International Journal of Architectural Engineering & Urban Planning

Understanding Iranian Inter-Regional Migration Network: Applying the Gravity Model on a Provincial Scale

Maedeh Hedayatifard

This study examines the historical trends and dynamics of inter-regional migration in Iran between 1996 and 2011, focusing on the economic and spatial factors influencing migration flows between origin and destination regions. The analysis applies network analysis and multivariable regression to 961 inter-regional migration pairs. The findings reveal, first, that economically powerful regions such as Tehran, Isfahan, and Khorasan attract the highest levels of migration due to their diverse economic opportunities, infrastructure, and urban amenities. However, wealth alone does not determine migration activity. For example, regions like Khuzestan and Bushehr, despite their high GDP per capita, experience lower migration rates due to limited employment opportunities in capital-intensive sectors like oil and gas and a lack of economic diversification. Second, the analysis highlights that migration decreases with geographic distance but increases toward major urban centers like Tehran, reflecting the pull of agglomeration economies and access to services, which attract migrants from farther regions. Tehran's sustained position as a primary destination underscores its pivotal role in Iran's economic and social framework. The transition from smaller to larger migration flows, particularly in the 50,000–100,000 range and higher, reflects increasing urbanization and intensified migration trends driven by population growth, regional inequalities, and the concentration of opportunities in major cities. Third, between 1996 and 2011, non-productive sectors such as real estate and trade in origin regions pushed migration, while productive sectors like agriculture and fisheries retained populations. Conversely, financial intermediation and energy-related activities in destination regions attracted migrants. The findings also show that while regional wealth reduces out-migration, saturation effects in developed regions, such as high living costs and job market constraints, limit their attractiveness. These findings emphasize the importance of balanced regional development and the role of infrastructure and economic opportunities in shaping migration trends.

Spatial Dimensions of Urban Poverty: The Case of Iranian Metropolises

Amer Nikpour

According to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), poverty is one of the 17 main goals that should be eradicated by 2030. In this vein, it has become a global challenge that international organizations and governments in different countries are trying to identify and control. In addition, many studies have been conducted about its various dimensions, the causes of its formation, factors affecting its growth, and solutions to reduce it in different environments. However, no research has been accomplished to identify urban poverty in all metropolises of a country simultaneously. Thus, this research is trying to cover this gap and has studied all of Iran's metropolises to determine how much of the population and area of the country's metropolises are covered by poverty. The required indicators for this purpose have been selected based on available data from the country's last national census and international studies related to the issue. The Factor analysis model has been used for data evaluation, and the kernel density technique and Moran's spatial autocorrelation have been utilized for spatial analysis.

From Simulation to Reality: Using Digital Twin Technology (DT) to Design Sustainable Smart Cities

Mahshid Ghorbanian

In recent times, DT technology has emerged to act as a potential facilitator in conceptualizing a sustainable smart city, thereby allowing virtual models to be integrated seamlessly into the physical environment. This paper tends to explore the contribution of DT in urban planning, management, and optimization processes in regards to contemporary trends on sustainability and enhancement of livability within smart city paradigms. DT technology replicates systems, processes, or infrastructures and allows simulation of minute details through extensive analysis and real-time monitoring. DT bridges the gap between virtual and physical spaces, offering data-informed insights to policymakers, urban planners, among other stakeholders, in optimizing urban systems, enhancing resource efficiency, and making better decisions within the paradigm of urban management. The study then enumerates several DT applications; among them are traffic management, environmental monitoring, and emergency response. These represent potential alleviation to urban problems and increasing the quality of life in citizens. On the other hand, DT deployment in urban environments faces challenges related to data privacy and interoperability aspects, which require high infrastructural costs and cooperative solutions. This is further entrenched through the use of case studies and literature reviews that substantiate the potential of DT in guiding cities toward a more sustainable and resilient future by dynamically fostering responsive smart cities that address environmental and social imperatives.

Investigating the Time Range of Architecture Compatible with Climate

Pedram Hessari

Thermal comfort conditions include a range of temperature and moisture in which the regulatory mechanism of body temperature is at the lowest level of activity. This paper evaluates the thermal human comfort of bioclimatic conditions according to human comfort with analysis software. In this research, a descriptive-analytical method was utilized. Most of the data were gathered through library studies and required climate information was extracted from the data according to the weather station. In conclusion, the fall and winter seasons and the month of April have cold conditions. Therefore, applying mechanical heating and high thermal mass is needed for most of the year. One-third of a year has human comfort conditions. In this regard, natural and mechanical cooling is required for three months of the year due to warm conditions.

