Volume 3, Issue 9 (2-2026)
JORS 2026, 3(9): 64-75 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Rafiei Dehaghani V, mansouri S, atashinbar M. Rethinking Urban Development in Pilgrimage Contexts: A Place-Based Analysis of Spatial Structure Transformations Around the Holy Shrine of Fatima Masumeh in Qom. JORS 2026; 3 (9) : 6
URL: http://jors-sj.com/article-1-107-en.html
URL: http://jors-sj.com/article-1-107-en.html
1- Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Architecture, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran, -
2- Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Architecture, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
3- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Architecture, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
3- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (1367 Views)
Urban development transformations surrounding sacred sites extend beyond mere physical interventions, profoundly impacting the spatial structure, social identity, and economic systems of the host cities. As a major religious epicenter in Iran, the city of Qom has witnessed extensive interventions in the immediate environs of the Holy Shrine of Fatima Masumeh over recent decades. While primarily driven by the objective of enhancing pilgrimage capacity and streamlining service provision, these interventions have precipitated multi-layered consequences for both the spatial structure and the lived experiences of local residents. The core problem addressed in this study is to elucidate how Qom’s urban development trajectory has influenced the spatial structure surrounding the shrine, analyzed through the lens of a place-based development approach. Employing a qualitative and interpretative methodology, this research relies on the comprehensive analysis of historical and contemporary documents, spatial maps, approved master plans, and existing urban studies. The theoretical framework is anchored in three primary pillars of place-based development: socio-cultural, physical-spatial, and economic-functional dimensions. The analytical process was conducted in three phases: reconstructing historical trajectories, correlating findings with theoretical indicators, and identifying the dominant intervention paradigms. Findings indicate that the prevailing development orientation in the study area has disproportionately prioritized the expansion of physical capacity and pilgrimage-related services. Consequently, the equilibrium among social, spatial, and economic dimensions has been severely disrupted. The most critical consequences of this trend include demographic shifts, the erosion of local social networks, the replacement of fine-grained urban morphology with large-scale developments, and a transition from a neighborhood-centric economy to a capital-driven paradigm. The results emphasize that the continuation of such interventions—without recalibration based on place-based principles—risks further diminishing the historical identity and the quality of the spatial experience. Accordingly, fostering resident participation, supporting endogenous economic models, and prioritizing the human scale in spatial design are proposed as essential imperatives for recalibrating development policies within historical-religious urban contexts.
Article number: 6
Editorial: Original Research Article |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/01/5 | Accepted: 2026/02/5 | Published: 2026/02/20
Received: 2026/01/5 | Accepted: 2026/02/5 | Published: 2026/02/20
References
1. Alavian Sadr, M., Izadi, M. S., Shahabian, P., & Talebian, M. H. (2024). Framework for the Organization and Management of Historic Urban Landscapes; A Case Study of Mashhad, Iran. Athar, 45(105), 85-118. [DOI:10.22034/45.105.4]
2. Al-Daini, R., Samaneh, A., & Danilina, N. V. (2020). Strategic urban planning of religious cities: the case study of Karbala city in Iraq. Vestnik MGSU, 8, 1081-1089. [DOI:10.22227/1997-0935.2020.8.1081-1089]
3. Alfasi, N., & Ganan, E. (2015). Jerusalem of (foreign) gold: entrepreneurship and pattern-driven policy in a historic city. Urban Geography, 36(2), 157-180. [DOI:10.1080/02723638.2014.977051]
4. Andrés Rodríguez, P. (2018). The revenge of the places that don't matter (and what to do about it). Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 11(1), 189- 209. [DOI:10.1093/cjres/rsx024]
5. Bagheri, Y., & Mansouri, S. (2018). City entrance, as an element for creating an independent identity for the city landscape. The Monthly Scientific Journal of Bagh-e Nazar, 15(60), 5-14. [DOI:10.22034/bagh.2018.62760]
6. Barca, F., Macann, P., & Andrés Rodríguez, P. (2012). The Case For Regional Development Intervention: Place-Based Versus Place-Neutral Approaches. Journal of Regional Science, 52(1).
x [DOI:10.1111/j.1467-9787.2011.00756.]
