Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Urban Design Department, Faculty of Urban Planning & Design, Iran University of Art
2
Urban Design Department, Faculty of Urban Planning & Design , Iran University of Art
10.22099/iuds.2026.56567.1233
Abstract
Urban design governance, with an emphasis on participation, stakeholder coordination, transparency, accountability, and attention to the public interest, is regarded as an approach to improving decision-making processes and achieving quality in urban design. Despite the extensive attention devoted to urban governance in domestic studies, the position of this concept within urban design, its interpretation in urban design projects, and, consequently, the examination of the factors hindering its realization have received comparatively limited attention. The present study initially seeks to examine this concept through its theoretical foundations and, by developing an initial conceptual framework, analyze it in the context of Tehran from the perspective of urban design professionals and identify the barriers to its realization. Accordingly, this applied research adopts a qualitative approach within an interpretive paradigm. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 16 experts and professionals working in the field and were analyzed using qualitative analysis with an inductive approach. The findings indicate that, based on the participants’ experiences, the realization of this concept is affected by a set of institutional, managerial, economic, and process-related barriers. The most significant of these include the concentration of power and the decisive role of the client, weak coordination among actors, the dominance of economic considerations, limited effective stakeholder participation, resource constraints, and shortcomings in the design process. According to the findings, these factors undermine participatory capacity, inter-institutional coordination, and attention to the public interest throughout the urban design process. The results emphasize that realizing urban design governance in Iran requires reforming institutional and decision-making mechanisms, redefining the relationships between clients and design teams, strengthening effective participation, and establishing coordination mechanisms among project actors.
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