The Effect of Urban Block Configuration on Buildings’ Energy Consumption and Urban Microclimate in a Hot Climate

Roza Vakilinezhad

Buildings have a significant share of global energy consumption and a major role in global warming. Buildings also affect the temperature of their surrounding environment. The present study investigates the effect of Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and urban block configurations on energy consumption, urban microclimate, and outdoor thermal comfort in Tehran with a hot climate, using the simulation method and Ladybug Tools (1.6.0). According to the results, decreasing FAR in an urban block improves urban microclimate while reducing building energy consumption. The results reveal that the effect of FAR on the buildings' energy consumption is more considerable. Decreasing FAR reduces the buildings’ energy consumption and outdoor air temperature. Furthermore, the scattered form of urban blocks consumes the highest cooling energy while having the lowest heating load. The lowest cooling and heating loads are found in the linear and scatter organizations. Considering the dominant cost of cooling energy, the case with less FAR would be the best choice from an economic point of view. For three-story urban blocks, the best case is the courtyard form, while for five and nine-story urban blocks, the best option would be the linear form.

A Review Human Movement Through Different Altitude Layers of a Dwelling in Hot and Semi-humid Climates

Sajad Moazen

This study explored one of the unique solutions to create climatic comfort in high-temperature and semi-humid dwellings. It also aimed to explain the role of different altitude layers of dwellings in Dezful throughout the year. It is an applied study with a descriptive-analytical method. This study was carried out on 23 local houses in Dezful, and revealed six altitude layers, including the first layer (Shavadoon), second layer (Shabistan), third layer (courtyard), fourth layer (the platform, first-floor room, and veranda), fifth layer (the yard on the second-floor, second-floor room, and veranda), and sixth layer (the roof). The data were collected through interviews, available documents, and field observations. The results revealed that moving vertically through layers can yield thermal comfort. The fourth layer has the most use of space, and the second layer has the most minor use of space during the year

Where Does National Urban Policy (NUP) Stand in Urban Planning Systems? An Introduction to the Framework and Content of NUP in Iran

Masoumeh Mirsafa

Despite decades of experience in urban planning, Iran lacks a robust urban policy framework to guide its rapid urbanization toward sustainable and resilient development. Moreover, its existing sectoral policies have failed to operate within an integrated framework. The formulation of a National Urban Policy (NUP), as proposed by UN-Habitat, offers a unified structure to facilitate the preparation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of urban policies nationwide. However, there is no single approach to developing NUP, and urban policymaking in each country needs to be sensitive to its socio-economic and political context. This research employs a qualitative method to define Iran’s NUP framework and develop its content based on the specific circumstances of urbanization in Iran. Drawing on 32 national and international documents, the analysis identifies key themes for creating a sustainable urban future. The findings advocate for a contextualized and localized approach to formulating the NUP, incorporating six building blocks and twenty themes. The study emphasizes the necessity of a forward-thinking approach to urban planning, addressing critical issues such as climate change, internal migrations, aging populations, and the environmental impact of urbanization. The study also introduces a participatory, data-driven, and integrated approach to ensure the effectiveness of proposed policies and stresses the importance of periodic policy evaluation and adaptation to address future uncertainties

The Impact of Lighting on Emotions in Architectural Interior Spaces: A Systematic Review

Seyed-Abbas Yazdanfar

Light significantly affects human physiological and psychological dimensions, particularly emotions, which play a key role in mental health. Exploring the relationship between the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of light and emotional or affective states in indoor architectural spaces is essential due to the substantial time people spend in such environments. However, a comprehensive study that integrates and summarizes existing knowledge in this field is still lacking. This systematic review aims to synthesize current evidence and identify research gaps. A total of 4,897 records were identified using relevant keywords from five databases: Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and APA PsycINFO. The review followed the Prisma 2020 guidelines. After screening (kappa = 0.784) and assessing eligibility based on PICOS criteria, 14 articles were selected according to the inclusion criteria and authors’ consensus. Reviewing references led to the inclusion of one additional article. All 15 studies were rated as of acceptable quality, and their data were extracted. The findings reveal that most prior studies have evaluated the effects of Illuminance, Correlated Color Temperature (CCT), Lighting Color, and Lighting Distribution or Direction on Pleasure, Arousal, and Dominance (PAD) in predominantly administrative, commercial, or educational indoor spaces. Generally, all PAD dimensions are directly correlated with Illuminance level, and Arousal is directly related to CCT. Furthermore, the combination of direct and indirect Lighting and relatively complex lighting Distribution increase Pleasure, and Colored light heightens Arousal while reducing Dominance. Identified research gaps underscore the need for future studies focusing on artificial lighting dependent on interior architectural form, indoor natural light, residential environments, and the use of behavioral and neurophysiological indicators for emotion evaluation.