Journal of Sustainable Urban & Regional Development Studies (JSURDS)

Abstract Abstract
Background and Objective: Cities, particularly metropolises, in the contemporary era have undergone profound spatial and physical transformations under the simultaneous influence of global megatrends (economic globalization, technological advancements, accelerated urbanization, smart city development, vertical growth, and environmental sustainability) and domestic trends (expansion of informal settlements, emergence of high-rise construction and apartment living, deteriorated urban fabrics, inefficiency in urban land management, and infrastructural limitations).
This study, focusing on the metropolis of Tabriz — as one of Iran's historical, industrial, and cultural centers — examines the manner and extent of impact of these megatrends on the physical structure, spatial patterns, neighborhood identity, urban landscape, spatial inequalities, and overall quality of the urban environment. The primary objective is to identify points of conflict and interaction between global and local trends and to address the gap in integrated studies in this domain.
Methodology: The present research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach and is primarily based on the perspectives of local experts. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire. The respondent population consisted of 50 specialists and professionals active in the field of urban planning and development in Tabriz. Scores were collected on a 0–100 scale, averaged, and analyzed using multiple linear regression.
Findings and Conclusion: Descriptive results derived from the views of 50 urban planning experts and practitioners in Tabriz indicate that the impact of global and domestic megatrends on the physical structure and environmental quality of Tabriz is evaluated as moderate to relatively high (mean scores predominantly ranging between 62 and 73 on the 0–100 scale). The strongest consensus among experts centered on the following points:
- High-rise construction and skyscrapers have exerted a significant negative impact on the physical appearance of the city and its traditional identity (mean = 73). The current pattern of vertical development shows insufficient compatibility with the cultural and climatic characteristics of Tabriz (mean = 70.5).
- The expansion of informal settlements and deteriorated urban fabrics has acted as one of the most important factors generating socio-spatial discontinuity, urban inequalities, and spatial development incoherence (means ranging from 60.5 to 70). Tabriz and other Iranian metropolises still exhibit relative backwardness in the utilization of big urban data and smart city technologies (means ranging from 66.5 to 71.5). In contrast, modern technologies and urban smartization are assessed by experts as having high positive potential for improving energy efficiency, reducing pollution, increasing urban resilience, and enhancing overall urban environmental quality (means ranging from 67 to 72.5). Overall, global trends (vertical development, smartization, sustainability) and domestic trends (deteriorated fabrics, informal settlement, inefficient land management) in Tabriz simultaneously create both opportunities and challenges. Vertical development without cultural-local adaptation and the uncontrolled expansion of dysfunctional fabrics has severely threatened neighborhood identity, urban landscape, and social cohesion; meanwhile, smartization and emerging technologies can serve as key corrective levers for reducing spatial inequalities, enhancing resilience, and steering sustainable development. These findings indicate that the metropolis of Tabriz is at a critical stage of physical-spatial transformation.

Abstract Background and Objective: Tourism has a special place in the global economy and has allocated a large part of planning and investments in developed and developing countries. Today, the tourism industry has been raised as an important goal in the development of cities, and it is likely that each city will face specific challenges on the way to achieving its goals. The purpose of this study is to analyze the challenges of segmenting the urban tourism market in Tabriz metropolis: with an emphasis on geographical and demographic components.
Methodology: The research method in this study is quantitative in terms of paradigm, applied in terms of purpose, and descriptive-analytical in nature. The data collection method was library and survey; and SPSS software and a single-sample T-test were used to analyze them. The statistical population of the study included all Iranian and foreign tourists entering Tabriz in the first six months of 1402, and the research questionnaire was distributed among the available samples (343 people) by attending accommodation centers, air, road, rail and intracity passenger terminals, as well as major tourist attractions.
Results and findings: According to the results, among the two components of market segmentation under study, with the exception of demographic components with an average of 2.41; geographical components with an average of 3.57 have the most significant and positive impact on travel decision factors and satisfaction of incoming tourists, and consequently on the development of urban tourism in this metropolis. Also, the seasonality of the tourism market and the polarization of the effects of attractions with mainly historical, cultural, and medical-therapeutic importance, as well as the regionality of the domestic market and its sphere of influence limited to the northwest of the country due to its distance from the center of Iran, along with the foreign market specific to neighboring countries and mostly in transit and passing through, and the lack of formation of a proper destination personality for this metropolis, as a result of the aforementioned issues, can be considered the main challenges to the development of the tourism market in this metropolis.

