارف نوری گروه معماری، دانشکده هنر و معماری، دانشگاه بوعلی سینا، همدان، ایران مهرداد کریمی مشاور گروه معماری، دانشکده هنر و معماری، دانشگاه بوعلی سینا، همدان، ایران Journal Article 2026 03 13 A B S T R A C T Recent health crises, especially the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted the need to review the principles of neighborhood design with an emphasis on promoting health, resilience, and urban sustainability. Despite the proliferation of related studies, no comprehensive framework has yet been developed that systematically integrates health, resilience, and physical quality considerations within neighborhood design. Therefore, this study aims to explain the design pattern of sustainable neighborhood units in the face of health crises. This research was conducted with an applied purpose and a qualitative approach based on content analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with residents and experts in the fields of architecture, urban development, and urban planning. Data collection proceeded until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data analysis was conducted based on Brown and Clark's six-step method using MAXQDA software. The findings exhibited that the sustainable neighborhood design model is based on five main themes, including physical health, mental health, social health, neighborhood resilience, and design strategies, which were extracted from a set of sub-themes and initial codes. The results indicate that improving the quality of indoor environment, developing open and semi-open spaces, the quality of social capital, increasing access to neighborhood services, physical flexibility, and pedestrianization are the most important strategies for improving the resilience of neighborhood units against health crises. The innovation of the research lies in providing an analytical framework for systematically linking stakeholder experiences, extracted themes, and health-oriented design strategies towards realizing a sustainable city. Extended Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic posed an exceptional challenge to traditional planning of neighborhoods by demonstrating inadequacies of residential environments when dealing with public health crisis situations. In the period of long-term quarantines and lockdowns, the neighborhood served as the main arena of life, which showed the crucial significance of local spatial qualities for promoting physical, psychological well-being, and community interaction. These exceptional conditions shifted academic focus from physical features of residential environment towards more complex and human-oriented perspectives on neighborhood design. A large body of literature has examined particular aspects of sustainable urban development such as Healthy Cities, Urban Resilience, and Sustainable Urban Design. The findings indicate that green infrastructure, walkability, public open spaces availability, and neighborhood accessibility play a significant role in increasing the quality of life in times of health crisis situations. At the same time, resilience research highlights the aspect of adaptability of urban systems, whereas healthy city research concentrates only on the environmental determinants of health. However, these three research strands remain separated from each other, resulting in a fragmentation of knowledge about relationships among different aspects of neighborhood sustainability. Also Most prior studies have used quantitative methods with pre-defined indicators. In this regard, they offer little insight on the experience of the people living in these neighborhoods and the mechanisms through which they impact the perception of health and resilience among the residents in crisis periods. Given this context, there remains a significant theoretical and empirical lacuna with respect to a conceptual framework that integrates both experiential insights from residents and professional expertise to inform sustainable neighborhood design. Therefore, in order to address this gap, this study adopts four different theoretical perspectives; that is the Neighborhood Unit Theory, Healthy Cities Theory, Urban Resilience Theory, and Sustainable Urban Design. This paper aims to analyze the relationship among these theories qualitatively. With this in mind, the key goal of this research project is to develop a conceptual framework for sustainable neighborhood design based on the experiences of residents and the urban planners. This study is guided by the following research question: How can the lived experiences of residents and the perspectives of experts contribute to the development of an integrated conceptual framework for sustainable neighborhood design in times of public health crises? Methodology This study adopted a qualitative research design with an applied approach, employing thematic analysis as the methodology for investigating residents' experiences in relation to space. The analysis process took into consideration the principles of the constant comparative