https://www.ispdrc.ir/ Safe City en daily 1 Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_726766.html IntroductionThe global elderly population is rapidly increasing due to advancements in medicine and rising life expectancy. By 2050, nearly a quarter of the world’s population will be 65 or older. This demographic shift is associated with a rise in chronic illnesses, physical limitations, and functional impairments. As a result, the needs and expectations of older adults regarding aging and residential environments have evolved significantly. Many countries are now promoting home and community-based care models as a means to improve quality of life for the elderly while reducing healthcare expenditures. This transition is reflected in the concept of “aging in place,” which emphasizes older adults’ preference to remain in their own homes rather than relocating to institutional care settings. Aging in place is linked to the ability to maintain independence and live a thriving and highly qualitative life within an individual’s environment. It can therefore be fostered by designing environments that facilitate the mobility and engagement in social activities, which are important components for the health and quality of life of older adults. There is also an opportunity for countries to exploit existing and new assistive technologies, another pertinent facilitator of aging in place. Aging in place is defined as “remaining to live in the community rather than in residential care, with some level of independence (e.g., receiving help from family members or caregivers), but without the need to move away from the community”. Most older adults prefer to age in place because it fosters their independence and autonomy, and enables them to stay connected to their social circle, which can reduce social isolation and loneliness. Apart from being a preference of older adults, it is often also considered less costly than care in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes or other assisted living facilities. This study aims to explore scientific perspectives and approaches related to aging in place within residential environments. By reviewing academic literature and identifying research gaps, the study seeks to enhance the understanding of elderly needs and guide future investigations in this domain and the impact of this factor on the peace and safety of the elderly and, consequently, the mental health of households and, consequently, society.MethodologyThe study employs a systematic review of scholarly literature on aging in place, with a specific focus on how residential environments affect elderly well-being. Articles were collected from major databases, including Scopus and Web of Science, using a set of targeted key phrases to ensure comprehensive coverage. Selection criteria were applied based on language, document type, and research area. A structured search and filtering process was implemented to identify relevant peer-reviewed articles. Data were coded and analyzed using Atlas.ti software to extract themes and insights, particularly regarding the role of housing design and physical space in supporting aging in place. This research did not limit the scope of aging in place to the architectural domain but also includes multidisciplinary findings. Furthermore, it explored scientific productivity and the intellectual collaborations of publications and researchers in the field of aging in place. Specifically, this study focuses on key aging in place concepts and presents a review of the theoretical and methodological trends.Results and discussionThe review highlights three primary themes dominating the literature on aging in place: (1) intrinsic characteristics of older adults, (2) spatial features of the home environment, and (3) interactions between individuals and their surroundings. Frequently used terms included "health," "needs," "design," "housing," and "support," which reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the field. These terms suggest that aging in place encompasses psychological, social, physical, and environmental dimensions. The findings also indicate a steady increase in scholarly interest since 1999, with accelerated growth in the past decade. Key journals contributing to the discourse include International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and Sustainability, which have featured multiple studies in this area. Geographically, most publications originate from Europe, Asia, and North America, with significant contributions from institutions such as the University of Adelaide and the University of Florida. These institutions have shaped the academic conversation on aging in place and have helped position it as a vital research topic in public health and urban planning.ConclusionThis review provides a comprehensive overview of the concept of aging in place and underscores the importance of residential environments in supporting the health and autonomy of older adults. The key themes identified in the analysis illustrate the complex interplay between personal attributes, such as health status and caregiving needs, and external factors like housing design and community support. The increase in research output from 1999 to 2024 reflects growing recognition of environmental adaptation's role in aging successfully. Moreover, the study emphasizes the value of qualitative research methods, such as interviews and field observations, in capturing the lived experiences of elderly individuals. The insights gained can guide the formulation of inclusive design principles, supportive policies, and targeted interventions. By further investigating the intersection of aging, space, and care systems, future research can contribute to creating environments that enable older adults to thrive while remaining in their preferred living settings. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_729299.html IntroductionExposure to stress and its resulting harm is the most important factor in the increase in mental disorders (Streit et al., 2014: 352). Exposure to greater stress can be a factor or the main background for the spread of stress-related mental illnesses in cities (Adli et al., 2016: 72), (Kennedy & Adolphs, 2011: 452), (Wandersman & Nation, 1998: 651). Stress is one of the most pervasive aspects of modern life that has many consequences, including physical and mental harm, social harm, and aggressive reactions, etc. (Kermi et al., 2008: 92). In fact, stress can increase the risk of burnout, emotional exhaustion, cardiovascular diseases, digestive disorders, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and dementia (Schaupp et al., 2024: 2). For this reason, the current century has been called the century of communication management, stress, anxiety, and neurocognitive disorders (Zarei and Naghizadeh, 2013: 1). Stress is a psychological issue that has attracted the attention of scientists from various fields, including doctors, psychologists, physiologists, biologists, and sociologists (Khodayarifard and Parand, 2007: 90). Urban planning, as a field that is related to all areas related to humans and their environment, must definitely consider the area of human health, especially mental health and stress (Ghaffarian Shoa'i, 2014: 4). However, not enough research has been conducted in this field so far. Of course, a number of domestic studies in the interdisciplinary fields of architecture, sociology, urban planning, psychology, etc. have examined this issue and its very related peripheral issues with different approaches. However, there is no study that answers the question "How have domestic studies studied the link between stress and the city?"The prerequisite for starting any research work is to review previous studies to identify study gaps and strengths and weaknesses in that field. For this purpose, this research attempts to review domestic studies in the field of urban stress with an interdisciplinary approach and take a step towards advancing knowledge in this research field.MethodologyThe research method in this study is a review, and previous studies were identified and screened in several stages using the narrative review method, then these studies were reviewed and study gaps were identified using content analysis. Results and discussionThe findings of this study show that domestic researchers consider urban stress to be mostly caused by social, physical, environmental, use and activity indicators, transportation, individual characteristics, housing, cultural-political, and economic. Also, the indicators of noise pollution, balance in population density (crowdedness-seclusion), security, landscape pollution (visual), amount of green space, appropriate light contrast during the day and night, air pollution, temperature and thermal comfort, environmental control and prediction, sensory overload (intensity of nervous stimulation and stimuli), contact with nature, traffic, quality of walking facilities, safety, social support, sense of belonging, mix of uses, access to spaces that enhance physical activity, number of floors and high-rise buildings, condition of furniture and urban facilities in streets and open spaces, condition of public transportation, light pollution, social interactions, access to resources and services, building density, degree of wear and tear of the fabric and resistance and life of buildings, physical and visual permeability of the fabric, quality of passages, ease of urban mobility, privacy and personal territory for individuals, violence and anger, crime and misdeeds, identity and rent, land and housing prices, respectively, are the most frequently mentioned indicators in previous studies.ConclusionAs a result, no domestic research has been conducted in the field of urban planning to examine urban stress by combining planning and design approaches and to provide a comprehensive perspective on the field of stress-therapeutic urban planning. In fact, the studies conducted have often either examined stress-therapeutic urban planning or redesigned part of the environment based on reducing people's perceived stress. The methods of collecting information in these studies are also often questionnaires and field studies. Of course, because people are often not honest about stress and psychological issues in entering information into questionnaires, it seems that the application of other modern methods in this field can be very effective. Also, examining this issue in different study samples such as urban streets, neighborhoods, cities, urban squares, urban areas, urban parks and green spaces, urban areas, urban textures, etc. can identify the hidden aspects of this issue.FundingThere is no funding support.Authors’ Contribution Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. Conflict of Interest Authors declared no conflict of interest.AcknowledgmentsWe are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_726303.html Urban vulnerability has gained significant importance as a fundamental challenge in the modern era, especially when facing natural disasters and human threats. Civil defense, as a preventive approach, helps reduce urban vulnerability and preserve socio-economic security. This article aims to identify and cluster factors influencing the vulnerability of District 21 in Tehran Metropolis, using a civil defense approach and structural analysis. Theoretical data was collected through documentary methods, and empirical data was gathered using a survey-based Delphi technique. The statistical population consists of 30 experts and specialists in civil defense, selected via judgmental or purposeful sampling. This data was processed using structural cross-impact analysis in MICMAC software. Findings from the overall system environment analysis showed 259 relationships with a value of 3, meaning the key factors have numerous connections and significant influence and susceptibility. Other research results from cross-impact analysis indicate a complex and intertwined distribution of driving forces, characterized by both influence and susceptibility. The clustering system of factors shows a concentration in the dual factors area. Out of 37 studied factors, 13 key obstacles were identified: weakness in crisis management, economic instability, lack of public awareness of civil defense, political and social crises, dilapidation and indefensibility, weakness in urban design, social inequality, vulnerability of economic infrastructures, lack of investment in resilient infrastructures, lack of coordination among institutions, climate change, weakness in management systems, and poor participation culture. These forces play a role of high influence and low susceptibility in the system environment, aiming to reduce urban vulnerability in the studied area.Extended Abstract: IntroductionThe issue of vulnerability of urban infrastructure and the role of passive defense in dealing with this vulnerability is very important in Iranian cities, especially cities like Tehran. Urban infrastructures, which are part of the country's vital and sensitive infrastructures, are the main target of destruction and damage when faced with the dangers of war and natural disasters. In this situation, it seems necessary to carefully evaluate and investigate the role of passive defense requirements in reducing the vulnerability of urban infrastructures. Considering the vital importance of these infrastructures for the stability and security of the country, any disruption in them can lead to urban paralysis and instability. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate and evaluate the role of passive defense in dealing with risks and reducing the vulnerability of these infrastructures. Due to the advances in technology and new equipment, the use of passive defense methods and tools can be used as an effective strategy in reducing the vulnerability of urban infrastructures.MethodologyThe current research, with a future-research approach, identifies the most important obstacles or challenges affecting the future state of vulnerability in the 21st district of Tehran metropolis with a passive defense approach. In terms of practical purpose, this research is a combination of documentary and survey methods, and in terms of its nature, it is based on the new methods of future research, analytical and exploratory science, which was carried out by using a combination of quantitative and qualitative models. is Documentary study method and empirical data of survey method based on Delphi method have been used in preparation of the studied obstacles. To select the Delphi team, since the goal is not to generalize the results, a judgmental or purposeful sampling method was used. The selection criteria of experts and experts are theoretical mastery, practical experience, willingness and ability to participate in research and access. The important point in determining the number of experts is to ensure the comprehensiveness of different perspectives in the research. Results and discussionThe results of this article showed that the general distribution pattern of vulnerability in terms of mutual effects analysis, in general, indicates the state of an unstable environmental system in which have a complex and intermediate state in terms of effectiveness and effectiveness. The state of clustering of obstacles is indicative of cluster concentration in the two-way part. Other findings of the research indicate that the vulnerability of the 21st district of Tehran metropolis is influenced by a set of economic, social, managerial and environmental obstacles, each of which somehow affects the resilience of this region. Among the 37 active forces, 13 variables had a greater impact on the future state of realization of the vulnerability of the 21st district of Tehran metropolis with a passive defense approach.ConclusionWeakness in crisis management, as one of the key obstacles affecting the vulnerability of the 21st district of Tehran, can have serious consequences when crises occur. This weakness is usually caused by the lack of comprehensive planning and lack of coordination between different institutions, which can lead to delays in responding to emergency situations. As a result, this can lead to increased human casualties and financial losses. To reduce vulnerability, there is a need to strengthen management systems and improve local communities in the field of crisis management. Economic instability as an important factor in the vulnerability of Tehran's 21st district can lead to a decrease in investments and demand in the labor market. This instability, especially in times of crisis, can affect the city's ability to provide essential services and infrastructure. FundingThe findings, in terms of the overall analysis of the system environment, showed that 259 relationships have the number 3, and this means that the relationships of key obstacles are very large and have great influence. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_729542.html IntroductionIn Iran’s tense geopolitical context, where regional security challenges continue to shape national planning priorities, the vulnerability of urban assets has become a central concern for policy-makers and urban planners. The experience of the 12-day Iran–Israel war objectively revealed the fragility of critical and sensitive urban centers, highlighting how urban infrastructures, buildings, and essential facilities can quickly become targets or sources of risk. This episode not only demonstrated the material vulnerability of built environments but also emphasized the absence of a systematic framework for anticipating such risks within the existing urban planning system. Among the wide range of shortcomings, the lack of clear, localized, and comprehensive regulations for controlling building heights and mitigating visual dominance stands out as one of the most pressing gaps. In dense urban fabrics, tall buildings can compromise security, surveillance, and defensive preparedness, while at the same time intensifying the exposure of sensitive areas. These issues underline the growing necessity of embedding passive defense principles into the mainstream of urban planning and design.The aim of this study was to design a policy-oriented and implementable framework for regulating building heights around sensitive and critical urban centers with a passive defense perspective. By combining qualitative analysis with policy insights, the study sought to bridge the gap between theoretical principles of passive defense and the operational realities of urban planning regulations. More specifically, the research addressed the need for a localized regulatory system that could strengthen urban resilience, minimize vulnerabilities, and provide a practical mechanism for decision-makers to manage building forms and their spatial implications in high-risk urban contexts.MethodologyThe research adopted a qualitative methodological orientation grounded in a deductive and realist thematic analysis. This choice reflected the dual need to respect the complexity of security-oriented urban planning and to provide a systematic framework for policy translation. Data collection relied on 15 semi-structured interviews conducted with experts spanning the fields of architecture, urban planning, crisis management, and policy-making. These participants were carefully selected to ensure that both technical and policy perspectives were incorporated into the analysis, thus reinforcing the comprehensiveness and credibility of the findings.The analysis proceeded through multiple coding stages. Using thematic coding techniques, the qualitative data were first broken down into discrete meaning units and conceptual expressions. Through this process, the research identified 33 key concepts which encapsulated the main ideas emerging from expert insights. These concepts were then systematically grouped and refined into 7 core categories. The thematic structure ensured that the categories were not merely descriptive but also analytically aligned with the study’s broader aim of designing an actionable framework.To ensure robustness and avoid the risk of subjective interpretation, the study employed rigorous cross-checking of codes and categories, with iterative refinement at each stage of the analysis. Additionally, quantitative validation techniques were applied to assess the reliability and validity of the constructs developed during coding. The combined qualitative and quantitative approach thus strengthened both the interpretive depth and the empirical credibility of the study.Results and discussionThe study revealed that effective height regulation in passive defense is inherently multi-dimensional and cannot be reduced to simple numerical limits. Instead, it requires an integrated framework that combines legal, design, and socio-economic measures. Key findings highlight the necessity of multi-level policymaking, clear property rights, and the establishment of buffer layers around sensitive assets. Furthermore, controlling visual dominance proved crucial, as uncontrolled sightlines toward critical facilities were consistently identified as a major risk factor. To ensure feasibility, the study stressed the role of compensatory mechanisms and incentives such as tax relief or development rights transfers, which help balance public security needs with private ownership rights.The quantitative validation confirmed the reliability of the categories and underscored the significant influence of visual dominance control on resilience during real conflict scenarios, such as the 12-day war. Overall, the findings demonstrate that passive defense regulations must be embedded within a strategic governance framework, ensuring coherence across levels of authority while enhancing urban resilience and security.ConclusionThis study developed a strategic and policy-oriented framework that connects passive defense principles with the urban regulatory system. By combining qualitative thematic analysis with quantitative validation, the research offered both theoretical depth and empirical robustness. The framework identifies the need for coordinated multi-level policymaking, legal clarity regarding property rights, the establishment of buffer layers, control of visual dominance, and the implementation of compensatory mechanisms. Together, these elements constitute a holistic system for regulating building heights around sensitive and critical urban centers.In practical terms, the framework enhances physical security, reduces vulnerability, and strengthens spatial governance in high-risk contexts. The findings highlight that passive defense is not solely a matter of technical design but also of political negotiation, legal precision, and socio-economic balance. The contribution of this study lies in its ability to translate the lessons of the 12-day war and broader geopolitical realities into actionable urban regulations.By doing so, it advances the agenda of urban resilience in Iran and provides a replicable model for other regions facing similar threats. Ultimately, the research demonstrates that embedding passive defense considerations into urban planning is both feasible and necessary for the protection of critical assets and the sustainable management of urban spaces in volatile geopolitical environments. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_726370.html IntroductionHuman societies have always sought to confront both natural and man-made threats throughout history. In the present era, man-made threats, primarily military in nature, have led societies to establish preparedness for both military (active) and non-military (passive) defense. Iran has constantly faced threats from both regional and extra-regional adversaries. Despite these threats, enhancing the readiness of cities and citizens to face threats during crisis situations has not received adequate attention. One of the available opportunities in cities for facilitating crisis management is urban parks. If the principles of passive defense are observed, urban parks can not only serve their regular functions in peacetime, but also play a role in enhancing preparedness and educating citizens about the concepts and fundamentals of passive defense. In crisis situations, they can function as urban shelters, contributing to the protection of social assets. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the performance of a sample urban park in crisis situations based on the principles of passive defense, and it seeks to answer the following questions:• What characteristics of an urban park contribute to its response and the enhancement of social resilience in crisis situations?• How can the capabilities of existing urban parks be utilized to enhance the role of parks in crisis situations?• How can the weaknesses of urban parks in crisis situations be identified and addressed?In this study, an urban park with various strengths and weaknesses in responding to crisis situations was selected, and its performance was analyzed based on the principles of passive defense. The criteria derived from this section include passive defense education, security, multifunctional use, resilience and reinforcement, refugee accommodation, and crisis management systems.MethodologyThe research methodology employed in this study is a combination of descriptive-analytical and fieldwork approaches. In the first phase, evaluation criteria for urban parks based on passive defense objectives were identified and categorized through library research, including the review of documents, books, scholarly articles, and relevant research projects. The criteria were divided into components, and to assess their importance, a survey method using a researcher-developed questionnaire based on the Likert scale was administered to urban passive defense experts and specialists. The questionnaire's validity was confirmed by experts. To measure the questionnaire's reliability, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated using SPSS software, yielding a value of 0.939, indicating an excellent level of reliability. In the fieldwork phase, Vahdat Park in Mashhad was selected as the case study. Field observations were conducted to assess the park’s current condition and compare it with the extracted criteria. This process involved site visits, analysis of pathways, access points, the surrounding urban fabric, and the compatibility or incompatibility of adjacent land uses. Data collected from these observations were analyzed to evaluate the park’s alignment with passive defense goals, identifying areas of strength and weakness, and proposing solutions to enhance its compliance with passive defense principles.Results and discussionThe data obtained from the survey method, after being completed by experts and specialists, were entered into SPSS software by the authors and analyzed using the Friedman test. The P-Value for all criteria was less than 0.05, indicating a significant difference among the components affecting the evaluation of the passive defense park. This section examines the current status of Vahdat Park based on its adjacency, accessibility, land uses, and existing on-site spaces. The surrounding fabric of Vahdat Park primarily consists of residential, lodging, and commercial land uses. Additionally, specific land uses are observed in different zones around the park: in the northeastern area, educational facilities, including a high school and an elementary school; in the northwestern area, sports facilities, a fire station, and a police station; in the southern area, service facilities such as a CNG fuel distribution center; and in the southeastern area, healthcare facilities, including a hospital. The existing land uses within Vahdat Park include a cultural center, open sports fields, restrooms, utility facilities, an artificial lake, retail kiosks, administrative offices, an auditorium, a prayer room, a library, a women's park, an amusement park, and a parking.ConclusionThe findings indicate that enhancing the role of Vahdat Park in Mashhad as a passive defense park requires the following measures: leveraging its numerous educational and cultural spaces for passive defense training, improving security by increasing compatibility of adjacent areas, and enhancing legibility, sociability, and safety in furniture design. For multifunctional use, provisions for temporary clinics, improved pathways for aid delivery, and storage spaces for medical supplies are essential. Resilience and reinforcement during crisis requires shelters, redesigned protective furniture, blast-resistant windows, solar panels, emergency generators, and water purification systems. To accommodate refugees, the park must improve tent areas, provide covered shelters, portable baths, cooking facilities, and storage systems. Additionally, installing crisis management systems like CCTV and public announcement equipment is crucial.FundingThere is no funding support.Authors’ Contribution Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.Conflict of Interest Authors declared no conflict of interest.AcknowledgmentsWe are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_730283.html IntroductionDesign thinking, as conceptualized by Simon (1973) and elaborated by Dorst and Cross (2001), represents a dynamic, human-centered approach to problem-solving that integrates creativity, empathy, and iterative processes to tackle complex and ambiguous challenges. Unlike traditional linear problem-solving methods, design thinking emphasizes reframing problems, fostering collaboration, and generating innovative solutions through reflective practice (Schön, 1992). Its interdisciplinary relevance has extended its application beyond design professions to fields such as education, management, technology, and social innovation (Brown, 2008; Manzini, 2015). Manzini (2015) underscores design thinking as a universal human capability, not confined to professionals, but accessible to all as a means of creating social meaning and fostering sustainable change. Despite its growing prominence, tools to assess design thinking mindsets in non-design contexts remain limited. The Design Thinking Mindset Questionnaire by Vignoli et al. (2023) offers a comprehensive framework, measuring 10 dimensions: tolerance for uncertainty and risk-taking, empathy, holistic thinking, collaboration and diversity, learning orientation, experimentation, critical questioning, estimation, creative confidence, and impact. This scale, however, has not been validated in Iran, where cultural and professional contexts may influence its applicability. This study evaluates the psychometric properties of this questionnaire and compares its factor structure between architects (design professionals) and non-architects (general social actors) in Tehran, Iran. It addresses two research questions: (1) To what extent does the questionnaire demonstrate validity and reliability for measuring design thinking among Iranian architects and non-architects? (2) What similarities and differences exist in the factor structure of the design thinking mindset between these groups? The study contributes to localizing assessment tools and understanding how professional training shapes cognitive approaches to design thinking.MethodologyThis quantitative study employed a survey design with a sample of 674 participants, comprising 412 architects and 262 non-architects, randomly selected in Tehran. The architects’ group included students from Shahid Beheshti and Tehran Universities and professional engineers registered with the Tehran Engineering Organization. The non-architects’ group encompassed individuals with diverse ages, genders, and educational backgrounds, recruited via the National Library of Iran’s Telegram channel. Data were collected using a Persian translation of Vignoli et al.’s (2023) questionnaire, comprising 40 items across the 10 dimensions noted above. To enhance response precision and reduce central tendency bias, a 7-point Likert scale (1 = completely disagree, 7 = completely agree) was adopted, supported by research indicating improved measurement accuracy with broader scales (Babai et al., 1400; Smith & Johnson, 2018). The translation process involved experts in architecture, education, and English to ensure content and face validity. Items were refined based on feedback from three English language specialists, with final validation by a dual expert in design and psychology.Data analysis was conducted in three phases: exploratory factor analysis (EFA), first-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and second-order CFA, using SPSS 27.0.1 and AMOS software. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test assessed sampling adequacy, and Bartlett’s test of sphericity verified variable correlations. EFA identified the factor structure, while CFA validated structural and hierarchical relationships. Reliability was evaluated through internal consistency, and group differences were analyzed to compare mindset manifestations. The sample size exceeded the minimum threshold for structural equation modeling (Hair et al., 2010; Kline, 2015), ensuring robust statistical power.Results and discussionThe KMO test confirmed sampling adequacy (KMO = 0.884 for architects; 0.855 for non-architects), and Bartlett’s test (p < 0.001) verified significant correlations. EFA revealed a 10-factor structure, explaining 64.913% of the variance for architects and 61.46% for non-architects. Most items had factor loadings above 0.5, though some (e.g., Q12: “I can easily utilize solutions from a broader perspective”; Q13: “I can revisit the initial project question”) showed lower loadings among non-architects, suggesting cultural or contextual misalignments. First-order CFA confirmed the 10-factor model, with fit indices indicating acceptable validity for architects (CMIN/DF = 2.000, RMSEA = 0.062, CFI = 0.815, TLI = 0.793) and non-architects (CMIN/DF = 2.597, RMSEA = 0.070, CFI = 0.814, TLI = 0.791). Second-order CFA validated the hierarchical structure, with all dimensions significantly contributing to the overarching design thinking mindset (p < 0.001). Reliability analyses demonstrated high internal consistency across dimensions.Significant group differences emerged. Architects showed stronger loadings in holistic thinking (Q12: 0.826 vs. 0.432) and experimentation (Q24: 0.760 vs. 0.463), reflecting their design training and familiarity with iterative processes. Non-architects exhibited higher loadings in learning orientation (Q19: 0.716 vs. 0.367), indicating a more theoretical, experience-driven approach. These findings align with Vignoli et al. (2023) and underscore the influence of professional expertise on cognitive frameworks. For instance, architects’ exposure to prototyping enhanced their experimentation scores, while non-architects’ unfamiliarity with such practices weakened these items’ relevance. Items like Q5 (“I dedicate significant time to understanding user needs”) and Q13 require revision for non-designers, potentially using more relatable, everyday examples. The study also suggests rephrasing items like Q18 (“I am ready to collaborate with individuals from different backgrounds”) to enhance clarity for architects.ConclusionThis study validates the psychometric properties of the Design Thinking Mindset Questionnaire in Iran, confirming its reliability and structural validity for architects and non-architects. The 10-factor model is robust, with group differences highlighting the impact of professional training. Architects exhibit a practice-driven, integrated mindset, while non-architects display a learning-oriented approach. The scale’s adaptability supports its use in educational and interdisciplinary contexts, facilitating the development of localized tools and targeted interventions. For example, enhancing experimentation skills among non-architects or critical questioning among architects could bridge mindset gaps. Limitations include potential cultural influences on responses and reliance on self-reported data, which may introduce bias. Future research should explore cross-cultural comparisons, incorporate mixed-methods approaches, and conduct longitudinal studies to examine mindset evolution. This study lays a foundation for advancing design thinking education and fostering innovation in Iran’s academic and professional landscapes. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_726416.html IntroductionTourism, as one of the world’s most dynamic and impactful industries, plays a central role in fostering economic, social, and cultural development by leveraging intrinsic values to promote environmental sustainability, cultural identity, employment opportunities, and reduced migration. Bushehr city, endowed with unique historical, cultural, and natural attractions—such as its centuries-old urban fabric, scenic Persian Gulf beaches, authentic indigenous music, diverse handicrafts, and vibrant border markets—holds substantial potential to become a prominent regional and even international tourism destination. However, challenges including insufficient accommodation and transportation infrastructure, weak digital marketing, and environmental threats like climate change and coastal pollution have hindered the full utilization of these assets. This study aims to propose a sociological model for tourism development and formulate new regional development strategies for Bushehr by identifying key influencing factors and prioritizing actionable strategies. Utilizing a strategic management model, the research seeks to address how Bushehr’s cultural and natural advantages can be harnessed to foster sustainable tourism growth. With an emphasis on strategic planning, this study provides solutions to alleviate economic deprivation, strengthen the local economy, and enhance Bushehr’s position in the tourism industry.MethodologyThis applied research employed a descriptive-Delphi mixed-method (qualitative-quantitative) approach. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 experts, averaging 12.3 years of experience, selected through purposive and snowball sampling from a population of tourism professionals, managers, academics, and local activists in Bushehr until theoretical saturation was reached. Interview data were processed using thematic analysis with MAXQDA software. In the quantitative phase, a standardized 20-item questionnaire with a reliability of 0.89 (Cronbach’s alpha) was distributed among 40 experts. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and one-sample t-tests. The strategic management model comprised four key stages: 1) defining vision, mission, and quantitative and qualitative objectives, 2) analyzing internal factors with the IFE matrix and external factors with the EFE matrix, 3) formulating strategies using the SWOT matrix, and 4) prioritizing strategies with the QSPM matrix. Data collection adhered to ethical standards, including obtaining informed consent and ensuring participant confidentiality. Tool validity was confirmed by three tourism academics, and inter-coder agreement (Cohen’s kappa: 0.82) indicated high reliability in qualitative analysis. This methodology facilitated a comprehensive analysis of tourism development factors and the formulation of data-driven operational strategies, enhancing result accuracy and validity through the integration of qualitative and quantitative approaches.FindingsQualitative findings revealed that Bushehr’s rich cultural heritage, historical attractions such as old mansions and traditional markets, and strategic geographic location along the Persian Gulf are key strengths for tourism development. However, deficiencies in accommodation infrastructure, such as hotels and eco-lodges, weak digital marketing, particularly on virtual platforms, and inadequate public transportation systems were identified as primary challenges. The EFE matrix highlighted Persian Gulf coastal attractions and growing domestic tourism demand as key opportunities, while climate change and increasing competition from other destinations were noted as major threats. Total EFE (2.99) and IFE (3.03) scores confirmed Bushehr’s relatively favorable position. Quantitative analysis using one-sample t-tests indicated that the cultural dimension was the most critical, with a mean of 4.35 (t=6.87, p=0.000), underscoring its pivotal role in attracting tourists. This was followed by the economic (mean: 4.10), social (mean: 3.85), and environmental (mean: 3.55) dimensions. A higher standard deviation in the environmental dimension (0.75) suggested diverse expert opinions, likely due to concerns about coastal pollution and climate change impacts. The SWOT matrix prioritized SO (cultural tourism development focusing on historical sites and indigenous music) and ST (reducing competition through local culture and cuisine) strategies. The QSPM matrix assigned the highest attractiveness scores to ST1 (3.87) and SO1 (3.76), with WO1 (improving accommodation infrastructure with government support) scoring 3.36. Frequency distribution of questionnaire responses showed strong support for enhancing local culture (55% strongly agree) and developing infrastructure (32% strongly agree), while environmental protection (30% neutral) required further attention. These findings emphasize the central role of cultural heritage as a competitive advantage and the urgent need to address infrastructure deficiencies and environmental threats for sustainable tourism development in Bushehr, aligning with related domestic and international studies.ConclusionThis study developed a sociological model for tourism development in Bushehr, emphasizing the enhancement of cultural heritage, improvement of accommodation and transportation infrastructure, and increased regional competitiveness through leveraging local culture. Strategies focusing on cultural tourism development and reducing competition using Bushehr’s unique attributes were prioritized, while managing environmental threats like climate change and coastal pollution was deemed essential. It is recommended that Bushehr’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization focus on revitalizing historical sites, strengthening digital marketing through virtual platforms, and implementing environmental protection programs to preserve coastlines, positioning Bushehr as a competitive tourism destination. This model can reduce economic deprivation, create employment opportunities, and bolster the local economy. Future studies could explore the impact of emerging technologies, such as virtual tourism, and local community empowerment through training to refine this framework, contributing to sustainable, long-term tourism development in Bushehr. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_730434.html Pedestrian safety perception refers to the subjective sense of security individuals experience when walking in urban environments. This perception is shaped not only by objective risk factors but also by environmental quality, infrastructural conditions, and psychological interpretations of space. Understanding how people perceive safety is critical for planners and policymakers, as it directly influences walking behavior, public space use, and the overall sustainability of cities. Despite increasing attention to pedestrian infrastructure in global research, medium-sized cities in Iran, such as Bushehr, have received limited empirical investigation, even though pedestrian accidents remain a serious concern.This study aimed to identify and analyze the factors influencing perceived safety in two of Bushehr’s principal urban corridors: Imam Khomeini Street and Ashouri Street. These streets were selected because they present contrasting physical and organizational characteristics, with Imam Khomeini generally offering more structured pedestrian facilities and Ashouri exhibiting fragmented sidewalks and greater exposure to traffic. A quantitative design was adopted, using a researcher-developed questionnaire containing 17 indicators of pedestrian safety perception. Items covered four key domains identified in the literature—sidewalk quality and spatial organization, geometric design and traffic guidance, safety of crossings, and environmental lighting—and were rated on a five-point Likert scale.To ensure scientific rigor, the content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by ten academic experts in urban planning and transportation, who reviewed the relevance and clarity of each item. Reliability testing produced a McDonald’s Omega coefficient of 0.966, indicating excellent internal consistency. Sample size was determined using G*Power software, with an expected medium effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.5) and a power level of 95%, which yielded a minimum requirement of 200 respondents. The final sample consisted of 200 residents of Bushehr who were familiar with both streets. Sampling was purposive but controlled for demographic balance in gender and age, acknowledging that perceptions of safety often vary across social groups.Data analysis proceeded in two stages. First, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using principal component extraction and varimax rotation was conducted to identify the latent dimensions of safety perception. The analysis revealed four factors that collectively explained 69.3% of the total variance: (1) Quality and spatial organization of sidewalks, which captured continuity of walking paths, absence of physical barriers, and sufficient width; (2) Geometric design and traffic guidance, encompassing intersection layout, signage, and traffic control devices; (3) Safety of pedestrian crossings, reflecting the presence of marked crosswalks and signals; and (4) Environmental lighting, which measured adequacy and maintenance of streetlights. The factor structure aligned well with existing theoretical models, reinforcing the construct validity of the instrument.Next, Anderson–Rubin factor scores were calculated to allow for direct comparison of the two streets. Results revealed a consistent pattern in which Imam Khomeini Street scored higher across most factors. In particular, Ashouri Street lagged significantly in sidewalk quality, presence of physical obstacles, and lighting conditions, contributing to a weaker overall sense of safety. Respondents described Ashouri Street as fragmented and poorly maintained, with inadequate crossings and insufficient night-time illumination, whereas Imam Khomeini Street benefitted from continuous pavements and clearer separation between pedestrian and vehicular traffic.A multiple regression analysis was then conducted to determine the predictive power of the four extracted factors on overall perceived safety. The model demonstrated that only sidewalk quality and spatial organization exerted a significant positive effect (β = 0.461, p < 0.001), highlighting the central importance of basic pedestrian infrastructure. While lighting and traffic guidance influenced descriptive differences between streets, their independent contribution was not statistically significant once sidewalk conditions were accounted for. This suggests that high-quality, well-maintained sidewalks provide the foundational layer of safety upon which other factors build.The originality of this research lies in its combined methodological and contextual contributions. Methodologically, the study integrated exploratory factor analysis with Anderson–Rubin factor score estimation, enabling a rigorous and unbiased comparison of latent safety constructs. Contextually, it focused on Bushehr—a city with relatively high pedestrian accident rates but little prior empirical attention—thereby broadening the geographic scope of pedestrian safety research and offering locally relevant evidence for decision-makers.The findings yield several practical implications. Urban managers in Bushehr should prioritize targeted interventions to improve sidewalk continuity, remove physical barriers, and ensure regular maintenance of pavement surfaces. Although lighting and traffic control measures did not emerge as independent predictors in the regression model, respondents emphasized their importance for night-time security, suggesting that these features still merit investment as complementary measures. The superior performance of Imam Khomeini Street provides a model that can inform future upgrades of Ashouri Street and similar corridors.In summary, this study underscores that pedestrians’ sense of safety is strongly rooted in the physical quality and organization of sidewalks, more so than in other infrastructural attributes. By focusing on the fundamentals of pedestrian infrastructure, cities like Bushehr can enhance perceived safety, encourage walking, and create more inclusive and sustainable urban environments. Future research could build on these findings by employing mixed methods, incorporating qualitative interviews or spatial observations, and exploring longitudinal changes following infrastructural improvements to further refine evidence-based urban policies. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_729253.html Eco-regionalism1, as a new approach in sustainable architecture, emphasizes the coordination of design with the ecological, climatic, and cultural characteristics of a region. This research aims to provide a conceptual model for implementing the principles of eco-regionalism in sustainable design in the city of Birjand. Birjand, as a city with a hot and dry climate, provides unique opportunities to examine this approach. This study uses qualitative and quantitative methods, including the analysis of expert opinions, the review of case studies, and the evaluation of climatic and cultural data, to identify the key characteristics of eco-regionalism. The results of the research show that the use of local materials, the use of natural ventilation, water conservation through rainwater collection and the use of gray water, and the design of central courtyard houses are among the effective strategies in this approach. These strategies not only reduce energy and water consumption, but also correspond to the culture and needs of the local community. Furthermore, the examination of case studies such as the ancient city of Hadasar, Shabam in Yemen, and the village of Masouleh demonstrate the successful application of eco-regional principles in similar climates. This research suggests that by incorporating these principles into the urban design and architecture of Birjand, sustainable settlement patterns can be achieved that are both environmentally and culturally efficient. Ultimately, this conceptual model can be used as a guide for other cities with hot and dry climates and contribute to sustainable urban development.IntroductionThe escalating global challenges of climate change, resource depletion, and urbanization have underscored the urgent need for sustainable architectural practices. Eco-regionalism, a contemporary approach in sustainable architecture, advocates for designs that harmonize with the ecological, climatic, and cultural characteristics of a specific region. This study focuses on Birjand, a city in South Khorasan, Iran, characterized by a hot-arid climate and a rich cultural heritage rooted in traditional Persian architecture. The primary objective is to develop a conceptual model for implementing eco-regionalism principles in sustainable architectural and urban design, tailored to Birjand’s unique environmental and cultural context. By integrating local materials, passive design strategies, and culturally resonant solutions, this research aims to address the environmental challenges of hot-arid regions while preserving Birjand’s architectural identity. The significance of this study lies in its potential to offer a replicable framework for sustainable urban development in similar climatic zones, contributing to global efforts toward environmental resilience and cultural preservation in architecture.MethodologyThis research employs a mixed-methods approach, blending qualitative and quantitative methodologies to ensure a robust analysis of eco-regionalism in Birjand. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews with architects, urban planners, and environmental experts knowledgeable about Birjand’s architectural and climatic conditions. A comparative analysis of case studies from other hot-arid regions, such as Ghadames (Libya), Shibam (Yemen), and Masouleh (Iran), was conducted to identify best practices in eco-regional design. Quantitative data, including climatic parameters (temperature, humidity, solar radiation) and resource availability (local materials, water resources), were sourced from regional meteorological records, municipal archives, and environmental databases. The study also included an extensive literature review of eco-regionalism principles, focusing on sustainable material use, passive cooling techniques, water management strategies, and cultural integration in architecture. These data were synthesized to formulate a conceptual model that balances ecological efficiency with cultural and economic feasibility, ensuring applicability to Birjand and similar contexts.Results and discussionThe findings indicate that eco-regionalism in Birjand can be effectively implemented through a synergy of traditional and modern sustainable strategies. The use of locally sourced materials, such as adobe and brick, was identified as a cornerstone of eco-regional design due to their low embodied energy and excellent thermal mass properties, which mitigate extreme temperature fluctuations in hot-arid climates. Passive design techniques, including courtyard houses, narrow shaded streets, and windcatchers (badgirs), were found to enhance thermal comfort, significantly reducing reliance on energy-intensive mechanical cooling systems. Water conservation strategies, such as rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling, address Birjand’s critical water scarcity, aligning with sustainable development principles. The comparative analysis of case studies revealed that similar strategies have been successfully applied in other hot-arid regions. For example, Shibam’s mud-brick towers utilize thermal mass and natural ventilation, while Masouleh’s terraced architecture optimizes land use and microclimate. These findings validate the proposed strategies for Birjand, where courtyard houses and shaded pathways resonate with historical architectural practices, fostering community acceptance. However, challenges include the higher initial costs of eco-friendly materials and the need for specialized training in sustainable design techniques. Additionally, the integration of cultural elements, such as traditional spatial configurations, enhances the social sustainability of the proposed model by aligning with local values and lifestyles. The study underscores that eco-regionalism not only reduces environmental impact but also strengthens cultural identity, making it a viable approach for sustainable urban development in Birjand.ConclusionThis research proposes a comprehensive conceptual model for eco-regionalism in Birjand, integrating local materials, passive design techniques, water conservation strategies, and cultural considerations to achieve sustainable architecture. The model emphasizes a balance between environmental performance, cultural resonance, and economic viability, offering a blueprint for sustainable urban development in hot-arid climates. By drawing on traditional Persian architectural knowledge and modern sustainable practices, the framework reduces energy and water consumption while preserving Birjand’s cultural heritage. The model’s applicability extends beyond Birjand, providing a scalable approach for other cities with similar climatic and cultural contexts. Future research should focus on overcoming implementation barriers, such as cost optimization, scalability of local material production, and training programs for architects and builders to facilitate widespread adoption. Additionally, longitudinal studies could assess the long-term environmental and social impacts of eco-regional designs in Birjand, further refining the proposed model. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_731402.html A b s t r a c t  In recent decades, the importance of neighborhood design in realizing the principles of a “sustainable city” has become increasingly evident. The COVID-19 crisis demonstrated that urban sustainability is not limited to physical and environmental indicators, but also encompasses the social and perceptual dimensions of residents. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experience and spatial perception of residents in neighborhood units during crisis conditions and to provide a framework for urban safety design. The research method was qualitative and based on semi-structured interviews with 18 residents and experts in Ekbatan Township, Tehran. The data were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis and MAXQDA software. To increase validity, the participant review and theme comparison techniques were used. The findings showed that five main themes were most frequently repeated: the role of open and semi-public spaces in promoting social sustainability (83%), the insufficient spatial flexibility of residential units (72%), the redefinition of social relations in public spaces (67%), the importance of semi-open spaces as “rescue spaces” (56%), and the necessity of flexible urban design to face future crises (78%). These results indicate that urban sustainability depends not only on physical indicators but also on the lived experience and spatial perception of citizens. Accordingly, suggestions such as strengthening open and semi-public spaces, designing flexible housing, improving the quality of balconies and terraces, and redefining public spaces as urban resilience infrastructure are presented. The goal of the present study is not to make statistical generalizations, but rather to discover conceptual patterns of lived experience that can be used in similar urban contexts.         Introduction The idea of the "Safe and resilient city" has emerged during the past couple of decades as a more complete approach to optimizing a city’s quality of life, spatial equity, and urban resilience view. The social aspects of urban sustainability came to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most Iranian studies on City safety, on the other hand, remain fixated on the quantitative or the physical components while overlooking the social and psychological aspects of urban sustainability. This research intends to examine residents’ lived experiences and spatial perceptions in neighborhood units during the public health crisis to develop a conceptual framework for sustainable design to address the gap. In the discipline of urban planning, public health crises of the recent past have shown that the neighborhood design and management paradigms in Iran are still outdated and insufficient to satisfy residents’ real needs. In this context, understanding the relationships between the physical, the semi-public, and the open spaces as a set and residents' experiences becomes crucial. This approach could advance the design of neighborhood units and support policymakers and urban designers. Although a growing body of international research has examined the role of public space, housing flexibility and social interaction in urban resilience, there remains a marked lack of context-sensitive studies in Iran. In particular, few investigations have combined residents spatial perceptions with their lived experience during health crises to derive design and policy strategies. Addressing this gap is crucial for developing safe and sustainable neighborhood units that are not only physically robust but also socially and psychologically responsive to crises.   Methodology This is an applied, qualitative and explanatory study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 participants including 12 residents of diverse socio-economic backgrounds and 6 experts in architecture, urban planning and urban health in the Ekbatan complex of Tehran. Field observations were also used to enrich the data. Data analysis was conducted through thematic analysis in both deductive and inductive phases: first, urban health and sustainability indicators extracted from the literature formed an initial coding frame; then open and axial coding of interview data was carried out. Credibility was enhanced by member checking, double coding and constant comparison. Theoretical saturation was reached after 18 interviews.     Results and discussion The analysis revealed five main themes: (1) the role of open and semi-public spaces in enhancing social sustainability (83% of participants);  (2) insufficiency of spatial flexibility in residential units (72%);  (3) redefinition of social relations in public spaces (67%); (4) the importance of semi-open spaces as "rescue spaces" (56%);  (5) the necessity of flexible urban design to face future crises (78%). Locally available open spaces, walkways, terraces, and communal yards help dispel anxiety, enable safe social contact, and improve users perceived safety. During the lockdown, the absence of dwellings with flexible and multi-function spaces increased psychological confinement and functional inefficiency. The crisis also re-evaluated the value of public and semi-open spaces and the need for the design of multi-functional, resilient spaces to crises. Most of these findings align with the literature on biophilic design, justice in space, and urban resilience, corroborating the fact that the lived experience can be translated into actionable metrics for sustainable design.     Conclusion This qualitative research, focused on the Ekbatan residential complex, aimed to identify conceptual patterns of residents’ lived experiences and spatial perceptions under crisis conditions. While the results are not statistically generalizable due to the homogeneity of the study area, they reveal critical insights into how semi-public spaces influence social interaction, emotional security, and urban resilience. These insights can contribute to the development of design guidelines and neighborhood planning strategies applicable to other urban contexts with similar physical and social structures.  From a policy framework perspective, the findings of this study can contribute to forming design approaches in urban planning and detailed plans, provide urban managers guidelines to reinforcing social and spatial resilience in urban development programs, and facilitate the public sector in policy implementation. In policy development, the findings from the study can also provide a guide for housing and public space design at local and national levels. For the research findings to inform a broader range of context, extending the research to small cities and informal settlements is encouraged. Just as important, including these areas would help urban decision-making improve. In addition to providing a conceptual framework, the study highlights a practical research agenda for planners, designers and policymakers. Extending this work to different types of settlements such as informal areas, small towns and peri-urban zones would allow comparative analysis of safety and resilience indicators across contexts. Such an approach could inform national standards and lead to the creation of a network of locally grounded knowledge on neighborhood safety and resilience, thereby improving the quality and transferability of urban decision-making.   Funding There is no funding support.   Authors’ Contribution Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.   Conflict of Interest Authors declared no conflict of interest.   Acknowledgments  We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_727392.html IntroductionEvery urban space, including historical fabrics, due to their potential and identity value, must be resilient, and the vulnerability of such spaces should be minimized. To achieve the objectives of passive defense in cities and their valuable textures, such as historical fabrics considered as city assets, reducing vulnerability and risk should be addressed through urban planning and design strategies. These include respecting adjacency principles, enabling emergency evacuation, establishing temporary shelter centers, storage centers for essential supplies, fostering a sense of belonging among residents, appropriate dispersal and distribution of key land uses, as well as access and buffer zones.The historical fabric of Khoy city includes the traditional market, Matlabkhan Mosque, Seyyed al-Shohada Mosque, Sangy Gate, and others, located in the central core of the city, which also lies within the worn-out urban fabric. Due to its historical values and tourist attraction, Khoy city holds significant importance from the perspective of passive defense and resilience. Therefore, safety and security studies of Khoy’s historical texture must be conducted to identify areas with high vulnerability and risk, and ultimately to derive urban planning and design solutions to enhance the resilience of its historical fabric.MethodologyThe present study is applied in terms of its objective and employs a descriptive-analytical approach in terms of method. Initially, through library and documentary studies—such as reviewing relevant literature, previous research, and expert theories in the field—the key assets and their probable threats in the study sample were identified. For data analysis, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model (used for weighting evaluation criteria of assets, threats, and vulnerabilities) and the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) model (used for risk assessment) were employed.Experts in the field of architecture and urban planning and passive defense were identified in consultation with academic supervisors. A total of 30 experts were selected as the statistical population for completing the questionnaire using a census method. From these, 28 individuals responded and were considered as the sample size based on Cochran’s formula.The risk formula used in this study is as follows:Risk = Asset Value × Threat Level × Vulnerability LevelResults and discussionIdentification and Evaluation of Key AssetsIn the first stage, key assets of the fabric were identified through the expert community and field visits, followed by valuation. The results indicate that among the historical assets of Khoy, the Traditional Market scored 7.7, Qamar Bani Hashim Hospital 7.62, Tax Administration Building 6.2, Registry Office Building 16.6, and the Central Square (Imam Square, Central Crossroad) 5.88, having the highest values.Identification and Evaluation of Threats to Key AssetsIn the second stage, threats to key assets were evaluated via expert community assessments and questionnaires. The results show that the most probable threats to Khoy’s historical fabric assets include sabotage and intentional destruction, arson, aerial attacks, riots, and psychological operations.Assessment of Vulnerability of Key Assets to Threat OccurrenceIn the third stage, vulnerability resulting from threats to key assets was assessed through expert surveys and questionnaires. Findings reveal that the highest vulnerability of Khoy’s historical assets is against aerial (missile) attacks, ground assaults (artillery, mortars, etc.), terrorist attacks (car bombings), espionage and human infiltration, as well as riots and psychological operations.Risk Assessment of Key Assets Against ThreatsIn the fourth stage, the risk resulting from threats to key assets was evaluated through expert community assessments and questionnaires. The cumulative highest risks were assigned to the Post Office, Khoy Traditional Market, National Bank Central Branch of Khoy, Registry Office Building, former Telecommunications Building, Central Square (Imam Square), Tax Administration Building, Police Station No. 1 (former Shahrebani), Amir Kabir Passage, Khan Caravanserai, Old Municipality Building, Mostazafan Passage, Eghtesab Passage, Khosravi School, Khoy Museum and Old Library Building, and Ettehad Passage, respectively.ConclusionIn the present study, the risk of key assets in the historical fabric of Khoy city was evaluated using the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) method. The risk assessment was conducted in three stages: asset identification, threat analysis, and vulnerability evaluation. In each of these stages, asset, threat, and vulnerability maps were produced within a GIS software environment.In the asset identification phase, 16 key assets were identified based on expert opinions and subsequently evaluated using criteria approved by the Passive Defense Organization. Following this, the threats, vulnerabilities, and risk levels of each key asset in the fabric were calculated.Finally, the following recommendations are proposed to reduce the risk in the historical fabric:• Locating and designing multi-purpose safe spaces (multi-purpose emergency shelters) within the fabric, preferably adjacent to main roads.• Avoiding the introduction of new land uses with vital importance inside the fabric.• Locating temporary shelter centers within the fabric, such as green spaces, sports complexes, religious, and educational facilities.• Considering small emergency units, such as fire stations, in the central part of the fabric.• Creating and organizing a street network that facilitates rapid evacuation and emergency response inside the fabric.• Increasing permeability in high-traffic areas of the fabric’s key centers.• Designating special routes for emergency vehicles at the main square of the fabric.• Planning alternative routes for paths prone to blockage.• Widening narrow main streets inside the fabric to allow the passage of emergency vehicles.• Maintaining a 300-meter buffer zone around hazardous land uses (those with potential for explosion, fire, or toxic emissions) relative to key assets inside the fabric (corresponding to the blast radius of a 2000-pound TNT bomb).• Relocating military land uses (excluding law enforcement such as police stations) outside the fabric. Vacated military sites should be repurposed as brownfields to address crisis management service shortages in the fabric.• Reducing obstruction, especially in the traditional market.• Educating residents of the fabric on necessary actions during crises, including engaging market merchants through building trust with the Cultural Heritage Organization of the city.• Reducing activity density in highly congested centers, with emphasis on the core of the fabric. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_731573.html Extended English Abstract IntroductionThe intensification of global risks, particularly pandemics like COVID-19, has positioned urban resilience as fundamental concepts in urban planning and design, especially at the neighborhood scale. The COVID-19 pandemic not only challenged public health but also exposed critical vulnerabilities in conventional urban planning paradigms, necessitating a re-evaluation of mechanisms for urban recovery, resilience. This research was conducted to identify various urban planning factors influencing the resilience of neighborhoods in Tehran and to explain the components for enhancing their resilience during and after a pandemic. The study addresses a significant gap in the literature by proposing a comprehensive, integrated model that considers socio-cultural, economic, physical, environmental, and institutional-managerial dimensions specific to the local context of Tehran, moving beyond fragmented approaches found in previous studies..MethodologyThis applied developmental research employed a descriptive-analytical approach. The methodology involved several stages. First, an extensive review of domestic and international literature on neighborhood resilience was conducted to identify initial factors. Subsequently, these factors were refined using the Delphi method through multiple rounds of consultation with a panel of 46 urban experts and specialists. Based on the identified components, a questionnaire was designed and distributed to the same panel of experts for data collection. The collected data were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with Principal Axis Factoring (PAF) extraction and Promax rotation in SPSS software. The reliability of the constructs was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and sample adequacy was measured with the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) index and Bartlett's test of sphericity. The final analysis aimed to identify latent dimensions and construct a comprehensive model of urban planning components affecting neighborhood resilience in Tehran.Results and discussionThe findings revealed that all five predefined dimensions demonstrated excellent reliability (Cronbach's alpha > 0.90) and acceptable sample adequacy (KMO > 0.7). The EFA results indicated that the socio-cultural, economic, environmental, and institutional-managerial dimensions were single-factor constructs. In contrast, the physical-accessibility dimension was identified as a two-factor construct.Socio-Cultural Dimension: This single factor, explaining 71.989% of the variance, encapsulates eight variables loading onto a unified concept termed "Social Capital and Collective Cohesion," with key loadings on "Cultural Responsibility and Social Norms" (0.915) and "Community Preparedness and Response Capacity" (0.913).Economic Dimension: This single factor, explaining 71.616% of the variance, represents "Economic Stability and Justice," with high loadings on "Economic Opportunity and Business Resilience" (0.922) and "Insurance, Financial Support, and Safety Nets" (0.900).Physical-Accessibility Dimension: This was a two-factor structure (cumulatively explaining 75.376% of the variance). Factor 1, "Spatial Quality and Safety," included variables like "Infrastructure and Smart Systems" and "Safety and Transmission Control." Factor 2, "Accessibility and Spatial Organization," comprised "Urban Form and Land Use" and "Mobility and Transportation."Environmental Dimension: This single factor, explaining 69.462% of the variance, termed "Environmental Sustainability and Health," had the highest loading on "Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity" (0.878).Institutional-Managerial Dimension: This single factor, demonstrating the highest reliability (α=0.957) and explaining 79.840% of the variance, represents "Effective Governance and Strategic Management," with the strongest loadings on "Planning, Policy, and Risk Integration" (0.937) and "Performance, Accountability, and Crisis Management" (0.931).The discussion contextualizes these findings within existing literature. The single-factor structures align with studies emphasizing the integrated nature of resilience and safety concepts (e.g., Cheshmeh Zangi et al., 2023; Afrin et al., 2021). The critical distinction of the physical dimension into two factors challenges traditional one-dimensional views and underscores the necessity of addressing both spatial quality and accessibility simultaneously for effective resilience and safety planning, resonating with findings from Boeing & Ha (2024) and Fan et al. (2023). The strong consensus on the institutional-managerial dimension highlights its perceived role as the cornerstone for implementing effective resilience and safety strategies during crises, corroborating research by Rönkkö et al. (2022) and Tayebi et al. (2022).ConclusionThis study successfully developed a comprehensive framework for enhancing neighborhood resilience in Tehran against pandemics, comprising 5 main dimensions and 6 core components (considering the split in the physical dimension). The model conclusively demonstrates that urban resilience are multifaceted and intertwined concepts that require a holistic and integrated planning perspective. The most significant insight is the differentiation within the physical dimension, revealing that high accessibility does not automatically confer high resilience if spatial quality are compromised. Accordingly, practical recommendations for each dimension are provided, including strengthening community-based programs, expanding insurance coverage and economic nets, simultaneous planning for spatial quality and accessibility, developing green infrastructure, and enhancing institutional transparency and participatory planning. For future research, testing this model in diverse neighborhoods of Tehran, ranking neighborhood resilience levels, and conducting qualitative studies to deepen the understanding of the interactions between the identified components are suggested. