Revisiting the Historic Garden City of Ramhormoz Based on the Analysis of a 1956 Aerial Photograph and Oral Narratives

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Renovation, School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology,

10.30484/ganj.2024.3153

Abstract

in addition to its well-known historic cities, Iran encompasses numerous forgotten historic cities. While most of these cities lack cohesive historical urban fabric, visual documents—particularly the 1956 aerial photographs—and oral history provide valuable accounts of these cities.
Purpose: Revisiting these cities based on documented evidence offers the potential to revive authentic traditions of living in Iran's diverse climates. This study focuses on rediscovering the original state of Ramhormoz and its neighborhood system.
Method and Research Design:  This research adopts an interpretive-historical approach, relying on the 1956 aerial photograph and oral narratives from individuals who recall the city’s original state prior to the interventions initiated in 1960. The research progresses by correlating oral accounts with the physical features observable in the aerial photograph.
Findings & Conclusion: Located in the eastern part of Khuzestan Province, Ramhormoz is a city with a longstanding history of settlement. Its warm, semi-humid climate with prolonged summers significantly influenced its urban structure, resulting in a city surrounded by fruit orchards and characterized by houses with diverse subterranean spaces. Before modern interventions, the city exhibited a garden-city structure, deeply integrated with the surrounding orchards. The study identifies and maps the boundaries of the city's original neighborhoods and the surrounding gardens.

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English Translation of References
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