The Evaluation of Megaproject’s Success in Spatial Reproduction of Urban Interests, Case Study: Project of Shohada Square/Mashhad

نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی

نویسندگان

1 Ph.D. in Urban Planning, Faculty of Art & Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Professor of Urban Planning, Faculty of Art & Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

3 Associate Professor of Rural and Urban Development Planning, Faculty of Art & Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.


عنوان مقاله [English]

The Evaluation of Megaproject’s Success in Spatial Reproduction of Urban Interests, Case Study: Project of Shohada Square/Mashhad

نویسندگان [English]

  • Elnaz Sarkheyli 1
  • Mojtaba Rafieian 2
  • Ali Akbar Taghvaee 3
1 Ph.D. in Urban Planning, Faculty of Art & Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Associate Professor of Urban Planning, Faculty of Art & Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
3 Associate Professor of Rural and Urban Development Planning, Faculty of Art & Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
چکیده [English]

Mega redevelopment projects based on partnership planning approach and mixed-use
development are considered as solutions for distressed and blighted areas. Despite some public benefits
of such projects, they usually result in many challenges including cost overrun, failure to meet the time
schedule, social segregation, and social tensions or negative environmental impacts. Megaprojects as
extensive physical interventions lead to a space reproduction for that neoliberalism request, through
private investment, attraction of creative class and creation of a variety of economic activities. The
projects mostly offer four general promises including economic prosperity, place promotion, social,
environmental and infrastructure improvement. However, the projects are not always successful in
realization of the promises. The mega redevelopment of Shohada Square in the City of Mashhad began
in 2002 to solve the challenges of the partly distressed area. But it seems that after more than a decade,
from the beginning of the project, the challenges of the distressed area have been increased in some
aspects. This paper assesses the success of the great project of Shohada Square in dealing with the general
promises of megaprojects. In this paper, after reviewing the related literature about megaprojects and
the space reproduction resulting from megaprojects, different aspects of the Great Project of Shohada
Square are analyzed through mixed method. Necessary information has been gathered through the city
statistics, interview and field observations. Findings show that although the project has led to physical
improvement, it produced a functionally distressed area and it was not successful in dealing with the
general promises.

کلیدواژه‌ها [English]

  • Megaproject
  • Space Reproduction
  • Large Scale Redevelopment Project
  • Shohada Square
  • Mashhad