Page 120 - JCAU-7-3

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Spatial analysis of urban garden space

Land use change &
garden city

Consequences

Disturbance of
Reduction of the
environmental Reduction in food agricultural sector Destruction of natural
landscapes
security
equilibrium

Degree of intensity of lanad
use

Instability of rural areas
Figure 1. Land use and its changes from a sustainability perspective
Source: Flowchart by the author.

iterations vary in purpose and include social gardens, One of the most significant drivers behind the
urban organic gardens, community gardens, recreational expansion of Garden Cities in Iran is the intervention of
gardens, domestic gardens, and educational gardens. The capitalism in the urban spatial system. This process can be
diversity in nomenclature reflects their distinct objectives analyzed in several key dimensions:
(Ribeiro et al., 2023). Figure 1 illustrates land use and its • Urban neoliberalism and marketization: According
changes from a sustainability perspective. to Harvey’s theories (2006), urban neoliberalism –
Similarly, the Iranian garden has evolved by adapting characterized by marketization and land privatization
to different environmental and socio-political conditions, – leads to the conversion of traditional spaces to serve
creating a functional spatial environment that meets capitalist interests. This theory asserts that market-
emerging urban needs. Historical sources indicate that driven economic policies commodify urban space, often
the Iranian garden has reinvented itself in various forms at the expense of social and cultural values. Research by
over centuries. Its enduring presence and sustained form Shah & Ali (2022) indicates that in Iran, the privatization
throughout history highlight its deep interconnection with of garden land has resulted in its repurposing into villa-
Iranian cultural, social, and ecological systems (Khansari city projects. While these changes generate economic
et al., 2004). In the 20 century, the concept emerged with benefits for investors, they contribute little to local food
th
Howard’s (1898) theories on the Garden City. Following production or ecological diversity.
the urban transformations of the Pahlavi era (1925 – 1979) • Investment by large corporations in new developments:
and modernization efforts, it became one of the key urban Research by Hosseini and Amini (2023) indicates
planning models under discussion in Iran. that major corporate investments in new urban
developments – often marketed as Garden Cities with
However, in recent decades, capitalism, land-use a green façade – frequently fail to meet environmental
changes, and urban neoliberalism have profoundly sustainability standards. These projects exploit the
transformed the nature of Iranian Garden Cities (Shah & economic value of garden lands, prioritizing profit
Ali, 2022). The rapid expansion of large-scale construction over ecological preservation.
and the conversion of urban gardens – particularly • Increasing spatial inequality: Esfandiar & Fadaei
in cities, such as Tehran and Mashhad – reflect the (2022) demonstrate that class segregation and land
economic pressures imposed on traditional Garden City monopolization by affluent groups exacerbate spatial
spaces (Mirzaei & Rezaei, 2021). Studies indicate that inequality, restricting low-income populations’ access
contemporary Iranian garden cities in regions such as to green spaces and locally produced food.
Karaj, Mashhad, and Isfahan face water supply crises and • Decline in food security: The widespread privatization
deteriorating soil quality, threatening their ecological of garden lands in suburban areas has significantly
sustainability (UNESCO, 2023). reduced local food production, limiting access to

Volume 7 Issue 3 (2025) 4 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.6234