Facilitating the Process Towards Social Sustainability: A Culture-Based Method for Mapping Historic Public Places, Applied to the Example of Tabriz Bazaar, Iran

The current literature on public space reveals the significant role of public space in enhancing social sustainability. Nevertheless, in empirical research and practice a more comprehensive methodological framework is required, which takes into account the complexities of local understandings of public space and social sustainability. The aim of this paper is to discuss how urban heritage research can contribute to solving questions regarding conflicts in interpreting social sustainability in relation to the local culture. The findings are mainly a result of a qualitative research based on literature review. For applying the results on the example of Tabriz Bazaar, a combination of literature review and spatial ethnographic research techniques are used. The paper presents a culture-based method for mapping historic public places, designed with the bases of incorporating the four factors of use, physical accessibility, ownership and local culture of territory-defining. This method is modified specifically for and applied on the case of Tabriz Bazaar. The paper suggests that the urban governance system needs to be flexible regarding the publicity–privacy spectrum of the place indicating the current power relations of different actors in it. It offers a tool to understand the current levels of responsibilities, rights and vulnerabilities of public and private actors in different zones of the studied place. Through providing a place-based and a culture-based model of the historic public place, the method can facilitate the negotiation and management process, and accordingly, contribute to the enhancement of social sustainability of the place.