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_728076.html The undeniable influence of soil-structure interaction on the behavior of structures, along with the increasing importance of explosive loads in the current global security context, has led to the modeling and sensitivity analysis of the effects of distance and explosive loads on concrete structures. In this study, three types of structures with 3, 7 and 15 stories were investigated. ETABS and ABAQUS software were used, with ETABS for the design of structural elements and ABAQUS for the analysis of soil-structure interaction effects. The results showed that increasing the distance of the explosion from the structure significantly reduces the force generated by the explosion, while increasing the weight of the explosive materials increases the applied force. However, the effect of distance is more pronounced compared to variations in TNT weight. The input energy and the induced displacements in the structures showed a significant correlation with the blast force. In all three structures studied, increasing the distance or decreasing the weight of the explosives resulted in reduced energy and displacement. In addition, increasing the number of stories significantly increased the displacements, with the 15-story structure experiencing greater displacement and energy absorption compared to the other structures. The damage pattern also varied; for example, in the 3-story structure, damage was observed primarily in the upper floors, in the 7-story structure, in the middle floors, and in the 15-story structure, in the lower floors. Maximum displacement occurred in the upper floors of the 3-story structure, the middle floors of the 7-story structure, and the lower floors of the 15-story structure. Overall, this study demonstrates a significant relationship between input energy, induced displacements, and explosive force in all three structures. The samples investigated in this study include three concrete medium moment frame structures: low-rise (3-story), mid-rise (7-story), and high-rise (15-story), under different conditions with and without consideration of soil-structure interaction. In order to evaluate the effect of soil-structure interaction on the behavior of concrete frames according to seismic regulations, three models were designed and categorized into 3, 7, and 15-story groups. Each of these three groups was analyzed and designed as a three-dimensional model using Etabs software. The distance between the explosion and the structure significantly affects the magnitude of the applied force, with the force decreasing sharply as the distance increases. The table below shows models S1 through S7 and the distances of a 100-kilogram explosive from the structure. The results of the analysis of models S1 through S7 are presented and discussed. In these models, the impact of a 100-kilogram TNT explosion on the middle floor of a 7-story building is applied at various distances between the center of the explosion and the building. It is observed that increasing the explosion distance significantly reduces the resulting displacement, with a particularly sharp decrease. It is also evident that increasing the blast distance beyond 1 meter results in a dramatic reduction in the stress exerted on the structure. Then, one frame of the designed models was simulated in ABAQUS software and its performance under two conditions-with and without soil-structure interaction-was evaluated by comparing parameters such as maximum roof displacement, bearing capacity, and stress among the models. Urban development is increasing construction demand due to limited space and high costs. High-rise buildings are popular due to hard-soiled sites, which constitute a significant portion of existing structures. Iran's location necessitates consideration of all possible scenarios. This article begins with an introduction to concrete moment frames on hard soils, including explosive loading. The second section discusses previous research and the theoretical foundations of methods for analyzing these systems. The third section presents the finite element method, ABAQUS software, and response validation. The fourth section discusses the results of designing and analyzing finite element models of 3-, 7-, and 15-story structures against explosion loads. This section ends with general findings and recommendations for future research. The main findings of this research can be summarized as follows: Increasing the number of stories results in significantly larger displacements, with the 15-story structure exhibiting more displacement and energy absorption than the other structures. The blast load spectrum is applied to the structure in two phases: compression and tension. Although the absolute magnitude of the tensile force in the blast spectrum is much smaller than the force in the initial compression phase, it is observed that after the completion of the compression phase, significant damage occurs during the reverse pressure phenomenon in the blast. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_732039.html IntroductionFacades in Iranian cities are at once aesthetic mediators, environmental interfaces, cultural signifiers, and policy targets. Yet Persian-language academic discourse about facades remains dispersed across design, technology, heritage, and governance literatures. This extended abstract reports a systematic, interpretive review of Persian-language scholarship on “facade” over roughly the past two decades, synthesizing patterns of concern, evidence, and argument across 121 peer-reviewed articles retrieved from national databases (SID and MagIran). We coded and organized the corpus into five analytic dimensions—(1) aesthetics and form, (2) performance and environment, (3) meaning and identity, (4) experience and society, and (5) law and policy—to answer four guiding questions: What topics dominate facade research in Persian-language scholarship? How have conceptualizations of facade evolved over time? Which methods and metrics are most frequently employed, and with what limitations? What design and policy implications emerge for a more integrated, human-centered and evidence-based facade practice? A concise version of this scope appears in the journal template and is expanded here.MethodologyWe conducted an interpretive systematic review in three phases. First, we compiled records from SID and MagIran using controlled Persian keywords and Boolean strings covering facade, envelope, elevation, double-skin, kinetic, identity, urban image, regulation, and committee. Second, we screened titles/abstracts and full texts against inclusion criteria (peer-reviewed Persian-language research articles with explicit focus on facade at the scale of the building or street wall) and exclusion criteria (purely structural studies without facade implications; non-scholarly reports). Third, we applied directed qualitative content analysis using a codebook derived from canonical facade functions and Iranian urban design debates. Each article was coded into one or more of the five dimensions. Cross-checking among coders resolved disagreements and ensured consistency. Descriptive mapping tracked topical salience; interpretive memos captured recurring arguments, implicit assumptions, and contributions. The synthesis below aligns with the extended-abstract format required by the journal.Results and discussionAesthetics and form emerged as the dominant strand. Many articles foreground compositional order, proportion, rhythm, material expression (especially brick), and visual coherence at building and street scales. Historical–comparative papers document transformation of ornament and tectonic expression from Qajar to Pahlavi to contemporary contexts, often reading facade as a legible surface within an urban “elevation” sequence. A recurrent concern is “visual clutter” (aghteshash-e basari) from ad-hoc mixtures of forms, colors, and appendages; several contributions propose operational indices for evaluating facade readability and streetscape consistency. Performance and environment are addressed less frequently but with growing depth in later works. Studies on double-skin, kinetic, bio-integrated, and photovoltaic facades report reductions in solar gains, daylight control, and opportunities for natural ventilation, noting climate-sensitive trade-offs in Tehran, Bushehr, Rasht, and other Iranian climates. Even where visual focus dominates, several papers tie brick screens, recessed openings, balconies, and semi-open thresholds (eyvans) to shading, view control, and privacy—hybridizing aesthetic judgment with microclimatic performance. Simulation-based investigations exist, yet systematic life-cycle evaluation and cost–benefit analyses remain rare.Meaning and identity form a second major cluster. Facades oscillate between vernacular continuity (material, geometry, proportion, privacy) and globalized, prestige styles. Many authors treat facade as a bearer of cultural symbols and a public signal of social status. Post-revolution debates critique eclectic “journalistic” or neo-classical veneers as symptomatic of identity crisis, while others argue for reinterpretations of local archetypes (e.g., brick lattices, screened balconies, courtyard frontage) compatible with contemporary techniques. Experience and society studies position the facade as an interface shaping perception, comfort, and sense of place. Comparative studies show architects parse composition while citizens link facade to daily quality of life—light, views, privacy, legibility, and calm. Classed taste (zelā’egh-e tabaghati) and conspicuous expenditure drive ornate imagery, while user studies highlight how facade legibility and material warmth support attachment to place and social cohesion. These findings underscore the value of user-centered metrics—visual comfort, privacy, wayfinding, and perceived order—in facade assessment.Law and policy contributions analyze municipal facade committees, regulatory texts, and implementation. Committees raise awareness and improve minimum quality, yet qualitative criteria, discretionary judgments, weak legal standing, and limited enforcement blunt impact and sometimes suppress creativity. Authors call for participatory, transparent, evidence-based decision-making integrating user feedback and environmental performance. Temporal reading suggests an arc from historically anchored, norm-seeking analyses toward more techno-environmental and user-centric framings. Newer studies (including kinetic/bio-facades and data-driven evaluation) treat the facade as a multifunctional system rather than a stylistic mask, linking aesthetics to comfort, energy, ecology, and experience. This trajectory strengthens the case for a convergent research–practice agenda where beauty, performance, and identity are pursued as coupled objectives rather than trade-offs. Four actionable implications emerge: (1) adopt multi-criteria facade scorecards weighting form/identity, environmental performance, safety, and user perception equally; (2) institutionalize “perceptual requirements” in approvals (user testing for legibility/visual calm; daylight–glare checks); (3) privilege climate-appropriate solutions—shading, controllable double skins, optimized local materials—evaluated over full life cycles and costs; and (4) redesign committee processes for transparency, participation, and neighborhood-specific design guides in historic and identity-sensitive areas.ConclusionThis review maps, for the first time in English, the scope and character of Persian-language facade research over two decades. While aesthetics and form dominate, substantive strands in performance/environment, meaning/identity, experience/society, and law/policy are gaining coherence. The trend is a gradual shift from historical and prescriptive discourses to participatory policy-making and data-informed design—aligning facade scholarship with Iranian cities’ multi-scalar demands. Practically, our synthesis argues for a facade agenda that (i) measures what matters to users (comfort, calm, privacy, legibility), (ii) couples environmental and cultural performance (climate-fit envelopes that read locally), and (iii) modernizes governance (clearer, evidence-based criteria; open committee procedures; neighborhood guides). Future work should extend the corpus with quantitative meta-analyses, longitudinal studies, and comparative regional research across Iran’s diverse climates and cultures. By connecting beauty, utility, and identity, facade practice can move from ad hoc taste and piecemeal regulation to a civic project that is human-centered, climate-responsible, and culturally resonant. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_728169.html Analysis of the Impact of Double-Skin Facade Materials on Energy Optimization in Solar Residential Buildings Designed for Cold Mountainous ClimatesThis research investigates the impact of double-skin facade (DSF) materials on optimizing energy consumption in solar residential buildings situated in cold mountainous climates. Given the climatic challenges of these regions, such as low temperatures and cold winds, the application of DSF systems is gaining attention as a sustainable strategy to reduce energy consumption and enhance thermal comfort. This study addresses how the selection of appropriate materials within DSFs can contribute to minimizing energy use and improving the thermal performance of buildings in this specific climate.A primary challenge in residential buildings within cold mountainous areas is the high energy consumption driven by the constant need for heating. Building envelopes designed without considering climatic architectural principles often lead to increased energy loss and reduced heating system efficiency. Consequently, optimizing facade design and utilizing appropriate building materials for exterior envelopes can significantly decrease energy demand. The DSF system, as an efficient sustainable design solution, facilitates a better balance between heat gain and loss. However, a comprehensive understanding of how different materials used within this system impact energy reduction specifically in cold mountainous climates is lacking, underscoring the need for this investigation.The primary objective of this research is to examine the influence of materials used in DSFs on reducing energy consumption in solar residential buildings designed for cold mountainous climates. The study aims to provide scientifically-backed recommendations for selecting optimal materials for double-skin envelopes to achieve energy savings while ensuring occupant thermal comfort . Key research questions explored include: What passive design strategies can enhance the thermal performance of residential buildings in cold mountainous climates? Which materials are most suitable for DSFs to minimize winter heat loss while preventing summer overheating? How can building orientation and form be optimized to mitigate negative effects of cold winter winds and reduce urban heat island effects in summer? What is the typical energy consumption pattern in conventional residential buildings in these areas, and how can DSF implementation optimize it?The methodology employs energy simulation using specialized software, namely EnergyPlus and DesignBuilder. Key variables analyzed include the properties of DSF materials (type, thickness, structure, thermal absorptivity/emissivity), building orientation, solar radiation levels, and specific climatic conditions. These factors were assessed for their impact on building energy consumption and internal thermal comfort conditions. Additionally, the performance of four distinct double-glazed window types (standard double-glazing, double-glazing with 4mm and 6mm panes, vertical shaft window, and an integrated window system) was evaluated using the PMV (Predicted Mean Vote) thermal comfort index and heat exchange rate analysis Simulation results demonstrate that buildings incorporating DSFs exhibit lower energy consumption compared to conventional buildings. The extent of energy reduction is contingent upon the specific materials employed in the facade layers and the overall system design. The findings indicate that strategic material selection can effectively control heat exchange between the interior and exterior environments, thereby reducing the need for heating in winter and cooling in summer. Buildings utilizing DSFs showed a marked reduction in heating demand while simultaneously improving thermal comfort conditions .In essence, the DSF system contributes to reduced heating loads during winter and helps regulate internal temperatures during summer. The choice of materials and meticulous design significantly influence its optimal performance. These findings align with previous research, confirming the potential effectiveness of DSFs as a sustainable solution in cold climates. Research limitations include potential constraints in simulation data availability and the inherent accuracy limitations of software models .The outcomes of this study offer valuable insights for architects and designers aiming to optimize energy performance and create sustainable buildings in challenging climates. Utilizing optimal materials within DSFs can substantially decrease energy consumption in residential buildings located in cold mountainous regions. Specifically, materials possessing high thermal insulation properties and appropriate solar energy absorption capabilities demonstrate the greatest potential for minimizing winter heat loss and preventing excessive indoor temperature increases in summer. Furthermore, optimizing building orientation and integrating natural ventilation strategies can further enhance thermal performance. It is concluded that DSF implementation plays a significant role in energy reduction and thermal comfort improvement. Further research focusing on optimizing the thickness and combination of materials within DSFs is recommended. Architects designing solar buildings for cold climates are strongly encouraged to consider the integration of double-skin facades . https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_732042.html IntroductionIn recent decades, tourism has been recognized as a key driver of sustainable urban development, with its economic, social, and cultural impacts well-documented. Music, as an indicator of urban identity and lifestyle, plays a unique role in cultural tourism and can serve as a catalyst for visitor-centered experiences. Sanandaj joined UNESCO’s Creative City of Music network in 2019, but challenges such as declining museum visits, poor communication, and a lack of multifunctional event spaces have hindered the full utilization of its cultural assets. Furthermore, urban safety considerations have not been systematically integrated into the design of music-based tourism experiences.We ask:What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of Sanandaj’s music-based urban tourism?Which operational strategies can leverage strengths/opportunities while mitigating weaknesses/threats?Contributions: (i) Localization of the Creative City of Music framework to Sanandaj; (ii) Translation of SWOT into place-based, TOWS strategies (governance, infrastructure, events, education, services, branding); (iii) A policy agenda for municipal authorities, the private sector, and civil organizations.MethodologyThis research utilized a qualitative descriptive–analytical design. Data were collected through documentary review, field observation, and 10 semi-structured expert interviews from various fields, including urban planning, architecture, music, and tourism. Thematic analysis was integrated with a SWOT/TOWS framework to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Based on expert judgment, indicators for the Creative City were prioritized (Very High, High, Indirect/Long-term) and used to weight strategic decisions. Event-safety elements—such as capacity, crowding, lighting, egress, and host training—were coded as a cross-cutting dimension across all analyses. Validity was reinforced through independent coding checks and feedback from external experts. This comprehensive approach allowed for the identification of strategic choices and the development of strategies for enhancing musical tourism in Sanandaj, with a clear focus on event safety and visitor experience quality.Results and discussionUsing the Creative City of Music framework, the gap between “cultural and spatial assets” and “creating real visitor experiences” in Sanandaj is identified as follows: where music flows as the city’s language in place storytelling and event safety is integrated, the experience economy emerges. Key indicators such as cultural identity, event diversity, museums, and hosting quality help activate demand. The path from “asset” to “experience” passes through four layers: creative capital, places and infrastructure, policy and participation, and branding and experience.Museums and urban heritage need reevaluation. Although sites like the Kurdish House and Meshir Divan House offer cultural “assets,” visitor numbers show the link between “historical asset” and “visitor experience” is weak. Museums should become narrative hubs where Sanandaj’s music flows, creating peak moments in the experience. Along with this, visitor safety, from capacity to emergency routes, is an essential part of the experience quality.Findings show that city capacity can be grouped into thematic clusters. For example, in the natural cluster, spaces like parks haven’t yet become venues for open-air performances. Standardizing sound, lighting, safety, and crowd management in these spaces is a strategic priority. Similarly, event-driven clusters need stable events with set dates, advanced ticket sales, and improved safety protocols to turn them into “travel drivers.”In the religious cluster, auditory cultural experiences designed with safety in mind attract new audiences. The Sanandaj Music Story Route with multilingual QR codes increases interaction while ensuring safety. Additionally, accommodations need to connect more with musical experiences by offering event-experience packages that include safety standards.The research also emphasizes the need for a unified system across governance, infrastructure, and experience design, aiming for a sustainable and culturally-driven tourism model.ConclusionThis study aims to develop strategies for urban tourism in Sanandaj based on its musical identity. As Iran’s first UNESCO Creative City of Music, Sanandaj holds rich cultural assets but faces challenges in transforming them into a compelling tourism experience—such as limited event spaces, weak digital marketing, and insufficient accommodation capacity.Using SWOT analysis and qualitative themes, a strategic package was designed across four groups (SO, ST, WO, WT), including Nature–Music Corridors, Storytelling Routes, Night-time Economy Development, Multilingual Destination Portal, Event Support Funds, and Quality Accommodation Certification. Each strategy is linked to key performance indicators for continuous monitoring and improvement.Effective development requires alignment across four layers: creative capital (artists, skills, networks), infrastructure (venues, accessibility, safety standards), governance (cross-sector collaboration, unified event licensing), and branding (place-based storytelling, multilingual marketing). Event safety and environmental comfort are core components of the visitor experience.Ultimately, through smart experience design, infrastructure enhancement, and modern marketing, Sanandaj can transform its UNESCO title from a symbolic label into a driver of sustainable urban development, where music becomes the language of the city. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_728178.html Port resilience to various threats such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, supply chain disruptions, and cyberattacks depends on effective passive defense strategies. These strategies include strengthening infrastructure with disaster-resistant design, establishing early warning systems and crisis management plans, training and preparing personnel, diversifying supply sources and logistics chains, and deploying advanced security systems to counter cyber and terrorist attacks. Disruptive events are increasingly challenging the operations and infrastructure of ports around the world, emphasizing the need for resilience programs to maintain operational continuity during crises. Passive defense, as a preparedness to deal with various natural and unnatural disasters and accidents, is an approach that can enhance port resilience. The aim of this paper is to identify and explain the drivers of resilience with respect to the passive defense approach. In this regard, the DEMATEL multi-criteria decision-making method has been used to achieve the aforementioned goal, and to demonstrate its effectiveness, a case study for Chabahar Port, as a sensitive port in the country, focusing on various stakeholders, has been presented. The findings show that the highest and lowest rankings of the main drivers of resilience in Chabahar Port include flexibility and information security, respectively. Also, the highest and lowest ranking of sub-drivers are respectively related to the crisis management group from the main driver of agility and energy resource redundancy from the main driver of redundancy. These results provide practical and applicable implications for specific port operations and provide a clear path for implementing resilience strategies.Extended Abstract: Introduction, The maritime supply chain is crucial for international trade, with approximately 80% of global transport handled by sea. However, this chain has become increasingly vulnerable due to the high interdependence among stakeholders. Within the chain, ports serve as essential components that link maritime and inland operations. Nevertheless, port operations are prone to damage from human activities, natural events, or disasters. Therefore, any disruption in port operations can lead to severe socio-economic crises and affect stakeholders. In this context, key drivers and strategies that enhance resilience are vital for the efficient development of port operations. Furthermore, prioritizing these factors and comprehensively understanding their complex relationships is of utmost importance. Allocating resources during a crisis is crucial, as sudden resource shortages can create problems with the necessary capacity in terms of expertise, space, and available financial resources. Achieving resilience in a system necessitates prioritizing factors that positively influence resilience by creating a hierarchical structure.Methodology,The aim of this paper is to identify and explain the drivers of resilience regarding the passive defense approach. In this context, the DEMATEL multi-criteria decision-making method has been employed to achieve the stated goal and to demonstrate its effectiveness. A case study of Chabahar Port, a sensitive port in the country, is presented with a focus on various stakeholders. The primary objective of this method is to identify the most critical relationships between variables and to construct an access and antecedent matrix. It is important to note that this matrix will be used as input for further assessments.Results and discussion, The location of ports along the coastline exposes them to direct threats and enemy naval attacks. Therefore, the development of the country's ports, which is crucial for urban and economic development, requires passive defense measures to reduce the vulnerability of these vital centers and prevent any interruptions to the country's economic cycle in the event of threats. Passive defense methods in ports have been considered at different times based on available resources and needs, proving effective in their respective contexts. These defensive measures are vital and necessary to protect ports, especially those that are sensitive, vital, and strategic. The study conducted on Chabahar Port, which is the only sensitive port in the country, indicates that the driver of "communications and chain of contacts" has the highest impact, while the driver of "crisis management teams" also demonstrates significant influence. Furthermore, the drivers of "crisis management teams" and "communications and chain of contacts" have the highest interaction with other sub-drivers, whereas the drivers of "redundancy of energy resources and redundancy of critical work equipment" show the lowest interaction. The analysis of the importance and impact of the main drivers at this port reveals that flexibility ranks the highest and information security ranks the lowest.Conclusion, The findings show that the highest and lowest rankings of the main drivers of resilience in Chabahar Port are flexibility and information security, respectively. Also, the highest and lowest rankings of the sub-drivers are related to the crisis management group of the main driver of agility and energy resource redundancy of the main driver of redundancy, respectively. These results provide practical and applied implications for port operations and provide a clear path for implementing resilience strategies.Keywords: Resilience, DEMATEL, Multi-Criteria Decision Making, Sensitive Ports, Port Operations. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_732141.html IntroductionBalancing citizens’ social lives and fostering a peaceful urban environment are essential components of creating a human-centered city. In this context, pedestrian axes play a fundamental role in enhancing social livability. Today, the vibrancy of urban public spaces is considered one of the most important indicators of quality of life in cities. Pedestrian streets, as key social intersections, can inject excitement and vitality into central urban areas, encourage voluntary public engagement, and ultimately contribute to the sustainability of urban centers. This research aims to examine the role of pedestrian axes in promoting social interactions, a sense of place, and urban tourism. Functional organization of mobility and public space to improve the quality of life, health and accessibility of urban areas. The impacts of car traffic on the livability of cities and neighborhoods in terms of safety, air, noise, as well as in terms of consumption and quality of public and pedestrian space in particular are directly addressed. In the meantime, the sidewalk is one of the most important urban spaces and public arenas in cities. It is important to find that the excessive development of urban physical space, the increase in public and private vehicles and the environment have brought about a detrimental effect on the city structure. The program, the creation of workable environments becomes an important strategy to advance human development goals in cities. Social interactions in public spaces are citizens' only revenge against the adverse effects of urban life. Urban public spaces are the shock absorbers of adversity and mental and physical stress.Public spaces are the savior and hope of contemporary machine cities, which all urban science experts and managers have reached a consensus on in implementing strategies for providing and developing public spaces. Pedestrian interactive axes can free citizens from the captivity of technology and lead citizens to public spaces.MethodologyThis study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach and is applied in nature. Data were collected through field studies, including questionnaires and direct observation. Additionally, documentary and library research was conducted to extract indicators related to social interactions and livability. The statistical population comprises all citizens of Tabriz, with a sample size of 384 individuals determined using Cochran’s formula. Sampling was conducted randomly among citizens present along the Tarbiyat Pedestrian Axis. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software, employing ANOVA and T-tests to assess the status of each component.Results and DiscussionUrban prosperity and livability are influenced by multiple factors. One significant contributor to social livability in the Tabriz metropolis is the pedestrian infrastructure—particularly the Tarbiyat Pedestrian Axis, which is notable for its historical character and long-standing presence. The findings of this study indicate that the Tarbiyat Axis plays a meaningful role in enhancing social interactions among citizens. Furthermore, the study explores the axis’s impact on residents’ sense of place attachment. Results show a positive and significant relationship between the pedestrian environment and increased place attachment among Tabriz citizens, who report feelings of safety, vitality, and identity when present in this space. In today’s fast-paced world, individuals seek environments that reflect their identity and provide a sense of belonging. Public spaces like the Tarbiyat Pedestrian Axis fulfill this need. Beyond fostering social interaction and place attachment, the axis also plays a vital role in attracting both domestic and international tourists. Evaluations highlight the area’s historical architecture, preserved facades, diverse urban elements, and a wide array of commercial centers as key factors contributing to its popularity, making it one of the most visited areas in Tabriz.ConclusionThe study confirms a positive and significant impact of the Tarbiyat Pedestrian Axis on enhancing the spatial belonging of Tabriz citizens. The space fosters a sense of security, vibrancy, and identity. Analysis of variables such as social interaction, spatial belonging, and tourism—disaggregated by gender—reveals that only the correlation between gender and spatial belonging is statistically significant. Notably, women report a higher sense of spatial belonging to the Tarbiyat Pedestrian Axis compared to men.FundingThere is no funding support.Authors’ Contribution Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.Conflict of Interest Authors declared no conflict of interest.AcknowledgmentsWe are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_732296.html Extended Abstract: Introduction The rapid increase in urban population, the physical expansion of cities, and the increasing dependence of people's lives on transportation networks have made the issue of urban safety, especially in the field of citizen transportation, one of the main concerns of urban managers and planners. Like many large cities in the country, Urmia faces issues such as high traffic density, lack of road safety infrastructure, risky driver behavior, and poor monitoring of transportation flow. These challenges not only lead to an increase in traffic accidents and loss of life and property but also reinforce the feeling of insecurity and a decrease in the quality of life among citizens. Urmia, as one of the metropolises in the northwest of the country, faces serious challenges in the field of transportation safety and sustainability with rapid horizontal growth, increased dependence on private cars with a share of more than 69 percent in the transportation structure, and the concentration of traffic in central areas. This situation, in addition to threatening the quality of life and urban security, despite the city's potential capacities in developing public transportation and pedestrian-oriented spaces, doubles the need for a serious review of transportation policies and their relationship with safe city components. Despite a significant volume of research in the field of urban transportation management, few studies have purposefully examined the relationship between safe city components and transportation policies, especially in medium-sized and smaller cities such as Urmia, which face their challenges. Most of the existing studies have an analytical approach focused on metropolises and have not used a descriptive-analytical approach with case analysis at the local level. The goal of this research is to determine how Urmia's urban transportation management policies can evaluate safe city components.MethodologyThis research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of implementation. The statistical population of this research consists of the citizens of Urmia City, with a population of 1,040,565 people. To determine the sample size, the standard Cochran formula with an error level of 5 percent was used, based on which 383 people were obtained as the final sample size. This method, which is known as a valid tool in research, ensures that the selected sample has the necessary ability to reflect the characteristics of the target population and that the results of the research can be generalized to the entire statistical population. A closed questionnaire with a Likert scale with 26 items is used to collect the required data. The validity of the questionnaire will be confirmed by several experts in the field of urban management and transportation, and its reliability will be measured by calculating the Cronbach's alpha coefficient using SPSS software. The quantitative data collected will be subjected to statistical analysis (including descriptive and inferential statistics) using SPSS software. Also, SEM structural equation analysis will be used with the help of Smart PLS software to test the research hypotheses and examine the relationships between variables.Results and discussionAccording to the results, the calculated t-values between all independent and dependent variables in the model are greater than 1.96 and are significant at the 95% level, so that the physical component has the highest rank and the economic component has the lowest rank in the safe city components. The test can also be applied to continuous data (distance or relative), but their ranking is also taken into account when calculating this data.According to the results of the Friedman test of the ranking of the items of the economic component, since the significance level is equal to 0.000 and is reported to be smaller than the standard error level of 0.05, it can be inferred that the average acquired rank of each of the items of the economic component is statistically significantly different from each other. This means that the item "Paying attention to economic infrastructure can help improve the labor market in the region" received the highest ranking, while the item "Costs related to transportation management should be considered with special care in urban planning" received the lowest ranking among the items of the economic component.ConclusionBased on the findings of the present study, the evaluation of safe city components within the framework of urban transportation management policies in Urmia shows that all economic, physical, socio-cultural, and environmental components are in a favorable state. The average scores of these components are above average (3) and are statistically significant. In particular, the physical component with the highest average (3.697) and composite reliability (0.937) was identified as the most influential dimension, while the economic component with an average of 3.381 was assigned the lowest rank among the components. These results indicate that transportation management policies in Urmia, especially in the area of physical and environmental infrastructure, have been able to help improve urban safety. The findings of this study are consistent with the results of domestic and foreign studies. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_732654.html IntroductionAir pollution is recognized as one of the most critical environmental and public health challenges of contemporary urban life. In megacities such as Tehran, rapid population growth, uncontrolled urban expansion, the widespread use of private vehicles, and the aging public transport fleet have intensified this crisis. Every day, more than seventeen million trips take place within the city, and over 2.4 million vehicles contribute substantially to air and noise pollution. Statistical reports indicate that the transport sector accounts for over eighty percent of mobile pollutant sources in Tehran, directly linked to increased respiratory diseases, premature deaths, and considerable social and economic costs. Both national and international studies emphasize that the transition toward clean and sustainable transportation is not only an environmental necessity but also a prerequisite for sustainable urban development. However, achieving this goal is impossible without broad and active citizen participation in planning, decision-making, and operating public transport systems. This research was conducted with the main objective of identifying and explaining the components influencing the establishment of clean transportation in Tehran, with particular emphasis on the pivotal role of public engagement, using Sherry Arnstein’s participation ladder as the theoretical framework.MethodologyThis study is applied in nature and employed a descriptive–survey design. The statistical population comprised 300 managers, officials, and experts working in Tehran’s municipal transport and traffic organizations, including the Tehran Municipality and the Tehran Metro Company. Based on Cochran’s formula, a sample of 166 respondents was selected. Data collection was conducted using a researcher-developed questionnaire, whose content validity was confirmed by experts, and reliability was assessed through Cronbach’s alpha (0.80), indicating acceptable internal consistency. For data analysis, SPSS (version 23) was used for preliminary statistical tests, while LISREL (version 8.5) supported structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis. This methodological approach enabled a detailed examination of the relationships between citizen participation levels and the environmental, economic, and social indicators of clean transportation development.Results and DiscussionThe results demonstrated that the role of citizen participation varies across different dimensions. In the environmental dimension (R² = 0.77), reducing air pollutants through lower per capita CO₂ and greenhouse gas emissions (mean 4.45±0.22), mitigating noise pollution (4.18±0.45), and reducing water pollution (4.04±0.92) were identified as top priorities. Here, a combination of partial participation (awareness, consultation, consensus) and full participation (partnership, empowerment, control) yielded the most effective outcomes. In the economic dimension (R² = 0.71), indicators such as reducing daily commuting time, improving accessibility to employment opportunities, and lowering travel costs were better explained through passive and partial participation, as major economic interventions often require large-scale governmental and private sector investment beyond the immediate control of citizens. In the social dimension (R² = 0.79), factors such as enhancing transport safety, improving accessibility for pedestrians and people with disabilities, and facilitating access to cultural and historical sites were most significant. In this area, once again, a balanced combination of partial and full participation emerged as the optimal approach. Overall, the findings indicate that citizen participation is not a single-layer phenomenon but a dynamic, multi-level process, requiring differentiated strategies tailored to each dimension.ConclusionThe analysis of the findings indicates that the development of clean transportation in Tehran is not achievable without recognizing and enhancing the role of citizens. In the environmental and social dimensions, raising public awareness, strengthening the sense of responsibility, and creating conditions for genuine citizen participation through partnership and empowerment are the main drivers of success in reducing pollution and improving urban quality of life. In contrast, the realization of economic indicators in clean transportation relies less on direct citizen involvement and more on large-scale investments and structural decisions made by government and private sector actors. Overall, the study concludes that a balanced and integrated strategy, which simultaneously addresses environmental, social, and economic dimensions, is the key to achieving clean and sustainable urban transportation in Tehran. Such an approach requires the promotion of public awareness and education, the cultivation of social trust, and the institutionalization of participatory mechanisms that enable citizens to play an active role in planning and monitoring. Furthermore, it is recommended that urban policymakers prioritize the modernization of the public transport fleet with electric and low-emission vehicles, expand pedestrian and cycling infrastructure with an emphasis on safety, and adopt intelligent traffic management systems to mitigate peak-hour congestion. Designing financial and legal incentives to attract private sector investment, strengthening the role of non-governmental and community-based organizations, and integrating land-use planning with transport policies are also crucial measures. Implementing such a multidimensional and participatory approach can pave the way for significant reductions in air pollution, improvements in safety and social equity, and progress toward a healthier and more sustainable urban future for Tehran. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_733871.html Introduction The oil, gas, and petrochemical sector constitutes the backbone of Iran’s economy and is characterized by large-scale, capital-intensive projects that require rigorous planning, effective management, and systematic safety assurance. Among the most critical phases of such projects is equipment procurement, which plays a decisive role in ensuring operational safety, technical reliability, cost efficiency, and timely project delivery. Due to technical complexity, international sanctions, economic volatility, and the diversity of specialized equipment, inadequately secured procurement processes may lead to financial losses, safety incidents, quality degradation, schedule delays, and disruptions during commissioning and operation.The Bidboland flare gas recovery project, located in Khuzestan Province and recognized as the largest gas refinery in West Asia, represents a strategic national initiative aimed at capturing flared gas, reducing environmental pollution, and enhancing petrochemical production capacity. Although the refinery has a designed processing capacity of approximately two billion standard cubic feet of gas per day, it currently operates at nearly 40% capacity due to feedstock limitations. The recovery and transmission of associated gas from surrounding oil fields are essential for achieving full operational capacity. Given the strategic importance, scale, and complexity of this project, ensuring a safety-oriented equipment supply chain is crucial, as any disruption in procurement directly affects project cost, schedule, quality, and commissioning safety.Previous studies emphasize the importance of proactive and structured approaches to securing equipment procurement in large industrial projects. Research has shown that insufficient attention to procurement safety can result in cost overruns, delays, and serious safety incidents (Peck & Kowaruska, 2013; Adafin et al., 2016; El-Redy, 2012). More recent studies highlight procurement challenges related to supplier reliability, equipment authenticity, logistics constraints, sanctions, and financial instability, underscoring the necessity of systematic safety-oriented procurement management in oil and gas megaprojects (Abdulameer & Haron, 2022; Forough et al., 2020; Wang & Liu, 2022; Zein & Hassan, 2022).Accordingly, the present study aims to identify the key components affecting the safety of the equipment supply chain in the Bidboland flare gas recovery project and to propose practical managerial and preventive strategies for enhancing procurement safety. The study seeks to address two main questions: (1) What are the critical factors influencing safety-oriented equipment procurement in the project? and (2) Which managerial and preventive measures can effectively enhance procurement safety and reliability?BackgroundSafety-oriented procurement management refers to a systematic process of identifying, evaluating, and controlling potential disruptions in the equipment supply chain to ensure technical compliance, quality assurance, operational safety, and project continuity (ISO, 2019; Zhang et al., 2021). In large-scale oil and gas projects, equipment procurement is a strategic function due to specialized technical requirements, financial exposure, logistical complexity, and external constraints such as sanctions and market volatility (Farooq et al., 2020; Abdulameer & Haron, 2022). Ensuring procurement safety involves supplier qualification, verification of technical specifications, quality inspections, logistics supervision, and continuous monitoring of supply chain performance to prevent the use of substandard or non-compliant equipment (Hosseini et al., 2019; Zein & Hassan, 2022). Key dimensions influencing procurement safety include technical and quality aspects, financial and currency conditions, logistics and commercial arrangements, contractual and legal frameworks, political and sanctions-related constraints, and compliance with safety standards. Effective management of these dimensions enhances overall project safety, quality, cost control, and schedule performance (Farooq et al., 2020; Wang & Liu, 2022).According to PMBOK (2021) and ISO 31000 (2019), systematic identification and evaluation of procurement-related uncertainties—through data collection, environmental analysis, expert consultation, document review, classification, and continuous updating—form the foundation for safety-oriented decision-making in complex projects.MethodologyThis study is applied in purpose and qualitative in methodology. A thematic analysis approach was employed to identify concepts, patterns, and themes related to safety-oriented equipment procurement in the Bidboland flare gas recovery project. Data were collected through document review, analysis of project reports, and semi-structured interviews with project managers, technical supervisors, and procurement specialists selected via purposive sampling. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Interview transcripts were analyzed through three stages of coding: open coding to extract initial concepts, axial coding to categorize related concepts, and selective coding to identify core themes associated with procurement safety. Expert judgment was used to assess the probability and impact of identified procurement disruptions using a five-point scale. The resulting priority indices were calculated and used to classify components into low, medium, and high safety-priority levels. The research process was aligned with ISO 31000 guidelines and PMBOK standards to ensure methodological rigor and applicability to industrial oil and gas projects.FindingsThe analysis led to the identification of 35 components affecting the safety of equipment procurement in the flare gas recovery project. These components were structured in cause–effect relationships and evaluated in terms of probability and impact. Based on expert assessment, 23 components were classified as having high safety priority, indicating a critical need for managerial attention and preventive action. For each high-priority component, appropriate safety-oriented strategies were formulated to enhance procurement reliability and project safety.Results and discussionThe findings demonstrate that safety-oriented management of equipment procurement is strongly influenced by coordination among project stakeholders, quality control mechanisms, supplier reliability, logistical planning, and external economic and regulatory conditions. The proposed strategies—derived from expert experience and best practices in similar industrial projects—emphasize preventive planning, enhanced quality assurance, supplier evaluation, contractual clarity, and continuous monitoring of procurement activities. Implementing these strategies can significantly reduce financial and human losses, improve equipment quality, and prevent schedule delays. Overall, adopting a structured and safety-oriented approach to equipment procurement contributes to improving the safety, efficiency, and timely execution of large-scale flare gas recovery projects.ConciusionThe results of this study provide a practical and systematic framework for enhancing safety-oriented equipment procurement in oil and gas projects. The identified components and proposed strategies can support managerial decision-making, improve supply chain resilience, and promote sustainable and safe project execution. The framework developed in this research can be applied to similar industrial projects, particularly in the context of flare gas recovery initiatives. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_732788.html IntroductionThis article offers a comparative urban-architectural reading of post-war reconstruction in Khorramshahr (Iran) and Dresden (Germany). We posit that successful recovery hinges on three intertwined vectors: (i) urban-fabric continuity and legibility (Historic Urban Landscape—HUL), (ii) heritage-based governance and decision-making (HBUR), and (iii) the re-assembly of social–spatial–economic life (Assemblage Urbanism). The contribution is twofold. Conceptually, we braid these frameworks into a single evaluative lens that distinguishes “repair” from true “reanimation” of place. Methodologically, we operationalise that lens with an auditable rubric that reads beyond façades to governance routines, public-realm performance, and everyday use. Khorramshahr and Dresden are deliberately contrasted: both suffered extensive destruction and population dislocation, yet diverged in institutional capacity, financing tools, and conservation culture. By juxtaposing emblematic projects in both cities, the study clarifies why certain interventions—despite substantial construction—fail to restore sense of place, while others rebuild morphology and meaning in tandem. The argument advanced here is that reconstruction becomes regeneration only when design control, civic participation, and programmatic activation move in step with physical works; absent that synchrony, new squares and buildings remain spatially isolated and socially underperforming.MethodologyThe research is applied, descriptive–analytical, and comparative. Sources include official reconstruction reports, planning documents, archival maps, and pre/post-war aerial and street imagery. Textual data were open-coded in ATLAS.ti and aggregated into themes aligned with the three axes (HUL, HBUR, Assemblage). The coding scheme captured, among others, street-network continuity, skyline/height discipline, frontage coherence, public-space quality, existence of heritage-value maps, stakeholder participation and design review, ground-floor activity, event-readiness, and narrative/identity cues. To translate qualitative insights into comparable appraisals, six representative projects were evaluated with a transparent five-point rubric (0–4) and theoretical weights: in Dresden—Neumarkt Square, Frauenkirche, and Rampische Strasse; in Khorramshahr—Motahhari Square, the Grand Mosque, and the War Museum in Kuye-e Taleghani. For each project, axis-specific scores were combined into a weighted mean; project means were then averaged at the city level to enable cross-context comparison. This evaluative lens is deliberately conservative: it penalises good-looking but disconnected objects, rewards coherent edge-making and pedestrian connectivity, and gives explicit credit to processes (participation, design review, citizen fundraising) that build legitimacy and social capital. To mitigate bias, coding relied on converging evidence from multiple documents and time-stamped imagery; where necessary, field notes from observers familiar with Dresden’s programme added descriptive nuance. While no large-N surveys were undertaken, the method prioritises traceable criteria and portability: the rubric can be replicated in other post-conflict settings with minimal adaptation to climate and governance context.Results and discussionResults reveal a marked performance gap. Khorramshahr’s weighted mean across projects is 1.6/4, whereas Dresden’s reaches 3.6/4. The largest shortfall in Khorramshahr lies in HUL—fragmented street networks, irregular building lines and heights, and incomplete edge-making around key public spaces. Assemblage scores are also modest: limited ground-floor vitality, delayed population return, and weak programming of public life. HBUR deficiencies—absence of a citywide heritage-values map and inconsistent design review—further depress outcomes by allowing piecemeal decisions and façade inconsistencies. By contrast, Dresden’s Neumarkt demonstrates controlled façade reassembly, height discipline, and public-realm coherence that invite lingering and ritualised use; Frauenkirche exemplifies critical restoration anchored in archival evidence and broad civic fundraising, transforming a singular monument into a civic anchor; Rampische Strasse shows consistent grain, rhythms, and mixed uses conducive to neighbourhood life. In Khorramshahr, Motahhari Square remains an underperforming new insertion rather than a historically anchored urban knot; the Grand Mosque’s stepwise restoration has not been matched by an integrated public-space design to re-stitch the surrounding fabric; the War Museum does activate memory yet lacks fully continuous spatial connections and sustained socio-economic catalysts in its catchment. Interpreted through the tripartite lens, Dresden succeeded not merely because more money was spent or because a stronger archive existed, but because evidence-based design control, civic participation, and programmatic activation were sequenced and mutually reinforcing. Where governance created a shared script—value mapping, façade/height control, and open review—morphology and meaning re-emerged together. Where governance defaulted to delivery-focused construction without shared criteria for edges, fronts, and uses, space was produced but place remained weak.ConclusionThe comparison indicates that moving from minimal physical reinstatement to full urban reactivation requires synchronising three agendas: fabric continuity and coherent frontage design (HUL), inclusive and heritage-literate governance with design review and citizen finance (HBUR), and social–economic programming that animates streets and squares (Assemblage). Dresden’s pathway—phased plans, evidence-based reconstruction, façade control, and public participation—reconstituted both morphology and meaning, restoring sense of place alongside cultural and visitor economies. For Khorramshahr, three priority actions follow directly from the findings: first, prepare a citywide heritage-values map and institute design-review mechanisms to align materials, heights, and fronts along identity corridors; second, deliver continuous edge-making and pedestrian connectivity around Motahhari Square and the Grand Mosque, complemented by lighting and urban furniture to enhance safety and legibility; third, deploy cultural and market-based activators—neighbourhood events, local commerce, and ground-floor incentives—around the War Museum and adjoining streets to accelerate population return and everyday use. Implemented together and monitored with the same rubric, these steps can shift Khorramshahr from patchwork rebuilding to participatory, multi-scalar regeneration, aligning physical restoration with identity recovery and socio-economic resilience while offering a replicable template for other post-conflict cities. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_733468.html Results and discussionEnvironmental aesthetics is the experience of understanding the environment through the examination and study of the perceptual quality of space, a space that is not merely visual. Valuable urban spaces from an environmental aesthetics perspective include: Exposure to nature, the presence of sustainable plants, the absence of traffic and noise pollution, the presence of natural places, the preservation of natural resources, creating a positive feeling in the individual by observing hygiene and cleanliness, inducing a sense of peace, arousing a sense of aesthetics, spatial organization such as clarity and lighting, coordination and organization of elements, appropriate location, attention to social and historical characteristics. In addition, there have been bans in various countries under the name of urban aesthetic control, including; Signage restrictions, height restrictions, overall coordination of buildings, off-street parking and loading areas, specific landscape elements required, percentage of open space required, Review of volume and mass, materials and texture, color and finish, style and character, maximum and minimum building and parking lot sizes, visual regulations, air pollution, underground utility requirements, percentage of site designated for landscaping, silhouette or cross-section review, facade clarity review, public art, etc. Environmental aesthetics is the experience of understanding the environment through the examination and study of the perceptual quality of space, a space that is not merely visual. Analyzing the meaning of symbols in an image can make the transmission of graphic design information more scientific, more precise, and increase the expression techniques that are applicable in the field of artistic creation and graphic design and play a vital role in culture and information between people. Symbols in semiotics are systematic symbols that people use to convey meaning. A symbol in graphic design, as a non-verbal sign, has many similarities to linguistic symbols. Patterns contain symbols and act as a powerful medium for expressing cultural identity, religious values, and geographical diversity. The feeling of security in urban spaces is considered one of the most important indicators of the quality of space, and conversely, the feeling of insecurity and the concerns arising from it overshadow other human activities. Although security is a complex issue with diverse and numerous socio-economic and cultural dimensions, the role and impact of environmental factors should not be overlooked in ensuring this. Security has always been considered one of the most fundamental needs and one of the main factors in the sustainability of human societies, and with the increasing complexity of societies, the conditions for providing and resolving it have also become more complex.ConclusionAs a sample, 12 urban graphic works of Mashhad and the motifs used in them were examined and studied, based on the type of motif, to the extent possible and the time allowed for discussion. The results of this study show that there are many commonalities between pre-Islamic and post-Islamic motifs in Iran. Based on the research objectives, the history of the formation of motifs in Iran is classified into early motifs, ancient motifs, and Islamic motifs, and the motifs used in the graphics of Mashhad can be classified into various types: plant, human, animal, abstract, composite, written, and geometric motifs. The present study explains that the images used in Mashhad's urban graphic works are not used solely for decoration, and the majority of them have a valuable historical and cultural background in Iran, so that one can understand the fascinating roots and significant connection of prehistoric images with Islamic images. In addition, the presence of the shrine of Imam Reza (AS) and the proximity of Ferdowsi's tomb, etc., have a significant impact on the selection of content and concepts of Mashhad's urban art. In response to the third question, the results indicate the significant role of cultural, artistic, economic, and social security of urban spaces in the creation and protection of urban graphic works and the transmission of the concepts of Iranian motifs before and after Islam to other generations. Environmental graphic works, as signs of visual language in messaging, convey the message to the audience in the shortest possible time. In the foundations of urban aesthetics, the most important factors in the value of urban spaces are the presence of valuable works of art, safety and security, and the manifestation of cultural, social, and historical characteristics in urban spaces, which increase the aesthetic values of the city, as well as improving the visual level of urban spaces and creating interactive and memorable spaces that have a significant impact on the audience. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_732959.html The 12-day war between the United States and the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran can be considered a decisive turning point in the conceptual evolution of modern technology-based wars. Unlike conventional wars of the twentieth century that relied heavily on physical confrontations, territorial occupation, and traditional weapons systems, this conflict illustrated a new paradigm in which multiple layers of technology converge to form an integrated battlefield. This hybrid war represented a sophisticated combination of military and civilian instruments, physical and virtual domains, as well as hardware and software tools, thereby demonstrating that the boundary between traditional warfare and technologically enabled conflict has become increasingly blurred. The war underscored that power in the twenty-first century is no longer defined solely by tanks, missiles, and troops but by the ability to integrate cyber networks, artificial intelligence, electronic systems, and cognitive strategies into a coherent and coordinated campaign.In this confrontation, advanced technologies were deployed in a phased and synergistic manner. Cyber operations targeted communication infrastructures, critical databases, and financial systems with the aim of creating disruption and uncertainty. Artificial intelligence tools enhanced surveillance, optimized decision-making, and facilitated autonomous functions in combat systems. Unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as drones, played dual roles in intelligence gathering and precision strikes, minimizing the need for direct human presence in hostile zones. Electronic warfare disrupted radar, communication frequencies, and navigation systems, thereby undermining situational awareness and reducing the effectiveness of traditional defense mechanisms. Most significantly, cognitive operations aimed at shaping public perception, influencing morale, and destabilizing social cohesion revealed that modern warfare is as much about narratives and psychological impact as it is about physical destruction. The combined effect of these tools created multidimensional pressure on Iran’s defense, economy, and society, highlighting the interconnectedness of various spheres of national security.The purpose of the present article is to conduct a technological analysis of this war using the qualitative content analysis method within a descriptive-analytical framework. This methodology allows for an in-depth exploration of how technologies were deployed, the logic underlying their sequencing, and the effects they produced in different domains. The research data encompass official documents, field reports, media outputs, and expert assessments, all examined through a comparative approach and content interpretation. By analyzing both open-source intelligence and expert insights, the study reconstructs the technological architecture of the conflict and identifies the mechanisms through which superiority was sought and contested.The findings indicate that technology-based warfare follows a purposeful and sequential logic. It typically commences with information gathering and precise surveillance of infrastructures. In the case of the 12-day war, the adversaries invested significant resources in reconnaissance, using satellites, drones, and cyber intrusions to map vulnerabilities and identify strategic choke points. Once a comprehensive situational picture was achieved, the conflict moved into the second phase, which consisted of cyber and electronic strikes aimed at weakening defense systems, interrupting logistics, and undermining economic stability. These operations did not operate in isolation but were synchronized with physical and cognitive measures, thereby amplifying their effectiveness. The final phase relied heavily on cognitive and psychological operations. Through targeted disinformation campaigns, manipulation of social media platforms, and symbolic military actions, the adversaries sought not only to consolidate battlefield achievements but also to project an image of dominance that could influence both domestic and international perceptions.This war revealed several important insights into the nature of future conflicts. First, new technologies will not merely serve as auxiliary tools but will constitute the central elements of contemporary and forthcoming battlefields. Their integration allows for simultaneous engagement across multiple domains, effectively multiplying the reach and impact of military operations. Second, the distinction between civilian and military spheres becomes increasingly difficult to sustain. Attacks on financial systems, energy grids, and communication networks illustrate how societies as a whole, rather than just armed forces, become the targets of technologically enabled conflicts. Third, the role of cognition and perception has grown in prominence, suggesting that wars of the future will be judged not solely by territorial gains or casualty counts but by the ability to shape narratives, maintain legitimacy, and influence international opinion.Understanding this emerging pattern is a strategic imperative. For states like Iran, which face technologically advanced adversaries, the lessons of the 12-day war underscore the urgency of redesigning national defense architecture to integrate cyber, electronic, and cognitive dimensions alongside traditional military capabilities. Enhancing the resilience of critical infrastructures, particularly in energy, communications, and finance, becomes central to national security. Equally important is the development of comprehensive strategies to build societal resilience, improve public awareness of cognitive manipulation, and strengthen long-term deterrence capacities.In conclusion, the 12-day war exemplifies the trajectory of modern conflict, where technology is not an adjunct but the very foundation of warfare. By analyzing this case, the article contributes to the broader academic and strategic understanding of how wars are evolving in the twenty-first century and provides insights that are essential for policymakers, defense planners, and scholars concerned with the future of security. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_741717.html Extended AbstractIntroductionCritical infrastructures such as power distribution, water networks, transportation control and emergency communications rely on embedded processors for monitoring and control, and these processors must remain functional when energy is scarce or supplied by backup sources. Hardware with very low power dissipation, small area and simple fabrication therefore supports infrastructure resilience. Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a transistor-less nanocomputing paradigm in which binary information is represented by cell polarization and propagated through Coulombic interaction without current flow, which makes it a promising candidate for such processors. The one-bit full adder is a key arithmetic block, because its area, delay and reliability directly influence ripple-carry adders, arithmetic logic units and other datapath structures. However, many compact QCA full adders achieve low cell counts only through multilayer crossings or rotated cells, which complicates fabrication. In our previous study, an optimized 12-cell three-input XOR (XOR3) gate based on half-distance placement and explicit cell interaction was proposed and verified by simulation and by a physical proof. The present study examines whether this gate can be turned, without structural change, into a complete single-layer, crossover-free full adder that remains competitive with recent designs. Its new contributions are the full-adder architecture and layout, the simulation results, the physical proof of the carry path and a systematic comparison with 2025–2026 designs.MethodologyThe logical architecture follows SUM = A ⊕ B ⊕ Cin and Cout = M(A, B, Cin). The XOR3 block of the earlier work is retained unchanged for SUM, while a three-input majority gate produces the carry. Inputs A and B reach the majority gate through two consecutive two-cell interconnections, a half-cell-shifted pair and a diagonal pair, each of which inverts the signal, so that both inputs arrive in their true form. The final layout contains 23 conventional, non-rotated cells (three inputs, two outputs and eighteen ordinary cells) in a single layer without wire crossings; five cells are assigned to Clock 0, nine to Clock 1 and nine to Clock 2. The circuit was simulated in QCADesigner 2.0.3 with the bistable engine (12,800 samples, convergence tolerance 0.001, radius of effect 65 nm, relative permittivity 12.9, clock high 9.8 × 10⁻²² J, clock low 3.8 × 10⁻²³ J, clock amplitude factor 2, 100 iterations per sample, 18 nm cells with 5 nm dots on a 20 nm pitch). Area was measured as the bounding rectangle of all cells, and latency was obtained from the number of clock zones between the inputs and the outputs. The carry path was further verified with the potential-energy method of Farazkish and co-workers, in which the Coulomb energy between electrons is summed for both polarization states of a cell and the lower-energy state is taken as the stable one.Results and discussionThe layout occupies 174 nm × 151 nm, i.e., 26,274 nm² ≈ 0.026 µm² (displayed by QCADesigner as 0.03 µm²). Since the inputs are in Clock 0 and both outputs in Clock 2, the latency is 0.5 clock cycle and the area–delay product is about 0.013 µm²·cycle. The waveforms confirm all eight rows of the full-adder truth table, with polarization magnitudes of about ±0.888 for SUM and ±0.881 for carry. The energy analysis shows that for A = 1, B = 1 and Cin = 0 the carry cell has a total potential energy of 22.09 × 10⁻²⁰ J in the logic-1 state and 31.80 × 10⁻²⁰ J in the logic-0 state, so logic 1 is stable; the same analysis yields the correct majority output for all eight input combinations. Compared with the 2026 planar design of Bhuvaneswari and Yuvaraj (36 cells, 0.04 µm², 0.75 cycle), the proposed adder uses 36.1% fewer cells, about 35% less area and a lower latency. Relative to the single-layer design of Abdullah-Al-Shafi (46 cells, 0.04 µm², 0.25 cycle), it halves the cell count and reduces the area by about 35%, but it is slower. The three-layer design of Seyedi and co-workers (21 cells, 0.02 µm², 0.5 cycle) and the 14-cell adder/subtractor of Majeed are more compact, although the former relies on a multilayer structure. The main advantages of the present design are thus its single-layer, crossover-free implementation with conventional cells, its strong output polarization and the direct reuse of a validated XOR3 gate, whereas its main limitations are the absence of energy-dissipation and fault-tolerance analyses.ConclusionA compact single-layer QCA full adder has been developed as a circuit-level continuation of the authors’ earlier three-input XOR research. The design uses 23 conventional cells, occupies 0.026 µm², has a latency of 0.5 clock cycle and produces strongly polarized outputs; its correct operation was confirmed both by simulation and by a physical energy analysis of the carry path. The circuit can serve as a building block for low-power, compact processing units in resilient critical-infrastructure systems. Future work should quantify energy dissipation with QCADesigner-E or QCAPro, study robustness against cell omission, displacement and temperature variation, and extend the design to multi-bit ripple-carry adders.Keywords: Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA), Full adder, Three-input XOR, Majority gate, Single-layer design, Critical infrastructure.FundingThis research received no specific funding. Authors’ Contribution Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none. Conflict of Interest Authors declared no conflict of interest. Acknowledgments We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_732977.html IntroductionNo society will achieve sustainable political and social security without intellectual and cultural security. The issue of the present research is the role of the physical-spatial structure of the city in the perception of cultural security by citizens. The research aims to achieve physical-spatial components effective in promoting cultural security. Shahroud city in Semnan province, as one of the medium-sized cities with favorable climatic conditions in the geographical area of central Iran, is located at the center of urban development, and the need to formulate physical-spatial rules and regulations in such cities where culture and cultural security can, like Shirazeh, heal the contemporary social life of cities is essential. Cultural security means preserving the specific identity of the society. That is, the reference of cultural security is identity, which means protecting the fundamental secrets of the survival and advancement of culture. Any event or process that has a destructive effect on traditional and sustainable patterns of language, culture, identity, and religious customs is an identity and cultural threat. The present research has investigated the definitions of cultural security and through the application of descriptive-analytical methods, has identified the components of cultural security. Despite numerous articles on cultural security, a review of the research background shows the importance of the research hypothesis and its scientific gap in the theoretical literature of architecture and urban planning.Data and MethodThe components of cultural security can be examined in 5 areas:• Attention to the principles of belief: Includes worship and worship and all activities carried out in order to perform religious duties.• Lifestyle: Includes a way of life based on dos and don’ts and derived from the rules and laws of life that arise from the requirements of reason, Islamic law, and custom.• Social traditions and rituals: Includes ceremonies, rituals, methods, and processes that express the way of activity and behavior in a specific area or a specific subject based on collective wisdom.• Historical achievements and civilization-building: Includes all accumulations and experiences that rely on the principle of completion and evolution achieved over time and are based on the internal development of a product and its perfection over time.