Abstract Background and Objective: Rapid urbanization and a sharp 30–50% rise in housing prices_compared to only 10–15% income growth_have severely restricted low-income groups’ access to social housing in Tabriz. Given that previous research has largely focused on physical-spatial variables without employing futures-oriented methodologies, this study aims to conduct a futures study of social housing development by identifying key drivers and analyzing probable scenarios. Methodology: This applied research adopts a mixed-method design, integrating documentary reviews, semi-structured interviews with 50 urban planning experts, and surveys completed by 150 Tabriz residents. Analytical procedures involved two stages: (1) structural analysis via MIC-MAC to map driving power and dependence among factors, and (2) scenario planning using Scenario Wizard based on the Cross-Impact Balance (CIB) method to generate and evaluate consistent future scenarios. Results and findings: The analysis identifies a mandatory “strategic triangle” _comprising innovative provision models, full financial sustainability, and intelligent quality monitoring which is present across all 15 plausible scenarios, underscoring that no viable future exists without these pillars. Physical/topographical constraints and infrastructural deficits persist as structural barriers. Among the scenarios, only 2 are desirable, 12 are stagnant, and 1 is critical; the most probable scenario (No. 1, TIS 65) projects a future where the strategic triangle is maintained alongside static government investment and enduring physical limitations.

Abstract Background and Aim: City furniture is actually a manifestation of the aesthetics and identity of a society. Therefore, functional design, appropriate location, and proper and principled use of furniture in the city context are very important. Although city furniture is one of the most important categories of a city, it is not possible to equip and improve the current situation of this important thing at a time and simultaneously in all regions of a city; therefore, a comparative comparison in this regard can be effective and help urban managers perform better and make decisions in accordance with the priority of intervention at the level of each region. On this basis, the present study has been developed with the aim of a comparative study of the regions of Tabriz metropolis based on the components of city furniture.
Methodology: This research is applied in nature and descriptive, analytical and survey in terms of method. The statistical population of the research includes 30 experts and specialists in the urban field. In order to evaluate and prioritize the target areas, 5 components (environmental quality, beauty and proportion of urban furniture, correct placement of urban furniture, balanced urban structure, quality of urban furniture components) were used. In this regard, 10 areas of Tabriz city were prioritized using the MABAC model.
Findings and Conclusion: The results of implementing the model showed that Region 2 was in the first place with a final score of 0.513 and was in a favorable position, while Regions 5 and 9 were in the second and third places with scores of 0.388 and 0.362, respectively. In contrast, Region 1 was in the last place with the lowest score of -0.382. According to the findings of the present study, planning and management in accordance with the ranking made in the present study can, in turn, pave the way for urban managers to make future plans in the study area.

Abstract Background and Aim: Urban heat islands (UHIs) are a growing concern in metropolitan areas, leading to temperature differences between urban centers and surrounding areas due to various ecological, morphological, topographical, and demographic factors. Major Iranian cities have undergone rapid land-use transformations and expanding urbanization, facing the challenge of UHIs.
Methods:  This study investigates UHIs in Tabriz, focusing on District 1, Neighborhood 1 as the first area and District 6, Neighborhood 4 as the second area. The study employed Landsat 8 remote sensing images to analyze UHIs in Tabriz, Iran. The images were acquired for the summer season, representing the period of maximum UHI intensity. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was calculated to assess vegetation cover, while land surface temperature (LST) was derived using the single-channel algorithm. Morphological indicators were extracted from OpenStreetMap data.
Findings and Conclusion: The study aims to extract, locate, and analyze UHIs in the study area using specific formulas and prepare relevant maps, focusing on ecological and morphological indicators. The minimum and maximum temperatures in District 1 were 15.88°C and 37.65°C, respectively, while in District 6, they were 24.11°C and 40.87°C. Analyzing the extracted maps based on the selected ecological indicators (vegetation cover, wind, solar radiation, and elevation) and morphological indicators (building height, building density, building façade, and building roofs) in both districts, we concluded that District 1 is cooler due to several factors: higher elevation, better reception of prevailing northeastern winds, more suitable street orientations, lower building heights (mostly one-story), and a higher prevalence of reflective roofs compared to District 6. Although District 6 has better vegetation cover and lower building density.

Abstract Background and Objective: The accurate locating and design of industrial areas can be considered a robust step taken to improve the environment, develop industries, and accurate and logical growth of urban and rural areas. In this research, the number of pollutants is measured during the 30 days of November 2023 to examine and analyze the impact of industrial uses of Tabriz City on its air pollution, and its location and placement in Tabriz have increased the air pollution indicators. The mentioned indicators are revised and examined based on the collected data and available data of research through Geographic Information System (GIS) and using library and analytical methods such as the IDW method.
Materials and Methods: the variables examined in this study included pollutants and their types over the 30 days of November 2022 in Tabriz Metropolis, which is done through library and data collection methods. Carbon monoxide (CO), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and (PM10), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), and Ozon were collected based on the point method in Kajvar, Hakim Nezami, Azerbaijan Square, Hotel Marmar, Namaz Square, Rah Ahan, Bagheshmal, Abresan, and Behdasht Stations. These data are prepared and expressed as pollutant distribution maps for each pollutant in the form of descriptive maps through ARC GIS software based on the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) method.
Findings and Conclusion: The results show that the location of industrial areas in Tabriz does not affect the air pollution rate of Tabriz, and has no negative effect on increasing air pollution in Tabriz.