logic suggested by Strauss and Corbin to allow for the constant movement among data, initial codes, sub-themes, and themes. An empirical study was carried out in Ekbatan Town, Tehran, which is one of the biggest planned residential neighborhoods in Iran. The neighborhood of Ekbatan was selected due to its unique neighborhood design, comprehensive public and semi-public space networks, mixed residential density, and developed local services. Data collection was carried out with the help of semi-structured in-depth interviews with 30 people, including both the neighborhood’s residents and urban planning experts. Purposive sampling was used to make sure that there was enough variation among the interviewed people in terms of demographic features and expertise. The interview guide was developed based on a number of themes including spatial perception, the neighborhood’s health status, environmental quality, social interaction, sustainability and resilience in the period of the pandemic. All interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and then coded using MAXQDA software. Data analysis followed an iterative thematic coding process involving familiarization with the data, initial codes generation, categorization into subthemes, the identification of overarching themes, and continuous refinement through constant comparison. The analysis ultimately resulted in five principal themes representing the multidimensional characteristics of sustainable neighborhood design. Several qualitative validation techniques were employed to enhance the trustworthiness of the findings. Member checking was conducted by sharing thematic interpretations with selected participants to verify the credibility of the analytical interpretations. Furthermore, 20% of the interview transcripts were independently coded by a second researcher, resulting in an initial intercoder agreement of 86%. Coding discrepancies were resolved through collaborative discussion and repeated examination of the interview transcripts until consensus was achieved. These procedures substantially strengthened the credibility, dependability, and confirmability of findings. Results and Discussion The thematic analysis generated five interrelated key themes that together provide a comprehensive explanation of the multi-dimensional dimensions of sustainable neighborhood designs in public health emergencies: physical health, psychological health, social health, neighborhood resilience, and strategies for sustainable design. These themes do not present independent findings; rather, they have been developed by constant comparative analysis of the stories of participants to understand the complex links among the spatial features, human behavior, and the perception of health and resilience. The first theme, physical health, indicated that the spatial features like natural ventilation, sufficient light, the neighborhood walkability, and access to open spaces are crucial elements of healthy living amid the coronavirus pandemic. The study participants constantly related these spatial features to a lower risk of getting ill and higher confidence about the use of neighborhood spaces. This clearly indicates that physical health is dependent on both the performance of buildings and the spatial arrangements of neighborhoods. The second theme, mental health, demonstrated that semi-open spaces, including balconies, terraces, and private outdoor areas, played a significant role in alleviating psychological stress caused by prolonged confinement. Participants described these spaces as opportunities for restoring emotional well-being through exposure to fresh air, daylight, and visual contact with the surrounding environment. This finding indicates that psychological resilience is closely linked to the availability of flexible intermediate spaces that mediate between indoor and outdoor environments. The third theme, social health was about the role of communal areas in fostering social interaction despite the physical distancing regulations. Respondents pointed out that well-designed communal areas would promote social cohesiveness, create a stronger sense of neighborhood and informal support systems amid the pandemic. In sum, the results indicate that social sustainability requires not only the amount of interaction but also the spatial quality which makes such communication safe and fruitful for the inhabitants. The fourth theme, neighborhood resilience is the outcome of the interplay of accessibility, local amenities, flexibility, and adaptability. Respondents stated that the neighborhood which had easily accessible daily amenities, walkable environment and multifunctional public spaces was better at dealing with sudden crises. Thus, the results contribute to the understanding of resilience in a wider context than physical infrastructure alone. The fifth theme, sustainable design strategies can be viewed as the conceptual synthesis of the above-mentioned 4 themes, and not an independent theme at all. The comparative analysis