• Positive influence from other cultures: Includes experiences that are consistent with the native culture that have emerged during cultural interactions.To conduct field studies, a research package questionnaire was prepared based on the explained indicators for the five components and made available to citizens online. The statistical sample of the present study is the citizens of Shahroud city, which, through the calculation of the Cochran formula, the statistical sample size is 384 people. The sampling method was carried out by random and irregular sampling method and by sending links to friends and acquaintances in different neighbourhood’s of the city. An attempt was made to distribute the questionnaire link in such a way that people from different neighbourhood’s had the chance to participate in the evaluation. Therefore, people were asked to make sure to provide the link to their friends from different neighbourhood’s. The questionnaire was made with a Likert spectrum and a 5-option scale, which is part of the questions related to the demographic information of the respondents. The validity of the questionnaire was examined by examining 25 relevant and concerned experts on the subject. The reliability of the questionnaire was examined through Cronbach's Alpha. The Cronbach's alpha value is 0.86, which indicates that the set of items (from all components) are generally consistent and homogeneous and can well measure the overall construct of security.Results and DiscussionAccording to the findings, cultural security in the case sample is at an average level. Of the 5 components of "belief principles", "historical achievements and civilization-building", "traditions and rituals", "positive influence from other cultures" and "lifestyle", the highest average score is related to "belief principles" and, conversely, the lowest average is related to "lifestyle". In examining the correlation between the components, there are positive and relatively strong relationships between the components. The standardized regression coefficients showed that the strongest relationship is between cultural security and positive influence from other cultures, and the weakest relationship is related to cultural security and belief principles. ConclusionThe present study demonstrates the city's strong capacity to explain cultural security and create a platform for realizing a desirable and ideal culture. Given the necessity of paying attention to culture and identity in contemporary Iranian urban planning, it is essential to pay more attention to the indicators of realizing cultural security in new urban developments. In light of the studies conducted, strategies for directing social activities in parks and public spaces, planning flexible spaces within neighbourhood’s, developing the concept of neighbourhood and neighbourhood-centricity, trying to socialize cities while paying attention to the social nature of neighbourhood’s in local culture, reviving traditional arts, promoting the role of public building courtyards as urban spaces, creating a platform for presence, respecting the elderly and disabled, and creating active social opportunities, paying attention to the social and cultural role of mosques and religious buildings in addition to their worship function, utilizing urban arts, and paying attention to the human dignity of space will be useful in strengthening cultural security in cities. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_733477.html IntroductionDue to its geographical location, climatic conditions and geological situation, Iran is considered one of the countries exposed to natural disasters in the world, and the historical records of various disasters, including floods, earthquakes, landslides and subsidence in its area, indicate the possibility of recurrence of severe disasters in the future. According to published statistics, Iran is among the 10 most disaster-prone countries in the world in terms of unexpected events. For this purpose, the aim of this study is to investigate and analyze the level of skill of citizens of the Shohada and Baharestan Payin neighborhoods of Saqqez in dealing with the natural hazard of earthquakes, in order to identify the skill status of citizens of selected neighborhoods of Saqqez and prioritize these factors using conventional methods and field surveys.Research MethodThis research is quantitative in nature and applied in purpose. On the other hand, since in this research we analyze and study the "position of earthquake risk management skills among citizens", it is a descriptive research. On the other hand, since in descriptive research the characteristics of the studied community can be evaluated through measurement, the present research is a measurement and applied research. In this research, in the first stage, theoretical discussions on the subject and literature of earthquake risk management will be collected and compiled with an emphasis on the role of skill. The historical research method has been selected based on the information provided in articles and library documents, and in addition, important and effective criteria and criteria in earthquake risk skills will be prepared and compiled, and the necessary and sufficient knowledge of the city has been acquired. After this, the required statistical and descriptive information has been obtained by referring to relevant departments and organizations and various city websites, questionnaires, and obtaining information from various individuals (neighborhoods under study), and the necessary results will be obtained and analyzed. In relation to the method and tool of collecting information regarding the status of skills among the citizens of Saqqez, the quantitative research method (using the questionnaire tool) and the documentary method (examining existing documents and records in this regard) will be used. In the documentary method, forms, administrative documents and letters, reports and articles of related institutions and organizations will be used, and in the field method, questionnaires, observation, and interviews with participation will be used.Discussion and findingsConsidering the population of the two neighborhoods of Shohada and Baharestan Payin, in order to ensure the generalizability of the results, the sample size was determined as 384 people through the Cochran formula and distributed among the target statistical population, including the citizens of the region and visitors, by simple random method. The data collection method was based on field observation and interviews. After reviewing the theoretical foundations related to the subject and extracting the most important indicators, the aforementioned questionnaire was designed as a researcher-made questionnaire in the form of closed, two-way, multi-way, rank-ordered and open-ended questions. The closed questions (49 questions) were designed in the form of five Likert scales (from very low to very high) in 6 dimensions: awareness and knowledge, skills, attitudes, social capital, intensity and ability to compensate for damages, and the context and relationships of institutional performance. After the above steps and receiving the respondents' feedback, the data was categorized using SPSS software and the average of each dimension was calculated. Then, according to the citizens' responses, the average of their responses was compared with the theoretical average of each item of the dimensions, and finally the results were analyzed with a one-sample t-test.In this part of the research, a one-sample t-test was used to examine and analyze the level of skill of the citizens of Saqqez city in dealing with the natural hazard of earthquakes. In this regard, it should be said that since the spectrum used in this research is a 5-scale Likert scale, the numerical value (3) has been assumed. Obviously, items whose average is above 3 are considered as a desirable situation, and otherwise they will be analyzed as an undesirable situation.ConclusionUnderstanding the terrain of the urban settlement and the morphodynamic characteristics of the slopes, as well as considering their high sensitivity to rapid changes in determining the process of urban physical development and dealing with potential hazards, can be very effective. In this regard, urban land use planning, by considering natural and terrain characteristics as well as historical events and examining seismic probabilities, can play a role in reducing vulnerability and preventing it. In fact, planning for the direction of urban land use requires access to very precise information that has been obtained through continuous surveys, part of which consists of data related to the tectonic characteristics of the city's settlement base and its uses. The location of many Iranian cities at the foot of slopes and the location of Quaternary fault trends on the border between mountains and plains is considered one of the bottlenecks in the expansion of the country's cities. Saqqez is also one of the cities that is partly located on a fault. The results of the final assessment of the skill dimensions of citizens in dealing with earthquake hazards in the two neighborhoods of Shohada and Baharestan Payin, while indicating differences in internal dimensions, show that Baharestan Payin has a better overall situation in terms of indicators and skill dimensions of dealing with earthquakes. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_733664.html Extended Abstract: Introduction The 2022 report from the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) shows a worrying increase in the frequency of global hazards, emphasizing the urgent need for accurate hazard prediction and risk assessment. Among natural hazards, the most important hazard that imposes numerous challenges and damages on cities is earthquakes. In other words, earthquakes are one of the most destructive natural events due to their unpredictability, the vastness of their impact area, and the physical, socio-economic, and psychological destruction they cause. Earthquakes can also cause psychological effects and mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. As a result, today's cities face increasing levels of uncertainty and vulnerability, especially to natural hazards such as earthquakes. Therefore, in order to face these hazards and other crises, the concept of urban resilience is becoming increasingly important. Resilience does not just mean returning to normal in the face of external changes; it also includes adaptation and reducing vulnerability. For this purpose, considering the importance of resilience in dealing with various hazards and crises, the present study was written with the aim of developing an effective resilience planning model against natural hazards with an emphasis on earthquakes in Tabriz metropolis. Methodology The research method in the present study is mixed in terms of type (quantitative and qualitative), applied in terms of purpose, and analytical and exploratory in nature. In this study, first, by reviewing theoretical texts and literature, as well as interviewing urban crisis management experts, the components of effective resilience planning against earthquake hazards based on international discourses were identified, and then, by questioning the sample size and utilizing structural equation modeling in Amos software, the effectiveness of each component was examined. Also, in order to formulate strategies and a desirable model for effective resilience planning for Tabriz metropolis against earthquake hazards, have been used the extracted components and their refinement in the dimensions of resilience (economic, social, cultural, physical, infrastructure, and institutional). At this stage, the method used is field research. It is worth noting that the statistical population of the study includes managers, officials, and academic elites in the field of urban crisis management, which due to the uncertainty of the number of the statistical population, the sample size was estimated using the Cohen method of 100. Results and discussion Based on the results obtained from the structural model, the most important components of effective resilience planning of Tabriz metropolis against earthquake hazards include preparedness-based planning, prevention-based planning, exposure-based planning, and reconstruction and empowerment-based planning, whose coefficients are 0.690, 0.605, 0.602, and 0.548, respectively. Among the sub-variables, the creation of integrated and educational structural organizations in the field of crises and how to prevent them, the formation of decision-making support and guidance systems to provide crisis preparedness strategies by benefiting from various expertise and public and institutional participation, the strengthening of collective diplomacy to participate with relevant institutions in order to face the crisis, and the creation of physical and non-physical enabling structures for optimal and effective action after the effects and results of the crisis are considered the most important components of effective resilience planning in Tabriz metropolis against earthquake risk, with coefficients of 0.785, 0.761, 0.744, and 0.727, respectively. Also, the final core model and category included governance based on policy review and the realization of an integrated organizational structure, institutional and social capacity building, revolving budgets, preparation of a basis for risk zoning, and early warning and recovery systems. Conclusion Tabriz metropolis is considered one of the seismically active cities in Iran, and the presence of active faults and high seismicity, especially in the northern part of the city, on the one hand, and the extensive dilapidated urban fabric and unstable buildings, high population density and infrastructure, as well as fundamental shortcomings in the management system, have made this city vulnerable to earthquake crises. For this purpose, it is necessary to take fundamental measures with an emphasis on comprehensive approaches such as resilience to face earthquakes. Based on the results of the research and on the principles of resilience proposed in various international discourses, city resilience planning is feasible in four stages and levels of prevention, preparedness, response, and reconstruction and empowerment. Also, integration of economic, social, cultural, physical, infrastructure, and institutional dimensions is mandatory in each of these stages. In other words, each level of urban resilience planning includes different dimensions, and comprehensiveness in planning these dimensions with the participation of all stakeholders is considered the main key to success in facing the earthquake crisis. Therefore, urban crisis management needs to provide the foundations for making the city resilient to various hazards, especially earthquakes, by creating integration in the management system and emphasizing a participatory approach, integrating different elements and dimensions in planning, separating interventions in different contexts and emphasizing local planning, promoting social and economic structures, and also modeling successful global examples and localizing them based on the principles emphasized in international discourses. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_733698.html Rapid urban population growth and the increasing demand for intensive land use have led to the widespread construction of incompatible structures within central urban areas, particularly in historic and deteriorating fabric, often disregarding contextual integrity and cultural identity. In this context, adopting an infill development approach that simultaneously preserves the historic fabric and enhances its functional and spatial capacities has become essential. This study aims to identify the key components and criteria of infill development, with an emphasis on contextual adaptation, and to propose infill-based strategies for the regeneration of the historical fabric of Kahforoushan Square in Tabriz. The research adopts an applied, descriptive–analytical methodology based on a case study approach, utilizing both documentary library sources and field observations. Following the formulation of a conceptual model encompassing physical, functional, economic, and legal dimensions, the identified criteria were analyzed using a weighted SWOT model to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the area. The findings indicate that the historical fabric of Kahforoushan Square falls within the defensive quadrant of the SWOT framework. Accordingly, defensive strategies were proposed, focusing on preserving authenticity and historical coherence, mitigating functional deficiencies, resolving conflicts of development-related legal frameworks, and strengthening the local economy through cultural tourism-oriented initiatives.Rapid urban population growth and the increasing demand for intensive land use have led to the widespread construction of incompatible structures within central urban areas, particularly in historic and deteriorating fabric, often disregarding contextual integrity and cultural identity. In this context, adopting an infill development approach that simultaneously preserves the historic fabric and enhances its functional and spatial capacities has become essential. This study aims to identify the key components and criteria of infill development, with an emphasis on contextual adaptation, and to propose infill-based strategies for the regeneration of the historical fabric of Kahforoushan Square in Tabriz. The research adopts an applied, descriptive–analytical methodology based on a case study approach, utilizing both documentary library sources and field observations. Following the formulation of a conceptual model encompassing physical, functional, economic, and legal dimensions, the identified criteria were analyzed using a weighted SWOT model to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the area. The findings indicate that the historical fabric of Kahforoushan Square falls within the defensive quadrant of the SWOT framework. Accordingly, defensive strategies were proposed, focusing on preserving authenticity and historical coherence, mitigating functional deficiencies, resolving conflicts of development-related legal frameworks, and strengthening the local economy through cultural tourism-oriented initiatives.Rapid urban population growth and the increasing demand for intensive land use have led to the widespread construction of incompatible structures within central urban areas, particularly in historic and deteriorating fabric, often disregarding contextual integrity and cultural identity. In this context, adopting an infill development approach that simultaneously preserves the historic fabric and enhances its functional and spatial capacities has become essential. This study aims to identify the key components and criteria of infill development, with an emphasis on contextual adaptation, and to propose infill-based strategies for the regeneration of the historical fabric of Kahforoushan Square in Tabriz. The research adopts an applied, descriptive–analytical methodology based on a case study approach, utilizing both documentary library sources and field observations. Following the formulation of a conceptual model encompassing physical, functional, economic, and legal dimensions, the identified criteria were analyzed using a weighted SWOT model to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the area. The findings indicate that the historical fabric of Kahforoushan Square falls within the defensive quadrant of the SWOT framework. Accordingly, defensive strategies were proposed, focusing on preserving authenticity and historical coherence, mitigating functional deficiencies, resolving conflicts of development-related legal frameworks, and strengthening the local economy through cultural tourism-oriented initiatives.Rapid urban population growth and the increasing demand for intensive land use have led to the widespread construction of incompatible structures within central urban areas, particularly in historic and deteriorating fabric, often disregarding contextual integrity and cultural identity. In this context, adopting an infill development approach that simultaneously preserves the historic fabric and enhances its functional and spatial capacities has become essential. This study aims to identify the key components and criteria of infill development, with an emphasis on contextual adaptation, and to propose infill-based strategies for the regeneration of the historical fabric of Kahforoushan Square in Tabriz. The research adopts an applied, descriptive–analytical methodology based on a case study approach, utilizing both documentary library sources and field observations. Following the formulation of a conceptual model encompassing physical, functional, economic, and legal dimensions, the identified criteria were analyzed using a weighted SWOT model to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the area. The findings indicate that the historical fabric of Kahforoushan Square falls within the defensive quadrant of the SWOT framework. Accordingly, defensive strategies were proposed, focusing on preserving authenticity and historical coherence, mitigating functional deficiencies, resolving conflicts of development-related legal frameworks, and strengthening the local economy through cultural tourism-oriented initiatives. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_733772.html IntroductionCyberattacks are one of the primary threats to all types of communication networks, particularly in the industrial sector. Cyberattacks against the industry can affect managers, such as phishing attacks, or threaten communication and network infrastructures, including malware. Cyberattacks against the industry can include a wide range of activities, including botnets, malware, ransomware, phishing, and DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks. Oil infrastructures, with the aim of sustainable development, require intelligent mechanisms to deal with cyber attacks. Today, various cyberattacks are carried out against the infrastructures of oil-producing countries, which reduce the production and exploitation of oil and gas fields. In other words, one of the industries that these attacks can severely impact is the oil and gas industry, as it holds a significant share of a country's economy. Cyberattacks can hinder sustainable development in oil fields; therefore, providing approaches to detect attacks on oil infrastructure is crucial for maintaining stability.MethodologyIntrusion detection systems can detect cyber attacks by analyzing network traffic to oil infrastructure. One approach that can be used to detect attacks against oil fields is to use artificial intelligence techniques such as deep learning and swarm intelligence. Deep learning methods can detect the occurrence of cyber attacks by analyzing communication network traffic in oil and gas fields and issue the necessary warning. Although deep learning methods for detecting cyber attacks are efficient, they have several challenges that impair their performance. The imbalance between the two classes of attack and regular traffic in the training dataset, the lack of intelligent feature selection, and the inability to extract spatial and temporal features from network traffic are some of the challenges faced by artificial intelligence and deep learning methods in detecting cyber attacks on oil and gas fields. In this paper, a hybrid approach based on a CNN neural network and BiLSTM with GAN network theory is presented for the cyber defense of oil fields. In the proposed approach, the deep learning architecture of a GAN is utilized to generate hostile attacks. The role of GAN is as an artificial intelligence and deep learning approach to balance datasets and create sophisticated attacks, thereby increasing the ability of the cyber defense system to face zero-day and new attacks. In the second stage, three strategies — XGBoost, Chi-square (Chi2), and RF — are employed for group feature selection. The CNN neural network is then combined with BiLSTM to analyze complex spatial and temporal features in detecting cyber attacks. The combination of two deep learning neural models, CNN and BiLSTM, enhances the intrusion detection system's ability to detect cyber attacks.Results and discussionTo evaluate the cyber defense system, a real PLC-based network and a dataset related to simulating attacks on oil and gas companies are used. Evaluations show that the proposed method for detecting cyber attacks on oil and gas fields achieves an accuracy, sensitivity, and precision of 99.95%, 99.91%, and 99.94%, respectively, in the PLC1 dataset. In the PLC1 dataset, the proposed method is also more accurate than the RF, NB, DT, KNN, and SVM methods. Evaluations showed that the proposed method outperforms the LSTM, BiLSTM, MS1DCNN, and MS1DCNN+BiLSTM in detecting cyber attacks. The proposed method has a more accurate ability to detect cyber attacks due to proper balancing. The proposed method achieves accuracies of 99.88%, 99.82%, 99.67%, 99.43%, and 99.05% in detecting attacks, DoS, Code Execution, Scanning, MITM, and Port Scanning, respectively. The proposed method achieves the highest accuracy in detecting DoS attacks, and the evaluations also indicate that most attacks against oil and gas fields are of the DoS type. The EfficientTransformer method competes with the proposed method in detecting DoS cyber attacks, and the evaluations show that CNN-LSTM competes with the proposed method in executing code attacks. The training time of the proposed method is 218 seconds, which is less than that of the EfficientTransformer, LSTM, ResNet, RNN, DNN, and CNN-LSTM methods. This reduction is attributed to the feature selection in the proposed method, which results in a decrease in the number of input dimensions.ConclusionOilfield development appears largely infeasible without addressing the regular cyberattacks carried out against oil infrastructure. Deep learning methods, such as CNN and LSTM, are prominent examples of artificial intelligence techniques that can be used to analyze network traffic and detect cyberattacks. The use of hybrid feature selection methods yields the selection of higher-quality features for network traffic detection, utilizing CNN and BiLSTM artificial intelligence tools. The use of a GAN-based deep learning architecture in the proposed method enables it to detect unknown cyberattacks with greater accuracy. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_734039.html IntroductionUrban areas are increasingly exposed to natural disasters due to rapid population growth, spatial concentration of infrastructure, and intensified climate-related hazards. As a result, urban resilience has emerged as a critical concept in regional and urban planning, aiming to reduce vulnerability and enhance the capacity of cities to absorb, adapt to, and recover from disruptive events. Urban resilience goes beyond merely returning to pre-disaster conditions and emphasizes adaptive learning, institutional flexibility, and long-term sustainability. In disaster-prone regions, understanding resilience at sub-national scales is particularly important, as spatial disparities in socio-economic, infrastructural, and institutional capacities strongly influence disaster outcomes.Kurdistan Province, located in western Iran within the Zagros mountain range, is characterized by complex topography, dispersed settlements, and varying levels of development across its counties. The province has experienced multiple natural hazards in recent decades, including earthquakes, floods, and landslides, resulting in significant human, economic, and infrastructural losses. Despite these recurring events, comprehensive assessments of resilience at the county level remain limited. Existing studies often focus on single hazards or emphasize vulnerability rather than resilience as a multidimensional and dynamic capacity.This study aims to assess and compare the level of resilience of counties in Kurdistan Province against natural disasters over three time periods (1996, 2006, and 2016) using the Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities (BRIC) model. The main objectives are: (1) to identify key resilience indicators applicable at the county level based on data availability; (2) to analyze temporal changes in resilience across counties; and (3) to classify counties into resilience groups to support evidence-based regional planning. Accordingly, the research addresses the following questions: How has the level of resilience in Kurdistan counties evolved over time? Which counties exhibit higher or lower resilience capacities? What structural patterns can be identified to guide future resilience-oriented policies?MethodologyThis research is applied in nature and adopts a descriptive–analytical approach. The conceptual framework is based on the BRIC model, which conceptualizes resilience as a multidimensional construct encompassing social, economic, institutional, infrastructural, community, and environmental dimensions. Due to data constraints at the county level, a set of 20 indicators consistent with the BRIC framework was selected using official census and statistical data for the years 1996, 2006, and 2016.Data analysis was conducted in several stages. First, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was applied to identify underlying resilience dimensions and assign weights to the selected indicators. The suitability of the data for factor analysis was confirmed through the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) test and Bartlett’s test of sphericity. Principal Component Analysis with Varimax rotation was used to extract and interpret factors. Based on eigenvalues and scree plot analysis, four major factors explaining a substantial proportion of variance were retained.In the next stage, standardized factor scores were used as inputs for cluster analysis. The K-means clustering method was employed to classify counties into distinct resilience groups for each time period. This approach enabled a comparative assessment of spatial and temporal resilience patterns across the province. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software.Results and discussionThe results of the exploratory factor analysis revealed four dominant resilience dimensions, reflecting combinations of social services and infrastructure capacity, emergency and health facilities, demographic and employment characteristics, and economic participation and social cohesion. These dimensions collectively represent the multifaceted nature of resilience and highlight the interdependence between physical infrastructure and socio-economic conditions.Cluster analysis classified the counties into three resilience levels: low, medium, and high resilience. The findings indicate a clear temporal improvement in overall resilience across Kurdistan Province. In 1996, most counties were concentrated in the low-resilience cluster, reflecting limited infrastructure, weaker institutional capacity, and lower access to essential services. By 2006, an intermediate pattern emerged, with several counties transitioning into the medium-resilience group.In 2016, resilience levels improved noticeably, with the majority of counties classified as moderately or highly resilient. Sanandaj, the provincial capital, consistently ranked highest across all three periods, benefiting from better access to healthcare, education, infrastructure, and economic opportunities. In contrast, counties such as Bijar and Divandareh repeatedly appeared in the low-resilience cluster, indicating persistent structural disadvantages and slower development trajectories.The observed trends suggest that investments in public services, infrastructure expansion, and socio-economic development have contributed to enhanced resilience over time. However, the uneven distribution of these improvements underscores the importance of place-based and context-sensitive resilience planning. Without targeted interventions, existing disparities may continue to reproduce vulnerability in less-developed counties.ConclusionThis study provides a longitudinal and spatially explicit assessment of urban and regional resilience against natural disasters in Kurdistan Province using the BRIC framework. The findings demonstrate that resilience is not static but evolves over time in response to development policies, infrastructure investment, and institutional capacity building. While overall resilience has increased between 1996 and 2016, significant inter-county disparities remain.The results highlight the necessity of integrating resilience indicators into regional planning and disaster risk management strategies. Policymakers should prioritize counties with consistently low resilience by strengthening emergency services, improving infrastructure, promoting economic diversification, and enhancing community participation. Moreover, adapting the BRIC model to local socio-cultural and environmental contexts can improve its effectiveness as a planning tool.By offering a systematic and comparative resilience assessment, this research contributes to the growing body of literature on disaster resilience in developing and hazard-prone regions. The methodological framework and findings can inform future studies and support evidence-based decision-making aimed at reducing vulnerability and fostering sustainable regional development.FundingThere is no funding support.Authors’ Contribution Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.Conflict of Interest Authors declared no conflict of interest.AcknowledgmentsWe are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_734774.html A B S T R A C TIn recent years, the perception of architectural space has increasingly been examined through the interaction between sensory inputs and cognitive processes, supported by neuropsychological evidence. However, the existing body of literature remains fragmented and lacks an integrative framework capable of synthesizing dominant patterns in this field. This study employs a systematic review methodology to analyse the sensory and cognitive components influencing architectural space perception and the neuropsychological measures used to assess them. A structured search was conducted in Scopus and Web of Science, and after applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 44 peer-reviewed research articles were selected for analysis. Data were extracted using a standardized form and examined through thematic analysis across four main axes.The findings indicate that sensory components of architectural perception can be organized into five major clusters—visual, auditory, tactile–thermal, olfactory/air-quality, and kinaesthetic–embodied—which systematically interact with cognitive constructs such as legibility and wayfinding, spatial complexity, meaning and identity, memory, evaluative judgment, and cognitive load. The analysis of recurring patterns across studies demonstrates that the quality of these interactions shapes key outcomes, including psychological restoration, emotion regulation, variations in cognitive performance, sense of place formation, and spatial behavioural patterns.At the theoretical level, three dominant families—environmental and restorative psychology, phenomenology and embodiment, and cognitive neuroscience—provide explanatory foundations for understanding sensory–cognitive integration. By synthesizing dispersed findings, this review proposes an integrated conceptual framework for architectural space perception that supports the development of multisensory design, human-centred architecture, and evidence-based design strategies.IntroductionPerception of architectural space is increasingly understood as the outcome of intertwined sensory and cognitive processes rather than a purely visual response to form and façade. Over the past two decades, advances in environmental psychology, phenomenology and cognitive neuroscience, together with new tools such as virtual reality, eye-tracking and EEG, have generated a rapidly growing but fragmented body of research on how built environments affect attention, emotion, memory, wayfinding and well-being. Despite this expansion, there is still no coherent map of which sensory and cognitive components are most frequently studied, how they are operationalised, and which theoretical and methodological frameworks underpin this work. Addressing this gap is essential for moving from scattered case studies to evidence-based, human-centred and multisensory architectural design.MethodologyThis study adopts a systematic review methodology to identify, classify and synthesise empirical research on the sensory and cognitive components of architectural space perception, with a particular focus on studies using neuropsychological and physiological measures. A structured search was conducted in the Scopus and Web of Science databases on 20 October 2025, using combinations of terms related to architectural space and built environment, spatial perception constructs (e.g. wayfinding, legibility, complexity, coherence) and neurophysiological or psychophysiological indicators (e.g. EEG, fMRI, fNIRS, eye-tracking, galvanic skin response, heart rate variability, cognitive load). No temporal restriction was imposed in order to capture the full evolution of the field.Inclusion criteria required that studies (a) were empirical, peer-reviewed journal articles with full text available in English or Persian; (b) focused explicitly on the perception of architectural or urban spaces, whether real, simulated (e.g. VR) or represented (images, videos, renderings, models); (c) involved human participants; and (d) reported at least one sensory–cognitive outcome, measured either through validated self-report instruments or objective neurophysiological and behavioural indicators. Excluded were purely theoretical or review papers, studies on non-architectural stimuli (e.g. artworks, products, landscapes without built form), animal studies, and sources with insufficient methodological detail.The initial search returned 19 records in Web of Science and 22,022 in Scopus. After filtering by subject area, document type, language and source type, 3,113 records remained. Titles and abstracts were screened against the inclusion criteria, leading to the selection of 44 articles for full-text review and qualitative synthesis. Data were extracted using a standardised form capturing bibliographic information, study design, sample characteristics, type of spatial stimulus, manipulations or descriptors of environmental features, sensory and cognitive measures, theoretical framing and key findings. A thematic analysis was then undertaken to organise the material into four overarching axes: sensory components, cognitive components and outcomes, theoretical approaches, and methodological strategies and instruments.Results and discussionThe synthesis shows that sensory aspects of architectural perception can be structured into five major clusters. Visual components remain the most extensively studied and include light and illumination (natural and artificial, intensity, distribution), colour characteristics, form and geometry (height, enclosure, curvature, scale) and visual texture and materiality, alongside visual legibility and landmarking. These features are consistently linked to impressions of spaciousness, clarity, aesthetic preference, and to indicators such as gaze patterns, attention allocation and neural activation. