Spatial planning for Tehran's north valleys through GIS techniques

1. 7th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION ON GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION TECNOLOGY AND APPLICATION MAP ASIA 2008 Islamic Republic Of Iran Ministry Of Housing And Urban planning Building And Housing Research center (BHRC) Spatial planning for Tehran's north valleys through GIS techniques By: Mohammad Ali Abdi, Sima Mehdizadegan

2. Contents • Introduction • Spatial planning parameters • Study area • Preparing the data base • Identifying the development limits • Analysis of the build environment • Analyzing the functional aspects and activities • Conclusion

3. introduction Industrial and technological development causes sprawl and deterioration of green and open spaces. These issues also result reduction of rural environment around cities. This is while that natural environment around cities is the main factor to consol urban problems and its affects on the environment. In recent years new paradigm is originated in urban planning which emphasizes on the recreational aspects of the urban spaces. But "what goes in urban areas is just too dynamic, intricate and mazy”. Therefore physical planning would not be able to account such dynamic issues. Spatial planning is a complicated process because it covers many different aspects in planning. GIS in recent years has caused changes in urban planning issues through its new capacities for analyzing different data with the opportunity to reflex them in the visual language. The question is what process could be suggested for spatial planning through GIS techniques in urban areas?

4. Spatial planning parameters • Spatial planning and spatial strategy-making are struggling to grasp the dynamic diversity of the complex relations across an urban area. Such planning involved moving beyond an analysis of the spatial patterns of activities as organized in two-dimensional space. (Healay, 2007) As the first step for spatial planning it is necessary to determine the potentials and capacities of the area which led to recognize the spatial structure weakness. • So it would be possible to determine specific parameters to represent these broader concepts. The set of parameters that are considered in this paper are: • Quality of land use structure and the build environment • Different class of socioeconomic status • Potential capacities and resources

5. Study area Tehran city is located on the south foot of Alborz Mountain. Tehran north valleys are: Kan vally-Farahzad-Darakeh- Darband-Gollab Ddareh-Jamshidieh and Darabaad. These valleys are important recreational resources in Tehran.. In continue the process of spatial planning will be suggested in this area and it will be used in Gollab Dareh to illustrate the process. Spatial planning in this area is sought to achieve appropriate strategies to lead the residential and recreational functions.

6. Specific natural and historical sites in study area Emam zadeh Ghasem Gollab Dareh River Zahirodolleh

7. Preparing the data base • creating the mixed urban spaces is the vision of spatial planning to harmonize the recreational and residential activities . The main goals for planning are: • Preserving the resources(natural characteristics and values) • Using the resources(management for using the resources to improve the urban spaces quality) • Out door recreation(using the natural and cultural resources) • Housing environment and residential land uses(improving the build environment) • Some objectives are required that could assimilate indicators to the visual language. This process contains of 3 parts: • 1-Identifying the limits of physical development • 2-Analysis of the build environment (quality and quantity aspects) • 3-Analysis of the functional aspects and activities

8. Identifying the development limits To identify the limits, following indicators have been considered :( Historic zone- River zone limits - slope-open spaces and gardens). This area contains two historic sites which have grade 3 limit boundaries that impose significant regulation for future developments. And 60 meter limits should be considered around the Golab Dareh River. According to the construction regulation in Iran there is a limit for development in areas with altitude above 1800 meter. The deterioration rate of the gardens is 18% per year in this area which illustrate the necessity to preserve this zones in the future development.

9. Analysis of the build environment • Analysis of the build environment contains three parts: • Land use assessment • Analyzing the location and suitability of derelict lands • Determination of each unit's value • One of the goals of spatial planning is to emphasize on compatible land uses and the spatial efficiency improvement, so it is necessary to study the land use structure.

10. Analyzing the functional aspects and activities Spatial planning covers physical and functional aspect. Housing types and requirement of housing environment are considered in residential functions and studying the limits and potentials of recreational resources are considered in the second part. Slope is one of the most important indicators for studying the recreational activities. There are some other indicators as limit district-accessibility-services. Residential function is related to the quality of the build environment, so it is necessary to consider the result of physical analysis in addition to building density and housing types and layers of development limit. Residential development pattern will be achieved by considering these layers.

12. Conclusion • At last it is required to compile strategies to achieve such development. Just focusing on the study area would cause deviation in planning so the area should be considered in its region. • The main strategies resulted from planning process are: • Continues recreational network from historic sites to river • Relation between Gollab Dareh mountain and adjacent recreational spaces • Preserving the natural recourses • locating the services facilities to account the visitors needs • Preserving the quality of housing environment • Leading the residential development to the east side of the area • Spatial planning is a complicated process because it contains different aspects. Geographic information system has eased such process by preparing the possibility to analyze different layers and data.

13. Thanks for your consideration