The old area of Roodband in Dezful city has historically served as a gathering place for the people of Dezful during the observance of Muharram rituals. It is both physically and naturally one of the memorable and identity-giving components of Dezful. However, the traditional routes for these ceremonies are currently inadequate for accommodating the movement of mourning processions. Despite the addition of some spaces to these routes, they still do not meet the current needs, leading to social, cultural, and transit-related problems in the city.
The primary objective of this research is to examine the memorable and identity-giving criteria for the revitalization of this square as a crucial landmark in addressing contemporary life and activity needs within the complex, the surrounding context, and the city of Dezful. The main research question is: What common memory-ritual themes does Roodband Square hold among the people? Additionally, what physical solutions are prioritized in terms of enhancing the quality and identity of this space?
By clarifying the theoretical and physical frameworks of this quality, the research aims to assist urban designers in improving citizens’ connection to this urban space. This study is applied in nature and employs a descriptive-analytical research method based on inferential statistics. In the first stage, relevant literature was reviewed to extract dimensions and general criteria for preserving collective identity and memory in urban environments. User opinions regarding environmental factors affecting memorability were collected through a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS software.
The research results indicate that the domain of meaning has been identified as the most significant area for identity and memory creation from the perspective of space users, with the fields of activity and physicality following in importance. Furthermore, to elucidate physical solutions for enhancing collective identity and memory in the Pir Roodband area, four categories of solutions were defined: urban and architectural design, improvement of urban facilities and furniture, land use planning, and traffic measures. In order of importance, traffic solutions were deemed most critical, followed by architectural and urban design solutions, improvements to urban facilities and furniture, and land use planning.