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_734930.html IntroductionThe rapid growth of urbanization, increasing population density, and the concentration of vital activities in cities have significantly heightened the vulnerability of urban spaces to various natural and human-made hazards. In this context, metropolitan areas, due to the complexity of their physical structure, high population density, concentration of critical infrastructures, and strategic role within the national urban network, are more exposed to security threats and multiple crises than other settlements. Urban emergency shelters, as one of the most effective tools for reducing human casualties and enhancing urban resilience, play a key role in crisis management and urban defense. However, the effectiveness of these spaces is highly dependent on scientific, purposeful site selection that is compatible with the city’s physical, demographic, environmental, and security conditions. In this regard, the passive defense approach, with its emphasis on reducing vulnerability, ensuring the continuity of vital functions, and protecting citizens’ lives against natural and human-made threats, provides a strategic framework for the location of urban shelters. A review of the research background indicates that although numerous studies in Iran have addressed the site selection of urban shelters from a passive defense perspective, most of these studies have focused on central metropolises or border cities, while Shiraz, as a major metropolis in the south of the country, has received relatively limited attention. Moreover, the absence of a systematic synthesis of criteria and indicators used in domestic studies underscores the necessity of conducting a combined study employing a systematic review and spatial analysis approach.MethodologyThe present study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive–analytical in nature, and it was conducted using a multi-criteria decision-making approach and spatial analyses within a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment. The study area is District 10 of Shiraz Municipality, selected as the largest urban district of this metropolis and one of the main centers of population and physical development in the northwest of the city. Research data were collected through a library–field method. In the first stage, through a systematic review and synthesis of 20 domestic scientific–research articles related to the site selection of urban shelters from a passive defense perspective, the effective criteria and indicators were extracted and integrated. Accordingly, ten final indicators were identified across four dimensions: demographic, physical, environmental–natural, and functional. In the next stage, the information layers for each indicator were prepared and updated using data from Shiraz Municipality’s comprehensive and detailed plans as well as OpenStreetMap data. Subsequently, to weight the criteria and indicators, the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) was applied based on the opinions of ten experts in the fields of geography, urban planning, crisis management, and passive defense. After standardizing the layers using fuzzy membership functions and applying the weights, the layer overlay process was carried out using the Fuzzy Overlay tool in the GIS environment, and ultimately, the zoning map of the most suitable locations for the establishment of urban shelters was produced.Results and discussionThe results of the weighting of criteria indicated that demographic and security indicators hold the greatest importance in the site selection of urban shelters. Accordingly, the indicator of “high population density areas,” with a weight of 0.167, and “distance from potential enemy targets,” with a weight of 0.142, received the highest priorities. This finding suggests that protecting large population concentrations and avoiding the placement of shelters in proximity to sensitive and potentially military targets are among the most critical considerations of passive defense at the urban scale. Subsequently, the indicators of “population-attracting centers” and “proximity to centers with supportive functions during crises,” each with a weight of 0.124, play a decisive role in enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of shelters. In contrast, indicators such as “land slope” (0.057) and “access to urban open spaces” (0.043) were assigned lower priorities. The results of the spatial analysis and layer overlay revealed that the most suitable zones for the establishment of urban shelters are mainly concentrated in Golestan Town and parts of Beheshti Town. These zones achieved the highest suitability scores in the final model due to the simultaneous presence of high population density, major population-attracting centers such as universities and large commercial complexes, adequate coverage of supportive land uses, and an urban road network with good accessibility and multiple alternative routes. These results are consistent with the findings of domestic studies and, at the same time, place greater emphasis on the importance of security and functional indicators compared to foreign studies, which have predominantly focused on natural hazards.ConclusionThe present study demonstrates that the site selection of urban emergency shelters based on a passive defense approach requires a perspective that goes beyond purely natural and physical criteria, and that simultaneous attention to demographic, security, and functional dimensions plays a decisive role in enhancing the effectiveness of these spaces. The findings can serve as a scientific basis for decision-making by urban managers and responsible institutions in planning for urban safety and resilience. Nevertheless, limitations such as access to up-to-date data, the limited number of experts, and the lack of analysis of different threat scenarios constitute some of the challenges of the present research. It is recommended that future studies employ dynamic data, multiple threat scenarios, and more advanced hybrid models, and that other districts of the Shiraz metropolis as well as cities in the southern regions of the country be examined.KeywordsUrban Emergency Shelters, Passive Defence, FAHP method, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), ShirazFundingThere is no funding support.Authors’ Contribution Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.Conflict of Interest Authors declared no conflict of interest.AcknowledgmentsWe are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_736299.html Introduction The ecological perspective of man believes that many social harms and undesirable human behaviors can be considered to be affected by the physical conditions of the built environment and can be justified by considering the morphology and spatial structure of the city. In this regard, and especially from the perspective of urban geography, the present study is trying to identify and investigate the level of sense of security in Tabriz city areas by recognizing the environmental and social components (urbanization changes) of the spatial structure affecting the reproduction of residential spaces, and to present optimal solutions. Accordingly, the main goal of the present study is to answer the following question:  What effects and consequences have urbanization changes and spatial structure of the Tabriz metropolis had on the sense of security among citizens? Research Method This study is of an applied type based on its purpose and of an analytical-descriptive type based on its nature and method. To conduct this study, in accordance with its objectives, a mixed method was used. In this process, according to the objectives of the research, the survey method and questionnaire tool were used in the case study section and the evaluation of the effects of urbanization developments and spatial structure of cities on the sense of security among citizens, and the data collection tool in this method is a direct questionnaire (designing one question for each indicator). To determine the number of samples, cluster sampling method was used based on the Cochran formula, in which the distribution of samples was based on the population of the study area. To investigate the subject, statistical methods and related tests such as correlation, analysis of variance in the SPSS environment and structural equations in the Smart PLS software were used. The statistical population of this study, according to the Cochran formula, was determined as 384 people with an error level of 5 percent for the sample size. Given that the 10 regions of Tabriz have a mixed and diverse structure and regions with different levels of welfare and economic, social and cultural bases, a mixed or cluster sampling method was used. By adopting a combined approach in the literature and theories proposed in the two aforementioned concepts, a researcher-made questionnaire was developed. The questionnaire questions were closed-ended questions and the question measurement scale was a Likert scale. Discussion and Findings A one-sample t-test was used to examine the status of the variables under study. For scoring, the average of the total scores of the questions of each component was considered as the basis, and considering the five-point Likert scale, the cut-off point of the questionnaire's mid-range was two. In the present study, the criterion for comparing the average was such that the empirical average (1-1.3) was evaluated at the undesirable level and (1.3-5) at the desirable level; therefore, the criterion average at the desirable level is equal to 1.3. Conclusion The results of the one-sample t-test of the component of factors affecting the sense of security show that all economic, cultural, spatial and environmental, social and individual items are at the desired level (p<0.05 and the criterion mean is higher than 1.3). Finally, the factors affecting the sense of security are at the desired level (p<0.05 and the criterion mean is higher than 1.3). Also, using the Friedman test, the priority of the items was reported in order of importance; therefore, in the economic dimension, the importance of item "H5" was assigned as the first rank and item "H3" as the last rank, while the spatial-environmental dimension assigned the importance of item "L6" as the first rank and item "L8" as the last rank. The lack of significance of the Friedman test chi-square coefficient indicates the lack of priority and rank at the level of social dimensions. Using the Friedman test, the priority of the dimensions of factors affecting the sense of security was assigned to the first and last rank of the "social" dimension and the "cultural situation" dimension, respectively. While Figure 5 shows that a significant amount of influential factors such as economic, cultural, spatial and environmental, social and individual factors have moved out of the central areas of the city (areas 8, 4, 3 and 10) and moved towards the outskirts of the city. The ellipse of the standard deviation of these factors is not a complete and directional ellipse and indicates a scattered or random distribution that covers 68 percent of the factors related to the lack of a sense of security. Therefore, the level of the sense of insecurity in the regions of Tabriz shows that the direction of insecurity and its expansion trend is from west to east. Keywords: Keywords: urbanization, spatial structure, urban space, environmental and physical factors, sense of security. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_736343.html Countering terrorist threats and ensuring safety and security in population centers is one of the important issues in ensuring sustainable urban development and comprehensive citizen management. Expert research shows that the number of crises has increased significantly in the last few decades worldwide. Many victims of natural and human-made crises around the world live in cities in developing countries. In order to deal with natural and human-made crises, it is important to pay attention to two rational approaches, which are: 1- Understanding how human behavior and activities can contribute to the occurrence of crises (human and natural) and 2- What comprehensive and comprehensive strategies are needed to prevent crises and ensure security in cities (2007:18, UN-Habitat).Terrorist attacks are one of the biggest challenges facing the world in the 21st century, as cities are ideal targets for terrorists due to their demographic, economic and political centrality, and almost all terrorist attacks occur in cities, especially in population centers, so that terrorism can be considered a fundamentally urban phenomenon. However, terrorists do not carry out their attacks randomly in cities. They try to carry out their attacks in places in the city that 1- cause a lot of human and material losses 2- have a wider media dimension and 3- create a lot of fear and panic in the target society in order to achieve their goals faster (Yazdi and Dabiri, 2013: 18).As statistics show, about 16,000 people have been victims of terrorist attacks in Iran so far (www.habilian.com). And the occurrence of terrorist incidents in some cities of the country, including the terrorist incidents in 2018 in the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the shrine of Imam Khomeini (may God have mercy on him) in Tehran and the terrorist attack in 2018 and 2019 in the shrine of Hazrat Shah Cheragh, have sounded an alarm bell for the people and officials. Therefore, taking preventive measures by utilizing passive defense considerations in order to protect the people is essential. Today, passive defense, as one of the most effective and sustainable methods of defense against threats, is always considered by most countries in the world, and even countries with high military power, such as the United States, have paid special attention to this issue. A country like Switzerland, despite its neutrality in most political and military equations, also pays great attention to this issue (Kianjad and Firouzpour, 2012: 5). In Iran, too, based on paragraphs 2 and 9, The general policies of the system, announced by the Supreme Leader, in the field of passive defense of the country, are one of the basic missions and functions of passive defense, protecting cities and citizens, or protecting people from military and terrorist attacks.The shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim Hassani (AS), apart from being sacred, is considered one of the most important urban collective spaces in Tehran province, especially Tehran city, which annually receives thousands of pilgrims from all over the country and neighboring provinces. Due to its strategic use and sensitive role in terms of urban location, this place can play an important role in controlling crisis conditions in Tehran and Rey. The implementation of various religious ceremonies, high population circulation around the clock, etc., cause problems in various sectors, including controlling entry and exit arteries (horseback and pedestrian), public service spaces (services and parking lots), controlling the population in courtyards and movement routes, etc. On the other hand, due to the expansion plan of the holy shrine, there is always construction in various sectors. Among the important issues that are considered in public places such as holy shrines is the protection of human lives against man-made threats. Because, considering incidents such as the bombing of the shrine of Imam Reza (AS) on the day of Ashura in 1373, which led to the martyrdom and injury of a number of pilgrims, as well as the similar terrorist incident in 1396 that occurred at Imam Khomeini (RA) and led to the martyrdom and injury of a number of compatriots, as well as the terrorist attacks on the Imamzadeh of Ahmad bin Musa Shahcheragh (AS) in the city of Shiraz in 1401 and 1402, it is necessary to conduct a systematic study to formulate passive defense considerations in the holy shrine of Hazrat Abdulazim Hassani to protect the people and the population present in the courtyard of the shrine and its surroundings against terrorist attacks and threats, so that in the first place, the lives of pilgrims and neighbors can be protected and appropriate services can be provided to citizens and pilgrims. Also, in critical situations, the amount of damage can be minimized.2- Research BackgroundRegarding the research title, topics close to the research title have been carried out in the form of theses, articles, and dissertations;Seyed Amin Hosseini Moghadam in his thesis has developed the principles of locating and designing dual-purpose public shelters in holy places (case study of the shrine of Hazrat Abdul Azim (AS). In this research, he focused solely on the discussion of locating the shrine of Hazrat Abdul Azim (AS) and did not consider the issues related to the requirements and considerations for protecting people against terrorist incidents.Mujtaba Ghaffari Azar in his thesis on compiling passive defense considerations in the holy shrine of Hazrat Zainab (AS) has examined most of the indicators from the perspective of passive defense in general.Hamidreza Ershadmanesh, in his dissertation on designing a strategic model of urban passive defense to protect people against military threats (case study of Tehran), presented a strategic model of urban passive defense to protect people against military threats using seven dimensions of passive defense, namely social, security, cyber, political, environmental, and crisis management in Tehran. The findings of this research are that the strategic model of urban passive defense requires strengthening and strengthening the capabilities of urban management. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_736406.html Extended abstract IntroductionEffective governance of mid-sized cities is fundamentally affected by the inefficiency of coalition-based models, which stems from weak inter-organizational coordination. This comprehensive analysis shows that although mid-sized cities are theoretically a suitable platform for cooperation, institutional fragmentation and resource constraints hinder structural integration. The most important obstacle lies in the relational dimension, where lack of trust, goal consensus, and cognitive proximity hinder mutual regulation and knowledge transfer. To overcome these obstacles, a shift towards hybrid governance models in which formal mechanisms and strong relational capital are simultaneously strengthened is necessary. The present study, which targets the city of Marand as an example of intermediate cities, targets two important gaps from an institutional and fundamental perspective: first, the lack of qualitative and localized analyses that deeply examine the mechanisms of interaction, conflicts, and trust mechanisms between local institutions in the urban context of Marand, and second, the lack of studies that simultaneously integrate technological (information systems and protocols), institutional (governance structures and operational procedures), and cultural-relational aspects (trust, perceptual independence, and island structures) in the form of an integrated and conceptual analysis; filling this scientific gap will not only contribute to the theoretical enrichment of the field of inter-organizational coordination and urban governance, but will also have significant practical implications for designing policies, developing standard mechanisms, improving information infrastructure, and strengthening local community participation in intermediate cities of Iran.Methodology This research was designed and implemented with a qualitative approach and based on a case study in Marand city to identify and analyze the dimensions and obstacles of inter-organizational coordination in the governance process of medium-sized cities through an in-depth study of the experiences of institutional actors, urban managers, and experts in the field of urban planning and management. In the sampling stage, based on theoretical foundations and analysis of upstream documents, a list of senior and middle managers of urban management-related agencies, as well as academic experts and urban planning consultants, was prepared. The samples were selected purposefully and then by snowball method, and finally 30 qualified individuals participated in the research. MAXQDA, PyVis, Plotly, Smart PLS software were used to organize data, analyze the conceptual network, examine the co-occurrence of codes, and draw conceptual relationships, and SPSS software was used to perform statistical tests.Discussion and findings An in-depth qualitative analysis of the phenomenon of inter-organizational coordination in the city of Marand leads to the formulation of the “defective self-reinforcing systems thesis.” According to this analytical framework, coordination issues are understood not as independent defects, but as symptoms of a deeper systemic disease in which three vicious institutional-informational-legal loops mutually reinforce each other. Qualitative data show that the heart of this defective system lies in the “communicative-structural disconnect”; a phenomenon in which the lack of a common language between organizations acts not only as a communication barrier but also as a factor reproducing institutional distrust. This disconnect manifests itself in the form of a “vicious cycle of inefficiency.” From a theoretical perspective, the findings guide the direction of the research space towards the “institutional resilience paradigm.” In this framework, the solution lies not in increasing centralized control but in strengthening the “capacity for adaptive self-organization.” In other words, the main problem is not the lack of rules, but the system’s inability to learn from experience and reorganize itself. The fundamental insight of this analysis is that the cure for this broken system requires “intervention at the point of leverage”; the creation of “intermediate spaces” in which institutions can gradually rebuild a common language and mutual trust without fear of losing authority. These spaces are not new formal structures, but rather interactive arenas in which relationships can be repaired. Ultimately, the experience of Marand reveals the truth that inter-institutional coordination is more than a technical challenge, but an “existential issue” in urban governance. Moving beyond this impasse requires a paradigm shift from the “logic of control” to the “logic of trust,” and from “governance from above” to “capacity for self-organization from below.”ConclusionAn in-depth qualitative analysis of Marand’s experience suggests that the issue of inter-organizational coordination in mid-sized cities should be understood within the framework of a “structural interdependence theory” in which the three institutional, informational, and legal gaps operate in a vicious cycle of mutual reinforcement. From a theoretical perspective, Marand’s findings point us toward a “model of resilient urban governance” in which solving the coordination problem does not require partial reforms but rather a simultaneous redesign of the three institutional, informational, and legal systems. This model suggests that the starting point for transformation is to focus on the “central institutional node” with an impact factor of 1.8, since interventions in this area can cover up to 68 percent of the system’s challenges. The deeper point of this analysis is that seemingly technical issues, such as the fragmentation of spatial databases (46.7%) or the lack of data exchange standards (43.3%), are in fact the objective crystallization of deeper governance gaps. In other words, these technical problems are “symptoms of the disease” and not “causes of the disease.” Treating this disease requires understanding the fact that inter-organizational coordination in medium-sized cities is more than a management challenge, it is a governance issue rooted in the macro-architecture of the urban management system. Finally, the experience of Marand gives us the macro-insight that the transition from sectoral to integrated governance requires moving beyond “linear logic” and adopting a “network approach.” In this transition, simultaneous attention to the hardware (structures, systems, rules) and software (trust, organizational culture, social capital) dimensions is not a choice, but an inevitable necessity.Keyword Inter-organizational coordination, urban governance, social participation, intermediate cities, Marand city. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_736529.html IntroductionAccelerating climate change, and particularly the rise of hydrological hazards such as flooding, sea-level rise and erosion, has intensified interest in nature-based solutions (NbS) as approaches that can simultaneously address climate adaptation, biodiversity loss and human wellbeing. In many regions, these hazards intersect with Indigenous territories where long-standing relationships to land and water, and rich Indigenous knowledge systems, shape both vulnerability and capacity to adapt. While international and national policy frameworks increasingly reference NbS and Indigenous knowledge, it remains unclear how, in practice, different knowledge systems are brought together in NbS projects, and with what implications for justice. This paper presents a systematic review of NbS that involve Indigenous communities, with a particular focus on hydrological risks, to examine: (1) how such NbS are conceptualised and in which ecosystem contexts and hazard types they are implemented; (2) through which governance models, participatory methods and epistemic frameworks bridging between scientific and Indigenous knowledge is operationalised; and (3) what kinds of benefits, tensions and gaps emerge from the perspective of epistemic, procedural and distributive justice.MethodologyThe study adopts a systematic review design, combining elements of environmental evidence synthesis and qualitative meta-synthesis. A structured search was conducted across major academic databases and selected grey-literature sources, using combinations of keywords related to nature-based solutions, Indigenous or tribal communities, climate adaptation and water- or flood-related hazards. Inclusion criteria targeted empirical studies and policy-oriented reports that: (a) explicitly framed actions as NbS or closely related concepts (e.g. ecosystem-based adaptation, natural climate solutions); (b) involved Indigenous communities as knowledge-holders, partners or rightsholders, rather than generic “local populations”; and (c) addressed climate-related risks, with particular attention to hydrological impacts.After screening titles, abstracts and full texts, the final corpus was coded using a mixed deductive–inductive scheme. Deductive codes captured NbS types, ecosystem and hazard context, governance and leadership models, and three justice dimensions (epistemic, procedural, distributive). Inductive coding allowed emergent themes around power relations, land tenure, funding architectures and critiques of “knowledge integration” to be captured. The coded material was then synthesised thematically and interpreted in dialogue with existing theoretical debates on NbS, Indigenous knowledge and climate justice.Results and discussionAcross the corpus, NbS involving Indigenous communities spanned a wide spectrum of interventions: restoration and protection of riparian zones, floodplains, wetlands and salt marshes; forest conservation, improved forest management and peatland protection; grassland and fire stewardship; and green infrastructure such as community gardens and nature-based coastal defences. These were implemented in coastal, riverine, forest and northern cryospheric systems, mostly in settler-colonial states of the Global North. In contrast to technocratic NbS narratives that centre cost-effectiveness and ecosystem services, the reviewed cases consistently framed NbS as part of broader processes of biocultural restoration, land and water stewardship, and the continuation or renewal of Indigenous relationships to place.Regarding knowledge bridging, four broad models emerged: Indigenous-led NbS, co-governed or co-managed NbS, NGO-driven projects with Indigenous participation, and state-led initiatives with varying degrees of consultation. Methods and tools included participatory workshops and talking circles, participatory mapping, land-based and seasonal approaches, scenario planning, and more formal frameworks such as community-based participatory research and Two-Eyed Seeing. Where Indigenous institutions held leadership and principles such as ownership and control of data were respected, these processes supported substantive co-production of knowledge and strengthened community agency. Conversely, state-led or consultancy-driven projects often reduced participation to tokenistic consultation and treated Indigenous knowledge as an auxiliary “data source” to be translated into pre-existing scientific or policy frames.From a justice perspective, NbS generated both enabling and constraining outcomes. Positively, some initiatives enhanced epistemic justice by recognising Indigenous knowledge as a valid and necessary basis for monitoring, planning and evaluation, and by embedding Indigenous worldviews and languages into tools and indicators. Procedurally, co-governance arrangements, Indigenous guardianship programmes and community-designed adaptation plans broadened spaces of decision-making and supported intergenerational knowledge transmission. Distributively, NbS occasionally improved access to livelihoods, employment and funding, particularly where rights to fisheries or conservation revenues were reconfigured in favour of Indigenous communities.However, pervasive power imbalances, insecure land tenure, short-term and conditional funding and dominant legal–scientific standards often undermined these gains. Critiques of “green colonialism” and “carbon colonialism” were evident where NbS frameworks were used to justify new forms of land control or offsetting without meaningful Indigenous leadership. Several studies questioned the very language of “knowledge integration”, warning that, without decolonial governance and financing arrangements, it can entrench the primacy of Western science and instrumentalise Indigenous knowledge.ConclusionThe review shows that NbS involving Indigenous communities are not inherently just or unjust; their outcomes hinge on who defines the problem, who leads, whose knowledge counts and how benefits and burdens are distributed. To move beyond symbolic inclusion, NbS must be re-designed as Indigenous-led and justice-centred processes that treat Indigenous knowledge systems as co-equal, uphold land and water rights, and embed long-term, flexible funding mechanisms. Future research should expand beyond the current geographic concentration, address intersectional inequalities within Indigenous communities and co-develop evaluation frameworks that reflect Indigenous values and visions of a good life in a changing climate. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_737014.html The purpose of this study is to explain the role of the metaverse in transforming the urban morphology of Dubai and to examine its capacity for enhancing environmental sustainability. While previous research has largely focused on technological aspects or digital experience, this study aims to demonstrate how the metaverse can redefine spatial structures, optimize environmental policies prior to implementation, and reshape the logic of urban form. A qualitative research design based on theoretical saturation was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 experts in urban planning, metaverse technologies, environmental sustainability, and municipal management in Dubai, and were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding via MAXQDA software.The findings indicate that the metaverse can shift the urban design cycle from a linear, reactive process to an interactive, scenario-based, and predictive model. Three-dimensional modeling and scenario simulation allow precise assessment of the implications of density, land-use mix, open-space ratio, energy consumption, urban greenery, and air quality, thereby anchoring environmental and morphological decisions at the design stage. Virtual citizen participation also becomes an active layer of decision-making, improving the quality and legitimacy of urban choices. Moreover, artificial intelligence functions as the analytical engine of the digital Extended abstractIntroductionThe rapid emergence of metaverse technologies has opened a new chapter in the understanding and management of urban morphology, offering a multidimensional environment for spatial simulation, scenario testing, and environmental assessment prior to physical implementation. In this context, Dubai one of the world’s leading cities in adopting advanced digital infrastructures—has placed significant emphasis on integrating the metaverse into its strategic vision for sustainable urban development. The significance of this study lies in recognizing the metaverse not merely as a visual or experiential platform, but as a decision-support infrastructure capable of evaluating morphological, environmental, and functional outcomes of urban projects before they materialize. This capability positions the metaverse as a transformative tool that can reduce development risks, lower resource consumption, optimize energy use, and mitigate environmental pressures. Accordingly, the present research aims to investigate the role of the metaverse in reshaping Dubai’s urban morphology with a particular focus on environmental sustainability, and to demonstrate how metaverse-based simulations can contribute to more efficient and ecologically responsible patterns of urban growth.MethodologyThe study adopts a qualitative methodology based on the grounded theory logic of theoretical saturation, enabling the extraction of conceptual patterns from expert insights in the fields of smart cities, digital planning, environmental sustainability, digital twins, and urban management. Data were collected through 20 semi-structured interviews with specialists directly involved in Dubai’s digital and urban development initiatives. The analytical process relied on axial and selective coding to uncover the mechanisms through which the metaverse influences spatial configuration and environmental outcomes in the city.Resultsand has evolved into a strategic analytical layer in urban morphological assessments. One of the core insights is that metaverse environments allow precise and simultaneous evaluation of density patterns, land-use mix, open-to-built ratios, street network connectivity, block permeability, and the shading behavior of high-rise structures. Moreover, critical environmental indicators—including energy consumption, natural ventilation potential, solar radiation exposure, urban heat intensity, and the performance of green spaces—can be simulated with high accuracy, enabling planners to identify and rectify design inefficiencies prior to implementation. Unlike earlier studies that viewed virtual participation merely as an enhanced user experience, the present findings show that citizen engagement within Dubai’s metaverse platforms actively influences decision-making. Feedback from virtual interactions has been incorporated into density scenarios, land-use adjustments, pedestrian pathway design, and the improvement of public spaces, demonstrating a shift toward digitally enabled participatory governance. Another key contribution of this study concerns the role of artificial intelligence, which operates not simply as a data-analysis tool but as the core engine driving the functionality of Dubai’s digital twin ecosystem. Machine-learning algorithms generate morphological predictions, energy-performance estimates, and multimodal transport analyses, feeding these outputs directly into metaverse-based models and strengthening the accuracy of spatial simulations. ConclusionOverall, the findings demonstrate that the metaverse serves as a forward-looking instrument for spatial management, environmental optimization, and sustainable urban transformation in Dubai. By combining interactive simulation, data-driven analysis, and digitally mediated civic participation, the metaverse provides a robust framework for reimagining urban morphology and guiding cities toward environmentally responsible development trajectories https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_737166.html Introduction: In crisis situations, media play a role far beyond mere information dissemination, becoming a determining factor in managing public opinion, reducing or intensifying social anxiety, and coordinating between relief and executive institutions. However, in countries like Iran, where crises possess a hybrid nature combining social, political, economic, and security dimensions, media management of these events has become a strategic challenge. Previous experiences in managing major national disasters, including the presidential helicopter crash (2024), the Kerman terrorist attacks (2023), the COVID-19 crisis (2019), and the Plasco building collapse (2016), indicate that media strategies have often been reactive, fragmented, lacking a coherent framework, and based on improvisation. This situation has led to phenomena such as information vacuum, multiplicity of contradictory narratives, widespread rumor-mongering in cyberspace, weakening of public trust in official media, and in some cases, intensification of the crisis itself. Despite the frequent occurrence of national crises over the past two decades and the evident role of media in managing or exacerbating them, Iran lacks a native, systematic, and tested model for media crisis management. Therefore, the present study aims to develop a comprehensive model for media crisis management by examining crisis communication in ten major national disasters.Research Method: This research employed a qualitative approach using the grounded theory method (Glaserian approach). The study is applied in terms of purpose and developmental in nature, relying on the interpretive paradigm to analyze the hidden meanings in the actions and experiences of media professionals in crisis management. The statistical population consisted of experts, media managers, and public relations officials from official institutions, who were selected through snowball sampling. Theoretical saturation was achieved after conducting 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews. Participants included seven specialists in media and crisis communication, four experts in national crisis management and passive defense, and one specialist in artificial intelligence and cognitive warfare. The data collection instrument was a semi-structured interview with 15 questions, designed and refined dynamically and progressively. Data analysis was conducted in three stages: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding.Findings: In the open coding stage, 106 initial concepts were extracted from the interview transcripts. In the axial coding stage, these concepts were categorized into 15 core categories. The most frequent concepts according to the experts were: unified and specialized crisis spokesperson (11 repetitions), centralized structure and unified command (11 repetitions), public trust and social capital (9 repetitions), strategic framework and macro model (7 repetitions), and inter-sectoral coordination and elimination of silo functioning (7 repetitions). In the selective coding stage, the category of "centralized structure and unified command" emerged as the core category of the research. The final model, entitled "Theory of Establishing Centralized Structure and Unified Command in Iran's Media Crisis Management," was developed as a paradigmatic model comprising six main components: weaknesses (current situation), strategies (proposed strategies), consequences (results of implementing the strategies), contextual conditions (implementation context including existing governance and legal structures, religious and national culture and capacities, data and new technologies), intervening conditions (crisis level, type of incident, intensity of rival media competition, level of pre-crisis preparedness), and responsible institutions (Supreme National Security Council, National Crisis Management Organization, IRIB, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Ministry of Interior, Passive Defense Organization, National Cyberspace Center, Armed Forces, and religious and cultural