exhibited that the sustainable design of neighborhoods cannot be reached via single physical measures only. Rather, it presupposes the consideration of environmental, health, social and adaptive aspects simultaneously. Thus, the proposed conceptual framework allows turning the residents' experience into physical strategies, such as spatial flexibility, increase in open and semi-open space, walkability, natural ventilation, and access to services in the neighborhood. Generally, the findings showed that neighborhood sustainability is a dynamic relationship between physical settings and the experience of the people. In contrast to previous studies addressing the topics of Healthy Cities, Urban Resilience or Sustainable Design independently, this study unites those theoretical approaches into a framework based on qualitative evidence. Therefore, the proposed framework is valuable both for theory and practice due to its explanations of mechanisms that relate spatial design to health, resilience, and social sustainability in crisis situations. Conclusion In this paper, the conceptual framework for sustainable neighborhood design was created, relying on the residents' experience and the opinion of urban planning experts during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is revealed that the concept of neighborhood sustainability not only consists of environmental quality physical aspects but also requires interaction among health, social relations, spatial flexibility, and neighborhood resilience. Thus, the five themes described in the research together explain how each dimension impacts the life of the residents and serve as a basis for evidence-based sustainable neighborhood planning. The main contribution is the combination of theoretical principles of the Neighborhood Unit, Healthy City, Urban Resilience, and Sustainable Urban Design theories into one framework, supported by qualitative data. Through examining the interconnections among the identified themes, this study transcends the mere cataloging of design elements to propose a conceptual model for sustainable neighborhood development grounded in health and resilience considerations. From a practical point of view, the results may become the basis for future changes in the design guidelines for residential neighborhoods, including the focus on flexible spatial arrangement, natural ventilation, accessibility to public and semi-public spaces, walkability, and services provision. Although the study provides valuable insights, its findings are limited to a single residential neighborhood and are therefore context-dependent. Future research is encouraged to examine the applicability of the proposed conceptual framework in different urban contexts and to combine qualitative and quantitative approaches for further validation of the identified relationships. Funding There is no funding support. Authors’ Contribution The first author was responsible for the research design, literature review, data collection, interviews, coding and analysis of qualitative data, writing the initial draft, and making revisions to the article. The second author contributed to the research by providing scientific guidance, supervising the methodology, critically reviewing the text, interpreting the findings, and approving the final version of the article. All authors reviewed and approved the final version of the article. Conflict of Interest Authors declared no conflict of interest. Acknowledgments We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper. بحران‌های بهداشتی سال‌های اخیر، به‌ویژه همه‌گیری کووید-۱۹، ضرورت بازنگری در اصول طراحی واحدهای همسایگی را با تأکید بر ارتقای سلامت، تاب‌آوری و پایداری شهری آشکار ساخته است. با وجود گسترش مطالعات مرتبط، هنوز چارچوبی منسجم برای تلفیق ابعاد سلامت، تاب‌آوری و کیفیت کالبدی در طراحی واحدهای همسایگی ارائه نشده است. ازاین‌رو، پژوهش حاضر با هدف تبیین الگوی طراحی واحدهای همسایگی پایدار در مواجهه با بحران‌های بهداشتی انجام شد. این پژوهش از نظر هدف کاربردی و با رویکرد کیفی مبتنی بر تحلیل مضمون انجام‌شده است. داده‌ها از طریق مصاحبه‌های نیمه ساختاریافته با ساکنان و متخصصان حوزه معماری، شهرسازی و برنامه‌ریزی شهری گردآوری و تا دستیابی به اشباع نظری ادامه یافت. تحلیل داده‌ها بر اساس روش شش مرحله‌ای براون و کلارک و با استفاده از نرم‌افزار MAXQDA انجام شد. یافته‌ها نشان داد که چارچوب مفهومی طراحی واحدهای همسایگی پایدار بر پنج مضمون اصلی شامل سلامت جسمی، سلامت روان، سلامت اجتماعی، تاب‌آوری محله و راهبردهای طراحی استوار است که از مجموعه‌ای از خرده مضامین و کدهای اولیه استخراج شدند. نتایج بیانگر آن است که ارتقای کیفیت محیط داخلی، توسعه فضاهای باز و نیمه‌باز، تقویت سرمایه اجتماعی، افزایش دسترسی به خدمات محله‌ای، انعطاف‌پذیری کالبدی و پیاده مداری، مهم‌ترین راهبردهای ارتقای تاب‌آوری واحدهای همسایگی در برابر بحران‌های بهداشتی محسوب می‌شوند. نوآوری پژوهش در ارائه چارچوبی تلفیقی است که روابط میان مضامین را به راهبردهای طراحی تبدیل می‌کند و می‌تواند مبنایی برای بازنگری ضوابط طراحی مجتمع‌های مسکونی و برنامه‌ریزی محله‌ای سلامت‌محور و تاب‌آور باشد.

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