7. Ben-Hamouche, M. (2009). Complexity of urban fabric in traditional Muslim cities: Importing old wisdom to present cities. URBAN DESIGN International, 14(1), 22-35. [DOI:10.1057/udi.2009.7]
8. Emad, F., Movahed, K., Taghipour, M., & heidari, A. A. (2022). Recognizing the principles of creating a sense of spirituality in the context of religious spaces in the city of Shiraz based on the concept of hierarchy. , 13(49), 194-207. [DOI:10.30495/jupm.2021.26667.3707]
9. Esmaeeldokht, M. (2021). Historical Texture as a Museum of Visual Arts for Historical Tourism: A Case Study of Shiraz. Tourism of Culture, 2(4), 21-30. [DOI:10.22034/toc.2021.255387.1029]
10. Habibi, K., Behzadfar, M., Meshkini, A., Alizadeh, H., & Mahaki, V. (2011). Evaluating the impacts of urban development plans on the deconstruction and quality improvement of the ancient Iranian city space. Iranian Islamic City Studies, 1(4), 15-28. (In Persian)
11. Habibi, S. M. (2009). From Shar to city. University of Tehran Press. (In Persian)
12. Healey, P. (1997). Collaborative Planning: Shaping Places in Fragmented Societies. Macmillan. [DOI:10.1007/978-1-349-25538-2]
13. Heidegger, M. (1971). Building, dwelling, thinking. In A. Hofstadter (Trans.), Poetry, language, thought (pp. 141-160). Harper & Row.
14. Hemmati, M., & Saboonchi, P. (2021). Perceiver, Perceived, Perceptual Product (Evaluating Experts' Interpretations of the Components of 'Landscape' Definition). MANZAR, the Scientific Journal of landscape, 13(56), 14-29. [DOI:10.22034/manzar.2021.273356.2115]
15. Hoseinzadeh, M., & Mansouri, S. A. (2025). Urban Landscape Reading Approaches: A Systematic Review of Conceptual Model Development. MANZAR, the Scientific Journal of landscape, 17(72), 28-39. [DOI:10.22034/manzar.2025.497158.2325]
16. Hosseini, S. A., Yaghfoori, H., & hadeiani, Z. (2020). Investigation and analysis of factors affecting the development of physical-spatial structure of Qom city with a futures research approach. Geography and Development, 18(61), 247-276. [DOI:10.22111/jGDIJ.2021.5853]
17. Jacobs, J. (1961). The death and life of great American cities. Random House.
18. Kubbah, S., & Hankawi, W. (2024). The impact of multiple ideologies on the disruption of the urban fabric: Social disruption - A case study. AIP Conference Proceedings, 3203, 050108. [DOI:10.1063/5.0212709]
19. Lefebvre, H. (1991). The production of space. (D. N. Smith, Trans.) Cambriged: Blackwell.
20. Maghsoudi, A., Mansouri,S. A., & Haghir, S. (2024). Territorial Landscape: Explaining the Relationship Between the Concept of Territory and Landscape. MANZAR, the Scientific Journal of landscape, 16(68), 48-59. [DOI:10.22034/manzar.2024.461220.2291]
21. Mahdavinejad, M. J., & Amini, M. (2011). Public Participation for Sustainable Urban Planning in Case of Iran. Procedia Engineering, 21, 405- 413. [DOI:10.1016/j.proeng.2011.11.2032]
22. OECD. (2020). Linking people and places: Place-based approaches to local development. OECD Publishing.
23. Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. Simon & Schuster. [DOI:10.1145/358916.361990]
24. Relph, E. (1976). Place and Placelessness. Pion.
25. Saboonchi, P., & Rafiei, V. (2025). Evaluating the Role of Stakeholders in Urban Policy-Making Based on the Principles of Good Urban Governance - A Case Study of the Development Plan for Camp B, Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni. JORS, 3(6), 76-85. [DOI:10.22034/3.6.7]
26. Sen, A. (1999). Development as freedom. Oxford University Press. https://books.google.com/books?id=huHxr4P8Y7UC
27. Thaitakoo, D. (2006). Toward a Way to Balance Conservation and Development in the Ayutthaya Historic Town Centers. Journal of Humanities, 9(12), 16-34. https://digital.car.chula.ac.th/manusya/vol9/iss12/2/ [DOI:10.1163/26659077-00904002]
28. Venerandi, A., Zanfi, F., & Salim, A. (2021). Urban spatial transformation in the historic city of Qom: street network evolution and morphological change. ISPRS International Journal of Geo‑Information, 10(12), 854-872.
29. Yin, B., & Xu, W. (2014). The Survival of Urban Tourism Development under the Background of Religious Resources - In Baotou, for Example. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 587-589, 181- 184. [DOI:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.587-589.181]
30. Yin, J., & Jia, M. (2024). Historical Traceability, Diverse Development, and Spatial Construction of Religious Culture in Macau. Religions, 15(6), 656. [DOI:10.3390/rel15060656]
31. Zhang, Y., & Wei, T. (2017). Typology of religious spaces in the urban historical area of Lhasa, Tibet. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 6(3), 384-400. [DOI:10.1016/j.foar.2017.05.001]
32. Zhao, P. (2011). Managing urban growth in transforming, china: Evidence from Beijing. Land use policy, 24, 96-109. http://redbcm.com.br/arquivos/bibliografia/managing [DOI:10.1016/j.landusepol.2010.05.004]
33. Ziari, K. (2011). Regional development planning. SAMT. (In Persian)
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |