Introduction
Urban development is a necessary process, but it is essential to implement policies that include revitalizing historical contexts. Contemporary urban strategies emphasize development-driven initiatives to enhance transformation in these areas, focusing on physical-environmental and socio-economic revitalization. Isfahan, like many other cities, must address the revitalization of its historical context, an issue that has garnered significant attention from specialists and experts. Authorities have initiated several projects in the city's historical neighborhoods.
This research evaluates three design projects in Isfahan’s historical district of Baba Qasem: the "Urban Space Expansion Plan of Agha Noor Mosque," "Saheh Shahshahan," and "Saheh Amin." The study employs the concepts of "infill development" to respect the existing context and "development-driven initiatives" for revitalization.
The research team defines the key concepts of "infill development" and "development-driven initiatives," providing both theoretical and conceptual frameworks. The study then assesses the integration of these concepts into the selected plans, focusing on physical aspects and the extent to which the designers have considered relevant indicators.
Methodology
This applied research utilizes a mixed-method approach for data collection.In quantitative part, a 19-question questionnaire was developed for each of the three projects, focusing on the "physical dimension of development-driven infill design." The sample was drawn from universities with restoration programs, as listed in the 2024 graduate admission guide, including Shahid Beheshti, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tabriz Art University, Isfahan Art University, Tehran Art University, Qazvin Islamic Azad University, Tehran University, and Kerman Bahonar University. Faculty emails were collected, yielding a list of 32 active restoration professors. Using Cochran's formula with a 0.05 confidence level, a sample size of 30 was determined. A Likert scale questionnaire was used, with responses ranging from "very low" to "very high," scored from 1 to 5. Of the 32 faculty members, 29 completed the questionnaire. Content validity was established by having the questions reviewed by 10 academic experts, and reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, which showed acceptable internal consistency with values exceeding 0.7 for all variables.
In qualitative part, semi-structured interviews were conducted with professional designers to deepen and complement the quantitative findings.
Results and discussion
The study assesses the adherence of approved projects in the Baba Qasem historical area to the physical indicators of development-driven infill design using a one-sample t-test. The questionnaire, rated on a 5-point Likert scale, was compared to a midpoint score of 3. Descriptive statistics indicate whether the mean scores are above or below 3, but inferential statistics are needed for confirmation. At a 95% confidence level, t-test results show that attention to form, materials and details, scale, natural elements, skyline, and building façades in the approved projects is satisfactory.
To compare the means of the three projects—Saheh Shahshahan, Agha Noor Mosque Urban Space Development, and Saheh Amin—the one-way ANOVA test was employed. This test divides variance into between-group and within-group categories. A p-value greater than 0.05 indicates no significant differences between group means, while p-values less than 0.05 signal significant differences, necessitating post-hoc tests.
ANOVA results reveal no significant differences in form, materials and details, scale, and building façades across the three projects, as p-values exceed 0.05. However, significant differences were found in natural elements and skyline, with post-hoc tests showing notable variations between Saheh Shahshahan and the other projects. Tukey's test results indicate significant differences in mean scores for natural elements and skyline between Saheh Shahshahan and Saheh Amin, as well as between Saheh Shahshahan and the Agha Noor Mosque project.
In this study, semi-structured interviews with 10 experienced designers were conducted to complement the quantitative analysis. These designers, with extensive experience in infill design within historical contexts, discussed the challenges, opportunities, and strengths of development projects in the historical fabric of Baba Qasem, Isfahan. The interviews revealed key insights, including the need for better integration with the historical context, attention to human scale and residents' needs, addressing challenges related to skyline and building height, the importance of green spaces, and increasing local community participation in the design process.

Conclusion
The results of this study, based on quantitative and qualitative analyses, highlight the increasing importance of infill projects in preserving and revitalizing historical urban contexts as Isfahan grows. In the historical Baba Qasem district, three infill development projects have been approved and are being implemented. These projects serve as models provided by relevant authorities, offering valuable insights into physical design criteria for similar initiatives in historical contexts. The quantitative analysis indicates that the physical criteria of these projects have been satisfactorily met, with no significant differences among them. The consistency in design elements such as form, materials, scale, and façade lines suggests these features can guide future projects in the historical Baba Qasem context.

On the other hand, qualitative analysis, based on interviews with professional designers, revealed some challenges, including a lack of green spaces and insufficient harmony with the skyline in certain projects. Additionally, the limited involvement of local residents in the early design stages was noted as a major drawback, potentially affecting the acceptance and success of the projects. Based on these findings, several recommendations are made: greater emphasis on green spaces and nature, better skyline integration, increased local resident participation, the development of design guidelines tailored to historical contexts, and regular post-implementation evaluations to gather feedback for ongoing improvement.