Thematic Recognition of Establishing the Pillars of New Generation Cities (case study: Masdar New City)
Subject Areas : Islamic urbanism
nasim ghasemi gharyeh aali
1
,
Hamidreza saremi
2
*
,
arash baghdadi
3
1 - PhD Student of Department of Urbanism, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 - Associate Professor Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Arts, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
3 - Assistant Professor of Department of Urbanism, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Keywords: New Cities, New Generation of New Cities, Methodology of New Cities, Masdar,
Abstract :
Thematic Recognition of Establishing the Pillars of New
Generation Cities (case study: Masdar New City)[1]
Nasim Ghasemi Gharyeh Aali*
Hamidreza Sarmi**
Arash Baghdadi***
Introduction
"New Towns" are considered one of the central themes in urban studies and, as a planned urban Settlement, have attracted the attention of managers and planners worldwide over the past century due to their connection to urbanization and their role as a "policy-based urban innovation." Currently, the establishment of the new generation of 21st-century new towns represents the strongest and most progressive trend among these emerging settlements, necessitating updated studies from various perspectives. The aim of the present research is to recognize the central theme of how the core elements and components of the new generation "Masdar" city in the United Arab Emirates are integrated, so that alongside the research findings, important lessons can be drawn, especially for the second-generation new Towns in Iran, regardless of the commonalities or differences in the planning systems of the UAE and Iran. The research questions include the following two points: 1- How can we achieve an understanding of the establishment of the core elements and components of the new generation "Masdar" city in the United Arab Emirates in an integrated manner? 2- What does the cumulative reading of the core elements and components of the new generation "Masdar" city indicate?
Research Methodology
The approach of the present research is qualitative, falling within the theoretical nature of the study. The general method of gathering research resources is based on library studies, focusing on the theoretical texts of the new generation of new towns globally. The specific methodological technique employed in this research relies on the "thematic content analysis" method, which primarily aims to identify and describe the various "themes" used in the phenomena under investigation. In this technique, the focus is on the text and its components, including words, sentences, and thematic paragraphs, systematically striving to explain and achieve the thoughts, theories, and messages present in a text. Furthermore, in terms of methodology, thematic content analysis is one of the "content analysis" methods that shares similarities with "thematic analysis" in identifying common themes, where more objective dimensions prevail over interpretive aspects. It also allows for the identification of a range of themes using methods such as focusing on "keywords" or "frequently occurring concepts" in the texts or subjects under study. In this context, the research utilized nearly 40 Latin sources, reading their content until saturation was reached, with the new city of Masdar being examined in a cohesive framework for content and thematic analysis. To address the core elements and components of establishing the new city of Masdar, the classification of findings is based on a three-level model, namely the "macro-meso-micro" analytical framework, which respectively represents the three dimensions of "structure," "approach," and "implementation" in Masdar city. Additionally, themes are organized at two inductive levels: the network of main themes and the network of sub-themes, presented in parallel from the perspectives of urban planning and architecture. The case study of this research is the new generation city of "Masdar" in the United Arab Emirates. The new city of Masdar is located in the Abu Dhabi region, adjacent to the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. The construction of this city dates back to 2006, with various completion timelines mentioned, including the years 2016 and 2030. The projected population density of this city is equivalent to 135 people per hectare, intended to accommodate 50,000 residents and 40,000 visitors over an area of nearly 7 million square meters. The location of Masdar city in the Middle East and its proximity to Iran, the initial assessment of Masdar's ambitions regarding the model of global cities, the limited existing Persian research on the recognition of second-generation new towns, the examination of Masdar as one of the second-generation new towns on a global scale, the availability of resources, especially international research on Masdar, and the potential use of the findings and evaluations of Masdar city for the planning and management system of second-generation new towns in Iran are among the reasons for selecting Masdar city as a case study in this research. The data collection method for the research was also developed through library studies, and the analysis and interpretation of the findings were conducted using thematic content analysis.
Research Findings
The findings of the research indicate that presenting a three-level methodological approach aligns with the goals and establishment of new-generation cities. Instead of the common one-dimensional readings, such as content-based interpretations of new-generation towns, these new towns can be considered simultaneously from three perspectives: "macro dimensions," "meso dimensions," and "micro dimensions," within an integrated framework of themes. The number of identified themes in these layers includes ten main themes and thirty-six sub-themes that are foundational and driving for the establishment and development of the city. At the structural level and in the main themes, characteristics such as principles of political decision-making, transformed national contexts, and especially large-scale financing models for advancing major policies along with ambition are prevalent. In the meso layer, multiple components include eleven sub-themes encompassing various modern approaches such as eco-cities, entrepreneurial cities, urban branding, and carbon-neutral cities, which practically create a mix that fosters various conflicts within a single city. In the micro layer, the theme of integration and the combination of knowledge elements such as urban planning and architecture, such as the reuse of traditional architectural styles with a contemporary interpretation in the concept and form of buildings, or the use of materials similar to clay in the facades of important city buildings were observed.
Conclusion
Overall, this new theoretical and methodological understanding of the Masdar city can, alongside other prior knowledge-based and foundational research, contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in the establishment of new-generation towns and provide new perspectives for interpreting these emerging towns. Additionally, the results focused on the Masdar city and the three-level readings of this city indicate that the establishment of this city depends on all three levels: macro, meso, and micro. These three levels have interrelated relationships with each other, and this cross-sectional reading can significantly enhance the understanding of these cities compared to one-dimensional or case-specific content readings, allowing for holistic interpretations instead of fragmented views. From the perspective of urban critique, there are some shortcomings due to the dominance of technology over the essence and spirit of the Masdar city, rather than prioritizing life over technology. Consequently, this city has not yet created a suitable urban identity.
[1]. This article is based on the Ph.D. dissertation of the first author entitled “Explanation of the desired pattern of establishment of new second-generation residential tourism Towns with an emphasis on Grounded theory (Case Study: the new city of Tiss)” under the supervision of the second author and the advice of the third author, which is running in the Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-Qods Branch.
* PhD Student of Department of Urbanism, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
ghasemi.nasim70@gmail.com
** Corresponding Author: Associate Professor Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Arts, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
saremi@modares.ac.ir
*** Assistant Professor of Department of Urbanism, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
baghdadi.arash@yahoo.com
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