The Amayesh Plan (as an innovative urban development plan)

Why was this project started?

Classical approaches and methods of urban planning, which in the form of comprehensive and detailed plans emphasize the physical aspects of urban development more than anything else, have not been feasible. In addition, planning models based on new social and economic approaches over the past three decades have not been very successful in cities in developing countries. The new idea presented in this operational research has been implemented and evaluated in the historical port of Kong as an urban live laboratory of Iran with the aim of eliminating the existing weaknesses in the existing planning approaches and patterns. Based on this idea, we would succeed to design a framework of solutions to urban complexity.

The results of the project so far

This project is running since last March (2021) and it would be continued for the next 5 years. the main outputs of this project during the recent year are:
- developing the local socio-economic actors' network through implementing three co-creation processes regarding local business, participation, and urban planning and design issues.
- revising the urban development plan based on the Amayesh approach (changing the action plan of the municipality and presenting the new urban structure and land use plan to achieve innovative urban form)
- creating a local innovation ecosystem by launching ten local startups

What are specific, distinctive, strong elements in this project?

the main distinctive elements of this project are:
Recognizing the multi-actor networks as a way by which innovative ideas of local communities' groups and activists would be discovered

Co-creating in the decision-making process through the collaboration of all local actors to join in and bring resources towards increasing the commons and sustaining social justice

Providing the new local initiatives and networks as a new type of urban entrepreneurship.

Land use distribution, allocation of activities and functions, and public services grounded on forming local innovative socio-economic ideas

Which specific lessons, do's and don'ts would you like to share? What would be suggestions for others when preparing or implementing the project in their own city?

We can share our knowledge and experiences in terms of:
- Innovative urban form
- Co-creation: lessons and challenges
- planning and implementation process and outputs