institutions).The most important identified weaknesses include: lack of a unified and specialized spokesperson, weak inter-sectoral coordination, absence of a macro strategic model, weaknesses in human resource training, weaknesses in narrative construction and proactivity, lack of transparency in information dissemination, absence of a media attachment, lack of alternative media, weak coordinated dissemination, lack of public opinion monitoring and assessment, weaknesses in cultural cultivation, governance and legal gaps, and lack of data and technology infrastructure. In contrast, proposed strategies include: establishing a unified and specialized spokesperson, creating inter-sectoral coordination, developing a strategic framework and macro model, training and empowering human resources, securing the first narrative and proactivity, transparent and accountable information dissemination, developing a pre-crisis media attachment, creating alternative media and resilience, coordinated dissemination in cyberspace, establishing public opinion monitoring and assessment, cultural cultivation using religious capacities, reforming governance and legal structures, and developing data and new technologies.Conclusion: Media crisis management in Iran is impossible without establishing a centralized structure and unified command. Experts emphasized that "we have a coordinating headquarters for hard warfare, but we do not have one in the media sector" and "every institution plays its own instrument." This situation indicates a serious gap between the crisis management structure in military and security domains and that in the media and culture domain. Implementing the proposed strategies will lead to consequences such as rebuilding public trust and social capital, increasing media and cultural resilience, transparent and accountable information dissemination, public participation in crisis management, and the ability to continuously monitor and assess public opinion. The final model of this research demonstrates that bridging this gap requires reforming media governance, enforcing the binding nature of Supreme National Security Council approvals, and strengthening inter-sectoral coordination. Otherwise, future crises will face the same challenges as past crises: information chaos, rumor-mongering, and the weakening of public trust. The model presented in this research can serve as a strategic framework for policymakers, media managers, and crisis management officials in the country https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_737486.html IntroductionThe UFC 4-023-03 guideline defines progressive collapse as: "The spread of an initial local failure from element to element, resulting in the collapse of an entire structure or a disproportionately large part of it." Despite various definitions for this phenomenon, its fundamental characteristic is the disproportionateness of the final collapse relative to the initial local failure. Although the term "progressive collapse" had been used several times before 1968 to describe certain types of structural failures, the first significant attention to this phenomenon—as it is known today—was paid following the partial collapse of the Ronan Point tower in London. After the events of September 11, scientists and engineers refocused their attention on this phenomenon and related issues. In this context, investigating methods to increase the resistance of existing structures against progressive collapse is of particular importance.Strengthening and retrofitting techniques that specifically focus on controlling the propagation of collapse in a structure can be classified into two main groups: in the first group, the structure is strengthened by adding new load transfer paths, and in the second group, by improving existing load paths. In the first case, new load paths are provided by installing structural members (braces, cables, etc.). These new members may be similar (in shape and function) to the main members, or they may be completely different from the existing members. In the second case, structural members (beams, columns, and slabs, and sometimes non-structural elements such as infill walls) are improved to resist progressive collapse following the initial failure.The main objective of this research is to investigate and compare the capability of using horizontal braces and strengthening connections with CFRP in increasing the structural resistance against progressive collapse. For this purpose, a two-dimensional reinforced concrete frame with 8 stories and three spans has been utilized. The connections of this frame have been strengthened sufficiently to shift the location of plastic hinge formation to the end of the strengthened zone. Furthermore, in other models, the top story of the frame has been strengthened using different horizontal braces.MethodologyA two-dimensional reinforced concrete frame with 8 stories and three bays, which had previously been strengthened with CFRP by Niroomandi et al in 2010 for evaluating the seismic behavior factor, was utilized. The beam-column joints of this frame were strengthened with web-bonded CFRP sheets, to the extent that the location of the plastic hinge was shifted to the end of the strengthened region. In addition to shifting the plastic hinge location, strengthening the connections with CFRP increases the flexural strength of the connection, and the over strength resulting from the strengthening has been extracted as a moment-rotation curve by modeling in ABAQUS. The over strength resulting from the connection strengthening was applied in the structural model in SAP using NLlink elements. Furthermore, in other models, the top story of the frame was strengthened using different types of horizontal steel braces. Finally, progressive collapse analysis was performed on frames using nonlinear dynamic and pushdown analysis.Results and discussionTo investigate the progressive collapse resistance, the vertical displacement of structure versus the load factor was plotted for all structures using pushdown analysis. The results indicate that the highest increase in the load factor belongs to the structure strengthened with X-bracing, followed by the structure with tensile brace. A closer look at the displacement-load factor curves reveals that the slope of the curves for braced structures is higher than that of the original structure in the linear region; in other words, adding braces has increased the stiffness of the structure against vertical displacements. In the CFRP-strengthened structure, no significant change was observed in the slope of the initial region compared to the original structure.To investigate the dynamic effects of sudden column removal nonlinear dynamic analysis was performed. The results show that column removal in the 6th and 7th stories of the original structure and column removal in the 7th story of the CFRP-strengthened structure caused the rotation of plastic hinges to exceed the Collapse Prevention limit. Due to the weakness of steel braces in compression, column removal in the first four stories of the structure with compression bracing caused the performance level of the brace to exceed the Collapse Prevention limit. Nevertheless, the compression bracing reduced the vertical displacement of the structure. In all cases, the greatest reduction in vertical displacement compared to the original structure belongs to the structure with X-bracing.ConclusionThe results of this study indicate that both investigated strengthening methods can increase the resistance of concrete moment resisting frames against progressive collapse; however, the extent and manner of their effectiveness differ. Strengthening connections with CFRP is primarily effective in improving the flexural capacity of the connection and reducing damage, showing suitable efficiency particularly in lower stories, although the need for a large number of CFRP layers is considered a limitation of this method. In contrast, the use of horizontal braces, especially X-bracing and tensile bracing, was identified as the most effective strategy for increasing vertical stiffness, reducing displacements, and creating alternative load paths following column removal. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_738518.html IntroductionThe building sector is one of the largest energy consumers in Iran, and its mechanical and electrical systems, in addition to their direct impact on energy consumption, play a crucial role in maintaining safety, operational continuity, and the resilience of buildings during emergencies. However, existing studies have generally examined these two aspects separately. Considering the requirements of Chapters 19 and 21 of the Iranian National Building Regulations, there is a need for an integrated framework to simultaneously enhance energy efficiency and the resilience of building mechanical and electrical systems, thereby reducing energy consumption and operational costs while improving the safety and operational sustainability of buildings. The objective of this study is to develop an integrated framework for simultaneously evaluating the energy performance and resilience of mechanical and electrical systems in residential buildings, determining the optimum thickness of expanded polystyrene (EPS) thermal insulation, and prioritizing resilience enhancement strategies in accordance with the requirements of Chapters 19 and 21 of the Iranian National Building Regulations. The research seeks to answer the following questions: What is the optimum thickness of thermal insulation for reducing building energy consumption? Which factors have the greatest influence on the resilience of building mechanical and electrical systems? How can the integration of the requirements of Chapters 19 and 21 of the Iranian National Building Regulations simultaneously improve the energy efficiency and resilience of residential buildings?MethodologyThe present study is application-oriented and developmental in terms of its objective and adopts a descriptive–analytical methodology with a quantitative approach. First, previous studies, the requirements of Chapters 19 and 21 of the Iranian National Building Regulations, ASHRAE standards, and passive defense guidelines were comprehensively reviewed to identify the evaluation indicators for energy performance and resilience and to establish the research framework. Subsequently, a representative residential building was modeled, and its energy performance was simulated using Carrier HAP software under 80 different scenarios involving variations in expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation thickness, window type, and building orientation. Thereafter, resilience enhancement strategies were prioritized using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), and a sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the robustness of the results. Finally, the energy performance indicators, including annual heating and cooling loads, the overall heat transfer coefficient (U-value), the heat loss coefficient (H), the specific heat loss coefficient (H̄), and the optimum insulation thickness, were calculated. Based on the obtained results, appropriate strategies were proposed to simultaneously improve the energy efficiency and resilience of residential buildings.Results and discussionThe energy simulation results demonstrated that increasing the thickness of EPS thermal insulation significantly reduced the building's heating and cooling loads. However, as the insulation thickness increased, the incremental energy savings gradually diminished, indicating a reduction in the marginal effectiveness of additional insulation. The results of the energy and economic analyses indicated that the optimum insulation thickness was 7–8 cm for the external walls and 5–6 cm for the roof. Compliance with the requirements of Chapter 19 of the Iranian National Building Regulations can reduce building energy consumption by approximately 25–40%. Furthermore, the resilience assessment revealed that emergency power supply, equipment redundancy, fire detection and suppression systems, emergency ventilation, and safe shelter facilities are among the most critical factors contributing to the resilience of building mechanical and electrical systems. The weighting of the evaluation criteria using the Best–Worst Method (BWM) and the prioritization of resilience enhancement strategies using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) indicated that upgrading critical systems and ensuring the availability of backup resources have the greatest impact on improving building resilience. Overall, the integration of the requirements of Chapters 19 and 21 of the Iranian National Building Regulations provides a comprehensive and effective framework for simultaneously enhancing energy efficiency, reducing operational costs, and improving the resilience of residential buildings.ConclusionThe results of the resilience assessment indicated that the mechanical and electrical systems play the most significant role in enhancing building resilience. Furthermore, measures such as providing an emergency power supply, increasing the redundancy of critical equipment, and improving safe shelter facilities were identified as the most effective strategies for enhancing building resilience. Furthermore, the energy simulation results demonstrated that the combined application of double-glazed windows and expanded polystyrene (EPS) thermal insulation significantly reduced heat loss and annual heating and cooling loads. Moreover, compliance with the requirements of Chapter 19 of the Iranian National Building Regulations can result in energy savings of approximately 25–40%. Based on the technical and economic analyses, the optimum insulation thickness was determined to be 7–8 cm for the external walls and 5–6 cm for the floor above the parking area. The main contribution of this study is the development of an integrated framework for the simultaneous evaluation of building energy performance and resilience through the combined use of energy simulation and the Best–Worst Method (BWM) and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), which enables more effective decision-making for the design of sustainable and resilient residential buildings. The proposed framework can serve as an effective decision-support tool for the design of sustainable, energy-efficient, and resilient residential buildings. Furthermore, it provides a robust foundation for future research aimed at extending this approach to other climatic regions and diverse building typologies. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_738556.html The growing trend of illegal construction, as a deep-rooted and expanding phenomenon, has posed serious challenges to urban management and planning in Iran. Accordingly, this study aimed to identify, extract, classify, and develop a conceptual model of the categories associated with the causes and consequences of construction violations. The research adopted a qualitative systematic review approach based on 38 selected studies retrieved from the Magiran, Google Scholar, and SID databases. The selected studies were analyzed through qualitative content analysis using open, axial, and selective coding procedures. The findings indicate that more than 60% of the reviewed studies were published between 2013 and 2022, with a predominant focus on megacities, reflecting the growing severity of the issue and the increasing need for integrative research approaches. The qualitative analysis resulted in the extraction of 75 codes, which were classified into four clusters of causal factors (economic-demographic, institutional-managerial, structural-legal, and socio-cognitive) and four clusters of consequences (physical-spatial, economic-land market, socio-quality of life, and institutional-managerial). Analysis of the relationships among these clusters reveals that economic pressures and weak regulatory oversight interactively create conditions that facilitate construction violations. Accordingly, construction violations have emerged within a context of institutional and managerial deficiencies, while their consequences, through weakening supervision and urban planning systems, reinforce and reproduce the phenomenon over time. This vicious cycle undermines institutional effectiveness and poses serious challenges to urban governance. Therefore, effective confrontation with this issue requires reforming municipal financial structures, revising urban planning regulations, and strengthening institutional monitoring systems.Extended Abstract:IntroductionConstruction violations have become a deeply rooted and increasingly widespread phenomenon in Iranian cities, posing serious challenges to urban management and planning systems. These violations—including unauthorized construction, illegal land-use changes, excessive density and height violations, and non-compliance with safety standards—have generated extensive physical, economic, social, and institutional consequences. Despite the growing body of research on this issue, there remains a lack of an integrated conceptual framework capable of systematically explaining the causes and consequences of construction violations in Iran. Accordingly, the present study seeks to identify, extract, classify, and conceptualize the underlying causes and consequences of construction violations in Iranian cities.MethodologyThis study adopts a qualitative research approach using a systematic review method. Following a comprehensive search in the Magiran, Google Scholar, and SID databases, and after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 38 studies were selected as the final sample. The collected data were analyzed through qualitative content analysis using three stages of coding: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding.Results and discussionThe descriptive findings indicate that more than 60% of the selected studies were published between 2013 and 2022, with the majority geographically focused on the metropolitan cities of Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, and Mashhad. During the open coding stage, 83 initial codes were extracted. The selective coding process ultimately led to the identification of four causal clusters and four consequence clusters.The causal clusters include:1. Economic–demographic factors (land market pressures, population growth, informal settlements and marginalization);2. Institutional–managerial factors (weak supervision, managerial inefficiency, and municipal dependence on revenues generated through fines); 3. Structural–legal factors (legal deficiencies and weak enforcement mechanisms); and4. Socio-cognitive factors (low public awareness and the normalization of violations). The consequence clusters consist of:1. Physical–spatial consequences (excessive density and reduced urban safety);2. Economic–land market consequences (inflation in land and housing prices); 3. Social–quality of life consequences (declining quality of life and spatial inequality); 4. Institutional–managerial consequences (normalization of violations and weakening of institutional authority).The relational analysis demonstrates that construction violations in Iran represent a structurally reproduced phenomenon. Institutional-managerial weaknesses and economic pressures create the conditions for violations to occur, while the resulting consequences further undermine supervisory systems and reinforce a vicious cycle of continuous violation reproduction.ConclusionThis study presents a comprehensive conceptual model of the causes and consequences of construction violations in Iranian cities. The findings reveal that construction violations should not be understood merely as isolated individual deviations; rather, they emerge from the complex interaction of institutional deficiencies, flawed municipal financial structures, economic pressures, and legal shortcomings. Addressing this issue effectively therefore requires structural reforms in municipal financing systems, revision of urban planning regulations, strengthening of monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, and enhancement of public awareness.KeywordsConstruction violations; Illegal construction; Urban management; Systematic review; Causes and consequences, Iran. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_738803.html Investigating the Impact of Visual Pollution on Wayfinding in Large Shopping CentersIntroductionWayfinding is a cognitive-behavioral process through which users acquire environmental information, make spatial decisions, and move toward a destination. In complex shopping environments, it is shaped by spatial configuration, visual accessibility, environmental cues, and users’ prior knowledge. Lynch’s concept of environmental imageability and later architectural wayfinding studies emphasize the importance of legible paths, nodes, landmarks, and coherent circulation systems in supporting orientation (Lynch, 1960; Passini, 1981, 1984; Weisman, 1981). Complex floor plans, poorly differentiated routes, limited visual access, and ineffective signage can increase disorientation and route errors (O’Neill, 1991; Dogu & Erkip, 2000).Visual pollution refers to the dense, disorganized, incompatible, or competing presence of visual elements that reduces perceptual coherence and the quality of environmental information. In commercial interiors, it may arise from excessive advertising, competing commercial and directional information, uncontrolled variation in color and materials, glare, dense storefront displays, moving screens, and the absence of a clear visual hierarchy (Portella, 2016; Gao et al., 2024). Although wayfinding and visual pollution have each been studied, empirical research at their intersection remains limited. This study investigates how visual pollution affects wayfinding in a large shopping center and how it influences spatial knowledge, examined through landmark knowledge, route knowledge, and survey knowledge (Siegel & White, 1975; Golledge, 1999).MethodologyThe study adopted an exploratory qualitative design and was conducted in a large commercial center in the Tajrish district of Tehran. The case has seven above-ground floors and one basement level, receives approximately 18,000–20,000 visitors per day, and was selected because of its dense spatial structure, complex circulation, diverse commercial signage, and evident wayfinding challenges. Data were collected through literature review, direct field observation, interviews, behavioral mapping, movement tracking, and route-recall interviews.The field study was implemented in three stages. First, 10 purposively selected stakeholders—four vendors, five shoppers, and the complex designer—participated in in-depth interviews to identify recurring wayfinding difficulties and visually disruptive conditions. Interview data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding and compared with field observations. Second, seven actual users (five men and two women, aged 28–34), including both familiar and unfamiliar users, participated in a behavioral field study. Their movements, pauses, backtracking, and decisions were recorded on architectural floor plans during two navigation tasks: one with a specified destination and another involving a product-category search without a predetermined destination. Third, participants retraced their routes and were interviewed at predefined stations about memorable environmental features, decision points, route structure, and spatial recall. Observational, behavioral, and interview data were triangulated to compare actual movement with verbalized spatial representations.Results and DiscussionThe findings show that visual pollution influences wayfinding through interacting conditions at macro, meso, and micro spatial scales. At the macro scale, irregular internal geometry, inconsistent functional zoning, complex circulation, deep secondary paths, multiple openings, and interruptions to visual continuity made the overall configuration difficult to comprehend. These conditions particularly constrained survey knowledge by weakening users’ understanding of broader relationships among zones, routes, and destinations.At the meso scale, insufficient differentiation between main and secondary routes was recurrent. Similar corridor widths, uniform lighting, numerous decision nodes, and accumulated visual information at intersections reduced route hierarchy and increased hesitation. Movement tracking showed that users tended to select wider, more visually accessible routes, while deep secondary paths and visually overloaded nodes were associated with route changes, pauses, and uncertainty. These observations indicate that visual organization affects the acquisition and use of route knowledge.At the micro scale, directional signs, shopfronts, advertisements, lighting, furniture, elevators, stairs, and escalators functioned as potential landmarks. When repetitive, densely clustered, visually competing, or poorly positioned, however, their distinctiveness decreased. Return-route interviews showed that participants relied primarily on landmark-related information when reconstructing their journeys, whereas references to route width, route depth, or functional zoning were less evident. Landmark knowledge therefore emerged as the most frequently used form of spatial knowledge while also being particularly vulnerable to visual clutter. Excessive signage, inconsistent storefronts, conflicting lighting, and competing stimuli reduced landmark salience and were associated with longer decision periods, repeated pauses, backtracking, and route errors. These patterns suggest increased perceptual demands rather than a direct measurement of cognitive load.The findings support a multi-scale interpretation of visual pollution. Visual disorder is not limited to advertising or decorative clutter; it can also result from incoherent zoning and circulation at the macro scale, weak route hierarchy at the meso scale, and competing signs and landmarks at the micro scale. Macro, meso, and micro conditions should therefore be understood as spatial scales that interact with, rather than correspond directly to, the three forms of spatial knowledge.ConclusionVisual pollution can impair wayfinding by reducing environmental legibility and interfering with the acquisition, recognition, and retrieval of spatial information. In the studied shopping center, irregular zoning and circulation reduced comprehension of the overall configuration; weak route differentiation complicated route choice; and dense, repetitive, or competing landmarks reduced the clarity of environmental cues. Effective wayfinding design should address visual clarity across multiple scales: coherent zoning and functional organization at the macro scale; clear circulation hierarchy and route differentiation at the meso scale; and coordinated signage, lighting, storefronts, surfaces, and landmark placement at the micro scale.Controlling redundant visual elements, strengthening the hierarchy of environmental information, and improving the salience and continuity of meaningful landmarks may facilitate navigation and improve users’ spatial experience. Because the research is based on a single case study, a small purposive sample, cross-sectional data collection, and field observations constrained under crowded conditions, the findings should be interpreted as exploratory rather than broadly generalizable. Future research should test the framework in other shopping centers, architectural typologies, and urban settings using larger samples and complementary quantitative or experimental measures. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_741006.html In the contemporary global economy, logistics service quality (LSQ) has emerged as a cornerstone of competitive advantage and organizational excellence, particularly within the complex landscape of industrial markets. For developing nations like Iran, where industries operate under unique economic constraints and infrastructural challenges, the quality of logistics processes determines the survival and growth of firms. Traditional LSQ models, such as SERVQUAL or those focused purely on consumer retail, often fail to address the high-stakes, high-volume, and relationship-driven nature of industrial (B2B) markets. There is a significant research gap in understanding how logistics service components—ranging from warehouse efficiency to digital integration—interact to produce long-term business value. Therefore, this study was designed to bridge this gap by developing a comprehensive, context-sensitive framework that identifies the core dimensions of logistics service quality and analyzes the causal dynamics between them specifically within Iran’s industrial sector.MethodologyThis research adopted a multi-stage mixed-method design to ensure both depth and statistical rigor. In the qualitative phase, Grounded Theory (GT) was utilized to explore the phenomenon from the perspective of industry experts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 senior specialists and scholars in Tehran, selected through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. These participants provided deep insights into the practical challenges and strategic drivers of logistics in industrial marketing. The qualitative data were processed through a three-stage coding process: open coding (to identify initial concepts), axial coding (to categorize these concepts into themes), and selective coding (to build the final theoretical framework). In the subsequent quantitative phase, the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) technique was employed. This method allowed the research to move beyond simple correlation, quantifying the exact influence and dependency relationships between the 14 identified components. By calculating the “D” (influence) and “R” (dependency) values, the study could distinguish between “cause” variables that drive the system and “effect” variables that represent final outcomes.Findings and ResultsThe integration of Grounded Theory and DEMATEL resulted in a robust five-dimensional model. First, Causal Conditions were identified as the foundational drivers, including the accurate recognition of customer needs, optimized distribution processes, and brand awareness. Second, Contextual Conditions highlighted the environmental facilitators, such as the maturity of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and the adoption of modern logistics technologies (e.g., IoT and automated tracking). Third, Intervening Conditions emerged as critical mediators, specifically customer trust and organizational credibility, which determine the effectiveness of any logistics strategy. Fourth, the Strategic Dimension encompassed the operational actions taken by firms, such as ensuring high-quality service delivery, operational security, and cost-efficiency. Finally, the Consequences dimension detailed the long-term impacts, including increased sales volume, an expanded customer network, sustainable business development, and overall market efficiency.The DEMATEL analysis provided empirical evidence for this structure. “Customer needs recognition” was found to be the most powerful causal driver with a D-R value of 3.894, indicating it is the primary engine of the LSQ system. “Providing high-quality services” followed with a D-R value of 2.769, acting as a secondary cause variable. Interestingly, variables like “CRM systems” and “Modern technologies” showed high levels of interaction with other components, reinforcing their roles as essential contextual supports. On the other hand, factors such as “business development” and “market efficiency” were clearly identified as effect variables, showing that they are the cumulative results of the preceding causal and strategic layers. The results emphasize that in Iran’s industrial markets, logistics is not merely a back-office function but a systemic strategic asset.DiscussionThe findings suggest that the path to logistics excellence in industrial markets is hierarchical. Without a deep understanding of customer needs (the primary cause), strategic investments in technology or infrastructure may not yield the desired competitive results. The study highlights that in the Iranian context, where trust is a vital component of business transactions, the “Intervening Conditions” of organizational credibility act as a filter through which all logistics strategies must pass. Managers must realize that achieving “Consequences” like sales growth and market expansion is only possible when the causal drivers (needs recognition and quality) are aligned with the right contextual tools (CRM and technology). This holistic view challenges the traditional focus on isolated metrics like “delivery speed” and instead advocates for a system-wide improvement of the logistics value chain.Conclusion and Managerial ImplicationsThis study concludes that a one-size-fits-all approach to logistics is insufficient for the nuances of industrial markets. The proposed model provides a strategic roadmap for managers to transition from purely operational logistics to a comprehensive Logistics Service Quality (LSQ) framework. From a managerial perspective, the priority should be placed on the “Cause” variables identified in the DEMATEL analysis. Specifically, firms should invest in market intelligence to better recognize industrial client needs and foster organizational trust to ensure their logistics strategies are well-received by the market. Furthermore, the integration of digital technologies and CRM is no longer optional but a necessary context for achieving high-level performance. Theoretically, this research contributes to the supply chain management literature by providing a validated, multi-dimensional LSQ model tailored for industrial markets in developing economies. The framework serves as a diagnostic tool for organizations to identify bottlenecks in their logistics processes and implement targeted improvements to drive long-term profitability and market leadership.Keywords: Logistics Service Quality, Industrial Markets, Grounded Theory, DEMATEL, Supply Chain Management, Business Performance, Iran Industrial Sector https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_741270.html Construction disputes are among the most critical challenges in project management due to the complexity, uncertainty, and multi-stakeholder nature of construction projects, often leading to cost overruns, schedule delays, and contractual tensions. This study aims to develop a data-driven framework for proactive dispute management in construction projects using machine learning techniques. To achieve this, a set of variables related to project characteristics, contractual conditions, payment status, design changes, schedule performance, documentation quality, and managerial factors was considered as model input, while dispute occurrence and dispute severity were treated as output indicators. The proposed approach applies machine learning models to identify hidden patterns and nonlinear relationships among dispute-related factors and to improve the prediction of potential claim situations. The results indicate that delayed payments, design changes, ambiguity in contract documents, schedule slippage, and weak documentation are among the most influential factors contributing to dispute formation and escalation. The main novelty of this research lies in integrating predictive modeling with interpretable analysis to support a clearer understanding of risk drivers in construction disputes. The findings offer practical value for project managers, contractors, and employers by enabling earlier risk identification, better decision-making, and more effective preventive actions to reduce contractual conflicts and improve overall project performance.Construction disputes are a persistent challenge in project-based industries due to the complexity of contractual relationships, frequent design changes, financial uncertainty, and the involvement of multiple stakeholders. Such disputes often lead to schedule overruns, increased costs, reduced productivity, and strained professional relationships among project participants. Despite the importance of dispute management, traditional approaches are often reactive and rely heavily on expert judgment or post-event analysis, which limits their effectiveness in early risk identification. In this context, the growing availability of project data and advances in machine learning provide new opportunities for developing proactive and data-driven dispute management systems. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the potential of machine learning techniques for predicting dispute occurrence and severity in construction projects and to identify the most influential factors contributing to dispute formation.This research adopts a data-driven methodology based on machine learning modeling to analyze the risk of disputes in construction projects. A set of input variables was defined by considering project characteristics, contractual conditions, payment-related issues, design changes, documentation quality, schedule deviations, and managerial factors. These variables were used to predict dispute-related outputs such as the likelihood of dispute occurrence and its potential severity. The analytical process included data preparation, feature selection, model development, and performance evaluation using appropriate validation procedures. In addition, interpretability techniques were incorporated to better understand the influence of key variables on model outputs. This methodological framework makes it possible not only to improve predictive performance but also to provide transparent and practically meaningful results for decision-makers.The findings demonstrate that machine learning models can effectively identify dispute-prone situations in construction projects by capturing complex and nonlinear relationships among contributing factors. Among the examined variables, delayed payments, design changes, ambiguity in contract documents, schedule slippage, and weak documentation emerged as the most influential predictors of dispute occurrence and escalation. These results are broadly consistent with previous studies that have highlighted the central role of financial, contractual, and managerial deficiencies in dispute development. However, the present study goes beyond descriptive assessment by quantifying the relative importance of these factors within a predictive framework. The results also indicate that interpretable machine learning can enhance managerial understanding of dispute dynamics and support more informed interventions before conflicts evolve into formal claims or legal disputes.This study shows that construction disputes can be addressed more effectively through predictive and data-driven approaches rather than solely through conventional reactive practices. By integrating machine learning with interpretability analysis, the research provides a framework for early dispute risk detection and for identifying the main drivers behind dispute formation in construction projects. The main contribution of the study lies in moving from descriptive explanations of dispute causes toward an operational prediction tool with practical decision-support value. The results can assist project managers, contractors, and employers in improving documentation practices, reducing contractual ambiguity, managing changes more effectively, and taking preventive actions at earlier stages of the project lifecycle. Overall, the proposed approach contributes to proactive dispute management and supports better project performance in terms of time, cost, and stakeholder coordination. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_741283.html Water is pivotal to environmental sustainability and economic development. Rapid population growth and the escalating demand for reliable resources have intensified the need for desalination facilities. Given Iran's strategic geopolitical position, these critical infrastructures necessitate design frameworks grounded in passive defense principles to mitigate potential security, economic, and social disruptions. This study identifies and analyzes passive defense requirements in desalination plant design using Q-methodology. This applied research employs a descriptive-analytical approach within a mixed-method framework. Initially, 37 statements were extracted as key indicators through a literature review and expert consultations. Subsequently, these statements were ranked by participants using the Q-sort technique, and data were processed using SPSS via exploratory factor analysis .The analysis identified four dominant mental models, further categorized into 20 principal factors. The findings reveal that critical requirements including camouflage and concealment, structural configuration, material durability, structural strengthening, optimal site selection, and early warning systems are essential for resilient design. Ultimately, integrating passive defense principles with engineering design significantly enhances the resilience and security of these vital infrastructures, ensuring sustainable water resource management during crises.Introduction:Water holds a sacred and strategic status in Iran’s history and culture. Its vital role in sustaining human life and its impact on national security have rendered water infrastructure a cornerstone of societal stability. In the 21st century, escalating water stress and climate change have transformed access to sustainable freshwater into a preeminent global challenge for national security and environmental sustainability. Given the depletion of surface and groundwater resources in arid and semiarid regions, water desalination technologies have emerged as a fundamental strategic solution for providing potable and industrial water. However, the high concentration of capital and advanced technology within these facilities makes them soft targets in modern warfare doctrines and terrorist agendas. Any operational disruption can trigger irreversible social, security, and economic crises .Methodology:This study employs Q-Methodology, a research framework designed to systematically study human subjectivity and prioritize diverse perspectives through the correlation of respondent viewpoints. Unlike traditional R-methodology which focuses on variables, Q-methodology facilitates the identification of shared mental models and discourse patterns among participants.A purposive sampling technique was utilized to select 25 experts, including academics and industrial specialists in desalination and passive defense. Ultimately, 15 participants completed the Q-sorting process due to the rigorous and time-consuming nature of the tool. The participant pool consisted of 8 Ph.D. holders (53.3%), 3 doctoral candidates (20%), and 4 senior technical consultants from desalination investment firms (26.7%)Participants ranked a set of Q-statements onto a quasi-normal distribution grid based on their degree of agreement. The resulting data matrix was analyzed using SPSS software. To identify the underlying mental patterns (subjective factors), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed, followed by Varimax Rotation to enhance the interpretability of the factors. This rigorous statistical approach ensured that the identified perspectives were both distinct and representative of the experts' collective intelligence.Results and discussion:The Q-factor analysis yielded four distinct mental models (factors), collectively accounting for 78.825% of the total variance, which indicates high statistical reliability and strong explanatory power. These factors encapsulate the consensus among experts regarding the critical requirements for passive defense. The results emphasize several core components:1. Structural Fortification and Resilience: Ensuring the integrity of critical facilities under crisis conditions.2. Strategic Siting (Location): Integrating defensive and environmental considerations into the initial site selection process.3. Early Warning Systems: Designing efficient and rapid response systems to detect threats.4. Infrastructure Interdependency Management: Mitigating the risks associated with reliance on external power grids and other critical utilities.5. Camouflage and Concealment: Implementing innovative methods to reduce the signature of the facilities against modern reconnaissance.The innovation of this research lies in its ability to formulate these subjective expert insights into a structured framework, moving beyond traditional technical parameters to include geopolitical and security-centric resilience.Conclusion The primary innovation of this research lies in the application of Q-factor analysis as a robust tool to decode and categorize the specialized perspectives of stakeholders and experts in passive defense and water engineering. Unlike traditional research methods that focus solely on external variables, Q-methodology facilitated the systematic formulation of subjective factors and mental patterns. This approach enabled the researchers to reveal the hierarchy and spectrum of existing viewpoints regarding passive defense priorities in desalination facilities through a structured, quantitative lens.This methodological framework provides a deeper understanding of the security challenges and offers operational solutions tailored to field realities. By synthesizing these expert mental models, the study strengthens the validity of the identified requirements ranging from structural fortification to strategic siting. Ultimately, the findings establish a comprehensive framework that guides policymakers and engineers in enhancing the resilience of critical water infrastructures against a wide array of contemporary threats. This research ensures that passive defense considerations are no longer secondary add-ons but are integrated into the core strategic planning of sustainable water systems.Funding: There is no funding support.Authors’ Contribution:Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.Conflict of Interest:Authors declared no conflict of interest.Acknowledgments:We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_741716.html Privacy, as one of the fundamental concepts in Iranian–Islamic architectural thought, constitutes a multilayered spatial and cultural structure that emerges from the interaction between physical organization, social values, and ethical meanings embedded in everyday life. In traditional Iranian residential environments, privacy has never been limited to a simple physical separation between interior and exterior spaces; rather, it represents a complex system of spatial hierarchy, controlled accessibility, visual management, and cultural norms that collectively shape the experience of dwelling. Despite the conceptual richness of this notion, a considerable portion of previous architectural studies has approached privacy primarily through isolated physical indicators such as enclosure, spatial boundaries, or visual barriers. Such approaches, although valuable, often overlook the causal and configurational relationships among multiple spatial attributes that jointly produce the condition of privacy within residential architecture.The present research aims to identify and analyze the causal relationships among the five principal indicators of privacy within the indigenous residential architecture of South Khorasan Province in Iran. This region provides an appropriate context for investigation due to the persistence of traditional housing patterns and their strong adaptation to environmental, cultural, and social conditions. By examining these houses, the study seeks to reveal the underlying spatial logic through which privacy is constructed and maintained in vernacular architecture, and to explore how these spatial mechanisms may contribute to contemporary architectural discourse.Methodologically, the research adopts a quantitative approach based on fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (FSQCA), which allows the identification of complex causal configurations among multiple variables. Unlike conventional statistical methods that often focus on isolated linear relationships, FSQCA enables the analysis of combinational causality, recognizing that architectural phenomena frequently emerge from the interaction of several spatial conditions simultaneously. The analytical process was conducted using the FSQCA software environment to evaluate causal relationships among the defined indicators of privacy.Data collection was carried out using a structured questionnaire designed on a seven-point Likert scale to measure the presence and intensity of the selected privacy indicators in residential spatial configurations. The validity of the research instrument was confirmed through expert evaluation by three specialists in the fields of architecture and urban studies. Reliability testing was performed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, which yielded a value of α = 0.83, indicating an acceptable level of internal consistency for the measurement tool.The statistical population of the study consisted of 148 indigenous residential buildings located in various settlements across South Khorasan Province. Based on Cochran’s sampling formula, 117 buildings that met the required criteria were selected as the final research sample. These buildings represent a diverse set of traditional residential forms that collectively reflect the spatial principles and cultural values governing vernacular housing in the region.The findings of the analysis demonstrate that privacy in the indigenous houses of South Khorasan is not the outcome of a single spatial feature but rather the result of a coherent combination of spatial hierarchy, controlled access, spatial layering, and the strategic arrangement of public and private domains. Elements such as entrance sequences, transitional spaces, courtyard organization, and indirect visual corridors play significant roles in regulating movement, visibility, and social interaction within the domestic environment. The results of the fuzzy-set comparative analysis further reveal that specific configurations of spatial indicators consistently lead to higher levels of perceived privacy.Moreover, the study indicates that traditional houses in the region employ subtle yet effective spatial strategies to mediate between collective life and individual privacy. These strategies include gradual transitions between public and private zones, the use of intermediary spaces that filter social interaction, and the deliberate orientation of openings and circulation paths to control visual exposure. Such spatial arrangements demonstrate that privacy is deeply embedded in the architectural logic of vernacular dwellings rather than being imposed as an external design constraint.From a broader perspective, the research suggests that the spatial principles underlying privacy in traditional Iranian houses possess considerable potential for informing contemporary residential design. As modern housing developments increasingly face challenges related to density, social interaction, and personal space, revisiting the spatial intelligence embedded in vernacular architecture may provide valuable insights for creating residential environments that balance openness with privacy.In conclusion, the study highlights that privacy in the indigenous residential architecture of South Khorasan represents a coherent and analyzable spatial system shaped by cultural norms, environmental adaptation, and architectural organization. By employing a fuzzy comparative analytical framework, the research provides a deeper understanding of how multiple spatial factors interact to produce privacy within domestic environments. These findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of privacy in architectural studies and offer practical implications for integrating traditional spatial wisdom into contemporary housing design. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_741863.html The rapid development of smart seismic systems has made future-oriented decision-making increasingly complex, particularly when technological uncertainty, implementation constraints, and resilience requirements must be considered simultaneously. This study develops a scenario-based framework for evaluating four foresight methods; actor analysis, brainstorming, bibliometric analysis, and patent analysis for supporting strategic decisions on smart seismic systems. The assessment was based on the judgments of 12 experts and eight criteria grouped into two categories: process-related criteria and resilience-oriented criteria. Criterion weights were derived using the Fuzzy-Grey SWARA method, while the alternatives were ranked through Fuzzy-Grey VIKOR under three decision scenarios: baseline, supportive, and resource-constrained. The robustness of the results was further examined using sensitivity analysis and 100,000-iteration Monte Carlo simulations. The findings show that adaptability, robustness, and rapidity are the most influential criteria, with resilience-related criteria accounting for 63% of the total model weight. Bibliometric analysis ranked first in all three scenarios, followed by patent analysis. Monte Carlo results indicated that bibliometric analysis retained the first rank with a probability above 99.8% in every scenario, whereas the probability of satisfying VIKOR’s acceptable-advantage condition was 46.7% in the baseline scenario, 77.5% in the supportive scenario, and only 12.1% under resource constraints. These results show that rank stability should not be interpreted as decisive superiority. A robust foresight decision should therefore consider not only the final ranking, but also the strength of separation between leading alternatives and the stability of that separation under uncertainty. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_741745.html The increasing complexity and interdependence of urban physical, social, environmental, and infrastructural systems have made conventional approaches to urban resilience assessment increasingly insufficient for capturing the multidimensional and interconnected nature of urban vulnerability. Urban resilience is not determined by a single physical or socioeconomic factor; rather, it emerges from the interaction of infrastructure accessibility, population characteristics, spatial structure, environmental exposure, institutional capacity, and the continuity of critical urban functions. Consequently, effective resilience assessment requires analytical frameworks capable of integrating heterogeneous data sources, accounting for multiple dimensions of resilience, and identifying complex relationships among urban indicators.Recent advances in geographic information systems, urban data infrastructure, and machine learning have created new opportunities for data-driven resilience assessment. Machine learning methods can capture nonlinear relationships and interactions that may not be adequately represented through conventional weighted indices. Nevertheless, an important methodological challenge remains: when machine learning models use a composite resilience index as their target variable, they may merely reproduce the mathematical structure created through the weighting procedure rather than provide independent insights into urban risk. This limitation reduces the added analytical value of machine learning and may obscure the distinction between the importance of an indicator in constructing a composite index and its contribution to functional risk.From a civil defense perspective, resilience assessment should also extend beyond general resilience scoring toward identifying conditions that may lead to disruption of critical urban functions. Access to critical infrastructure, emergency services, transportation networks, communication systems, backup capacities, and the spatial distribution of vulnerable populations are particularly important in reducing the consequences of disruptive events. Therefore, there is a need for an integrated framework that simultaneously provides a composite measure of urban resilience and independently analyzes the determinants of functional risk.Accordingly, this study aims to develop an intelligent framework for urban resilience assessment by integrating multi-source urban data, a hybrid Analytic Hierarchy Process–Principal Component Analysis (AHP–PCA) weighting approach, machine learning, and civil defense principles. The main research question is: How can multi-source urban data and machine learning be integrated into an independent and interpretable framework for assessing resilience and identifying factors associated with functional risk from a civil defense perspective?MethodologyThe study adopts an applied-developmental and descriptive-analytical approach based on a data-driven analytical framework. Multi-source data representing the physical, social, infrastructural, environmental, spatial, and managerial dimensions of urban resilience were organized at the level of urban analytical units. Following data quality control, preprocessing, standardization, and integration, twelve base indicators (I1–I12) were used to represent key dimensions of resilience and vulnerability.A composite resilience index was first constructed using a hybrid AHP–PCA approach. In the AHP stage, strategic weights were determined through pairwise comparisons based on the relevance of indicators to vulnerability reduction, protection of critical infrastructure, continuity of urban functions, and resilience enhancement. In the PCA stage, data-driven weights were derived from the statistical structure of the standardized indicators using eigenvalues and factor loadings. The two weighting components were then combined with equal contributions (α = 0.5), followed by normalization. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the stability of the composite index under alternative values of α.To prevent the machine learning stage from directly reproducing the mathematical structure of the AHP–PCA index, functional risk was independently determined rather than being derived from the composite resilience score. Functional risk was assessed using complementary information, including Monte Carlo simulation of potential disruption of critical services, expert judgment and sensitivity analysis, and threat-related scenarios consistent with civil defense requirements. Urban units were subsequently classified into three functional risk levels: low, medium, and high.The twelve base indicators were then used as input features, while functional risk level was used as the independent target variable. The composite resilience score and its derived classes were excluded from the machine learning feature set. Four algorithms—Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Random Forest, and XGBoost—were compared. Model performance was evaluated using Accuracy, Precision, Recall, F1-Score, and AUC-ROC. Following model selection, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) were employed to examine the relative importance and direction of the effects of the input indicators. In addition, the ranking of indicators based on SHAP importance was compared with their ranking according to the final AHP–PCA weights, and Spearman rank correlation was used as a complementary measure of alignment between the two rankings. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_741880.html IntroductionArchitectural heritage and historic urban fabrics embody the collective memory and cultural identity of societies, preserving layers of historical, social, and symbolic values shaped through daily life. Contemporary heritage discourse has shifted from a rigid, object-oriented paradigm—focused primarily on material and technical preservation—toward a holistic approach that prioritizes intangible values, lived experiences, and the essential role of local communities. Consequently, heritage conservation is now understood as a multi-dimensional process that emphasizes social continuity, identity, and the active stewardship of historic environments.Despite this global paradigm shift toward community-based conservation, a conceptual gap remains: it is not yet fully understood how social relationships, daily dwelling practices, and place attachment transform into tangible conservation agency. There is a lack of clarity regarding how residents’ routine interactions and sense of belonging effectively translate into actions such as the daily maintenance of built structures or active participation in decision-making processes.This issue is particularly significant in historic cities like Yazd, where contemporary challenges—including demographic shifts, tourism growth, and evolving management approaches—threaten to sever the bond between residents and their historic environment. This study focuses on the historic fabric of Yazd to explore the mechanisms by which daily dwelling experiences foster conservation agency among inhabitants. It aims to develop an analytical framework that elucidates how local social capacities can be harnessed for sustainable heritage conservation, addressing the core question: How and under what conditions do daily dwelling experiences and social interactions in the historic fabric of Yazd lead to the formation of conservation agency?MethodologyThis study adopts a qualitative research strategy utilizing systematic Grounded Theory, based on the approach developed by Strauss and Corbin. The research paradigm is interpretive, focusing on understanding the meanings assigned to conservation by local stakeholders. The research setting comprises four historic neighborhoods in Yazd: Fahadan, Sheykhdad, Shah Abolghasem, and the Zoroastrian Quarter. Purposive and theoretical sampling methods were employed to achieve theoretical saturation. Data collection involved 60 in-depth, semi-structured interviews: 30 with local residents/users and 30 with heritage professionals, urban managers, and policymakers. Data analysis was conducted through three levels of coding: open, axial, and selective. The analysis of residents’ data resulted in 697 initial codes, 33 sub-categories, and 8 main categories. Constant comparative analysis was used to refine the emergent conceptual framework. Ethical considerations, including anonymity and informed consent, were strictly observed. The research emphasizes analytical generalizability rather than statistical representativeness, aiming to provide a deep understanding of the conservation phenomenon within the context of living historic cities.Results and discussionThe core category identified is “Stakeholder Orchestration for Sustainable People-Centered Conservation.” The findings reveal that conservation in living fabrics is not merely a technical task but a socio-institutional process. Four primary analytical mechanisms were identified: “Material Vulnerability,” “Daily Dwelling,” “Empowerment and Institutional Disconnect,” and “Tourism and Adaptive Reuse.”The analysis shows a profound “structural gap” between actors. Residents possess “emotional investment” and provide “everyday care,” yet their potential is hampered by a lack of professional common criteria, inconsistent regulations, and the discretionary implementation of conservation rules. Heritage management often adopts a “project-oriented approach,” which ignores the granular nature of maintenance needed by residents.From the perspective of Habermas’s theory of “Lifeworld vs. System,” the institutional system often “colonizes” the lifeworld of the residents by imposing top-down, restrictive measures that alienate them from their own historic environment. The study highlights the “mutual lock-in” effect where residents’ inability to maintain their properties (due to poverty or administrative complexity) leads to decay, which in turn justifies further institutional control, thus deepening the alienation.Tourism serves as a double-edged sword; while it brings economic resources for adaptive reuse, it simultaneously pressures infrastructure and risks triggering gentrification-led displacement. The model shows that contextual conditions—such as sense of belonging and social cohesion—act as catalysts. If supported by intervening conditions like distributive justice and collaborative management, they strengthen the “protective agency.” Conversely, in the absence of such support, the “erosive scenario” prevails, leading to the gradual loss of both authenticity and social vitality.ConclusionThe research concludes that the traditional, authority-driven model of conservation is insufficient for living historic urban fabrics. A transition towards “Stakeholder Orchestration” is essential for a sustainable “Social Contract for Conservation.” This requires institutionalizing neighborhood-level facilitation offices, shifting from rigid, binary preservation codes to performance-based guidelines, and reorienting financial support from large-scale development projects towards micro-credits for routine maintenance. Furthermore, the development of intergenerational spaces and inclusive management platforms can help bridge the gap between residents and authorities. Future research should explore the longitudinal impact of these proposed collaborative mechanisms on the social sustainability of Yazd’s historic fabric. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_742226.html The rapid urbanization of contemporary metropolitan areas has precipitated a significant shift in residential development, often leading to the erosion of the communal fabric that once defined neighborhood living. Within the specific context of Tehran, this evolution has frequently resulted in the proliferation of residential complexes characterized by the poor quality of shared spaces, unclear spatial boundaries, and a subsequent decline in both social interaction and perceived security among residents. The challenges posed by these environments are profound, as the lack of definition regarding the transition between the strictly private domain of the home and the broader public realm of the city creates a psychological vacuum that undermines the sense of safety. This research investigates the critical role of intermediate spaces—those transitional zones that function as bridges between private apartments and public streets—in mitigating these issues. By integrating participatory design strategies into the conceptualization and management of these spaces, it is possible to transform them from neglected voids into vibrant, socially active areas that foster security. The study employs a comprehensive mixed-methods research design, combining qualitative insights with quantitative evaluation to capture the multifaceted nature of residential life. Through the utilization of expert interviews and theoretical content analysis, the research establishes a robust conceptual framework that emphasizes the importance of design in shaping human behavior. Furthermore, the application of questionnaires, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling allows for a sophisticated examination of the relationships between environmental attributes and resident perceptions. These methodological tools are deployed to delineate the intricate connections between physical design features and the subjective experience of security, ensuring that the findings are both theoretically grounded and empirically supported. The findings of this research suggest that perceived spatial security is not merely a product of physical barriers or surveillance, but rather a dynamic outcome strongly supported by social interaction, place attachment, and the active multifunctionality of the environment. When residents feel that their intermediate spaces are designed to accommodate a variety of needs, they are more likely to maintain a consistent physical presence within those areas. This increased presence serves as a form of natural surveillance, which inherently enhances the safety of the collective environment. Moreover, the research highlights that the quality of the landscape and the intentional design of multifunctional areas serve as catalysts for social engagement. By creating environments that encourage people to linger and interact, designers can facilitate the development of place attachment, which in turn motivates residents to take an active role in the management and decision-making processes regarding their shared surroundings. The sense of belonging that arises from this participatory approach transforms the residential complex from an anonymous collection of units into a cohesive community. When residents participate in the design of their intermediate spaces, they cultivate a heightened sense of shared responsibility, which reinforces the social cohesion necessary to maintain a secure and welcoming atmosphere. The evidence gathered indicates that successful residential design must move beyond purely functional considerations to address the psychological and social needs of the inhabitants. The integration of participatory design components proves essential in bridging the gap between the private and public realms, effectively turning anonymous corridors or plazas into meaningful social hubs. This transformation is particularly vital in Tehran, where high-density living requires strategic interventions to maintain the quality of life and residential safety. By prioritizing natural surveillance through active usage and fostering a strong sense of ownership through collaboration, designers can alleviate the anxiety associated with unclear boundaries and weak spatial quality. The conclusions drawn from this investigation underscore that the path to safer residential environments lies in the empowerment of residents. When community members are involved in the spatial configuration and long-term maintenance of their living environments, the resultant social density acts as an effective deterrent to perceived threats. Furthermore, the multifunctionality of these spaces encourages spontaneous social interaction, which is the cornerstone of a resilient neighborhood. This study demonstrates that the perceived security of a residential complex is intimately tied to the social processes that the built environment enables. Ultimately, the transition from passive observation to active engagement, supported by thoughtful and inclusive design, is what guarantees the long-term sustainability and safety of contemporary residential developments. Strengthening the connection between individuals and their spatial surroundings through inclusive and deliberate design interventions proves that the revitalization of intermediate spaces is a powerful strategy for enhancing the overall residential quality of life. This academic inquiry provides a clear pathway for urban planners and architects to create environments that not only address the physical requirements of residents but also foster the psychological security and social connectivity that are fundamental to modern urban existence. The synthesis of design quality, multifunctionality, and participatory engagement emerges as a definitive framework for future residential planning, ensuring that the complexes of tomorrow are not merely housing, but truly safe and vibrant communities. https://www.ispdrc.ir/article_742298.html Introduction Urban water systems are among the most sensitive elements of critical infrastructure because disruption to their operation can immediately affect public health, social stability, and the continuity of essential services. Drinking water treatment plants are particularly important, as they depend on continuous operation, complex treatment processes, chemical handling, electromechanical equipment, and monitoring and control systems. These features expose them not only to natural hazards but also to deliberate human-made threats such as sabotage, cyber intrusion, intentional contamination, disruption of energy supply, and interference with treatment processes. Such events may reduce water quality, interrupt production, create public health emergencies, and weaken public confidence in urban services. Conventional protection measures mainly emphasize physical security and emergency response. Although necessary, these measures do not fully show whether a facility can absorb disruption, recover its functions, and learn from the event. Resilience offers a broader framework by considering resistance, recovery, and adaptation together. However, much of the available literature on water resilience focuses on natural hazards or distribution networks, while quantitative assessments of treatment plants under deliberate threat scenarios remain limited. This study therefore evaluates the resilience of an urban drinking water treatment plant against human-made threats using the Critical Infrastructure Elements Resilience Assessment method (CIERA). It also identifies the main technical and organizational weaknesses requiring improvement. Methodology The research was applied in purpose and descriptive–analytical in design. A quantitative, indicator-based approach was used to assess the current condition of the selected treatment plant. For security reasons, the name and detailed characteristics of the facility are not reported. The study followed the three main phases of the CIERA method: preparation, assessment, and analysis and improvement. During the preparation phase, the facility was described in structural and functional terms, and relevant threats were identified through technical documents, operational reports, safety instructions, literature review, and expert consultation. Based on expert agreement, deliberate biological or chemical contamination caused by sabotage in treatment or transfer processes was selected as the main scenario. Possible pathways included unauthorized manipulation of treatment units, intrusion into control and monitoring systems, intentional injection of contaminants, and interference with chemical dosing. Data were collected through document review, semi-structured interviews, and specialized CIERA questionnaires. Five experts participated, representing urban water systems, operation and maintenance, critical-infrastructure risk and safety, crisis management and security, and passive defence. Items were scored independently on a five-point Likert scale and then normalized, weighted, and aggregated using the CIERA equations. Three resilience components were assessed. Robustness covered crisis preparedness, redundancy, detection capability, operational response, and physical resistance. Recoverability included material, financial, and human resources, together with recovery processes. Adaptability examined risk management, innovation, and staff education and development. Component scores were expressed as percentages, and overall resilience was calculated as the mean of the three components. Under the CIERA classification, 85–100% indicates high resilience, 69–84% acceptable resilience, 53–68% low resilience, 37–52% undesirable resilience, and 36% or less a critical condition. Results and discussion The treatment plant received a robustness score of 73.02%, placing this component in the acceptable range. Physical resistance and operational response were among the stronger areas, indicating that the plant has a reasonable capacity to withstand the initial effects of a deliberate disruption and maintain essential functions. However, threat detection and crisis preparedness received lower evaluations. These weaknesses are important in a contamination scenario, where delayed identification may allow the incident to spread before corrective action begins. Improved real-time monitoring, access control, anomaly detection, and threat-specific exercises would strengthen the plant’s early response. Recoverability was scored at 71.25%, also within the acceptable range. Human and financial resources were evaluated relatively positively, suggesting that personnel and funding could be mobilized after an incident. In contrast, formal recovery procedures and integrated planning were less developed. Available resources cannot ensure rapid restoration unless roles, priorities, communication channels, and operational sequences are defined in advance. Recovery plans should therefore be documented, tested, and coordinated with technical teams, security units, public-health authorities, and urban crisis managers. Adaptability received the lowest score, at 63.08%, and fell within the low category. Staff education and development showed a comparatively better condition, but risk management and organizational innovation remained weak. The plant therefore appears better prepared to resist and recover from a known event than to learn from experience and adjust to emerging threats. Limited institutional learning may allow weaknesses identified during exercises or incidents to persist. Insufficient investment in technological and managerial innovation may also reduce preparedness for new cyber-physical or combined threats. The overall resilience score was 69.12%, placing the facility at the lower boundary of the acceptable category. This result should not be interpreted as full security. It indicates that existing technical and recovery capacities provide a useful foundation, while long-term adaptation remains the main constraint. Since the three components are interconnected, improving adaptability may also enhance future robustness and recoverability. Lessons learned from exercises can strengthen detection and response procedures, while systematic risk assessment can guide investment in monitoring, redundancy, and emergency resources. Conclusion The CIERA method provided a structured way to assess both technical and organizational resilience under a deliberate contamination scenario. The plant showed acceptable robustness and recoverability, whereas adaptability remained below the acceptable threshold. Priority actions include institutionalizing risk management, improving detection and crisis preparedness, documenting and testing recovery plans, and strengthening organizational learning and innovation. These actions should form part of a continuous resilience cycle rather than isolated corrective measures. The findings can assist water-utility managers, urban planners, security authorities, and passive-defence organizations in prioritizing interventions and allocating resources. Although the study concerns one facility and one principal scenario, the approach can be adapted to similar treatment plants if local operating conditions, threat profiles, and organizational capacities are considered.