PhD in Urban PlanningFaculty Member, Iran University of Science and Technology, PhD in Urban PlanningFaculty Member, Iran University of Science and Technology
Abstract: (17 Views)
Urban and regional planners and designers issue binding decisions regarding how citizens may use their own land. An urban plan (for example, a city detailed plan) may determine land use, specifying which activities are permitted on a given parcel and which are prohibited. Urban plans typically set regulations for density, building coverage ratio, number of floors, building height, dimensions and placement of light wells, required parking spaces, and sometimes even the slope of parking ramps.The fundamental question is: who has granted planners the authority to make decisions on behalf of people? Do citizens not exercise control over their own property? If planners do possess such authority, how far may it extend? For instance, are planners allowed to determine the dimensions of bedrooms? May they specify the color of wallpaper inside a house? What about the color of the building’s exterior façade? How has this right of intervention (or more precisely, this legitimacy to pass judgment on others’ property) been established for planners, and what is its foundation?In September 2024, the owner of a relatively historic house (dating back to the second Pahlavi period) in Tehran decided to paint the façade of his house pink. This building, later known as the “Pink Panther House,” located on Taleghani Street, sparked extensive debate within professional circles. Does the owner of a building have the right to paint its façade according to personal taste? Do others (such as pedestrians or neighbors) have any rights in relation to this house? Do planners or urban managers have the right to issue directives, or even recommendations, regarding the color of this property?Some experts argued that the municipality should compel the owner to show greater respect for the surrounding urban fabric and consider the public rights associated with this space. Changing the color of a house façade effectively alters the streetscape, and such an action, they claimed, cannot remain solely within the authority of a single property owner. Others, however, maintained that individual freedom and personal taste must be respected, and even if planners or urban managers find the building visually unpleasant or incompatible with its surroundings, no one has the right to impose obligations concerning the color of another person’s house.
Article number: 1
Editorial: Original Research Article |
Subject:
Editorial
Received: 2026/02/15 | Accepted: 2025/11/22 | Published: 2026/02/15
Received: 2026/02/15 | Accepted: 2025/11/22 | Published: 2026/02/15
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