Structural Analysis of Socio-Cultural Livability in the Design of the Deteriorated Fabric of Tehran’s District 12 with an Iranian–Islamic Urban Approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Urban Planning, Am, C, Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran

2 Department of Architecture, Ka.c., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran.

3 Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Am, C, Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran

Abstract

Urban livability in dilapidated areas, especially from a socio-cultural perspective, is one of the fundamental challenges of contemporary urban planning, and its structural assessment can be the basis for effective decision-making to improve the quality of life of residents. The aim of this research is to structurally analyze socio-cultural livability in dilapidated areas of Tehran's District 12, emphasizing components derived from the Iranian-Islamic city approach. The present research is of an applied type and has a quantitative approach. The required data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire based on the theoretical literature on urban livability and Iranian-Islamic city indicators. The content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The sample size was determined based on the Cochran formula, and 384 residents of dilapidated areas of Tehran's District 12 were randomly selected. For data analysis, after performing descriptive statistics and normality testing, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used to validate the measurement model, and then structural equation modeling (SEM) was used in AMOS software. The results showed that the physical-spatial, economic, socio-cultural, managerial-governance, environmental, and identity-cultural dimensions have a direct, positive, and significant effect on socio-cultural livability. Among them, the identity-cultural dimension showed the greatest effect with a path coefficient of 0.74. The model fit indices (CFI, RMSEA, and χ²/df) indicated the optimal fit of the proposed model. Overall, the findings indicate that improving socio-cultural livability in the dilapidated contexts of District 12 of Tehran requires simultaneous attention to the identity-based components of the Iranian-Islamic city, improving the physical quality of space, strengthening social interactions, and improving the urban management system.

Highlights

  • This study employs structural equation modeling to provide a causal and integrated analysis of socio-cultural livability in the deteriorated fabric of Tehran’s District 12.
  • Livability components are redefined within the Iranian–Islamic city framework, establishing a meaningful linkage between global theories and the local context.
  • The findings identify the cultural–identity dimension as the most influential factor in enhancing socio-cultural livability and offer a clear basis for prioritizing urban interventions.

Keywords

References

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Iranian Urban Design Studies
Volume 2, Issue 2 - Serial Number 4
January 2026
Pages 179-204

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History

  • Receive Date: 26 June 2025
  • Revise Date: 11 August 2025
  • Accept Date: 29 August 2025
  • First Publish Date: 02 January 2026
  • Publish Date: 20 January 2026

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