Problem statement: Iran, with its valuable architectural heritage, is situated in one of the most seismically active regions of the world; therefore, special attention is required to ensure the protection of its historical buildings. East Azerbaijan Province, in the northwest of the country, with its prominent historical churches, represents a clear example of this necessity. Studies indicate that out of forty-nine identified churches in this province, only thirteen remain standing, while the majority have been damaged or destroyed due to natural and human-induced factors. Research objective: This study aims to assess the safety and analyze the seismic vulnerability of eight selected historical churches in the province and to develop a prioritized list for their conservation. Research method: The research adopts a comparative mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to ensure the accuracy of the results. Qualitative assessment was conducted on-site using Italian conservation guidelines, while quantitative evaluation was carried out using the 3Muri software to simulate the behavior of masonry walls. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the seismic safety index of the churches is less than one, demonstrating the vulnerability of these historical structures to seismic events and highlighting the urgent need for intervention and the implementation of appropriate conservation measures. A comparison of qualitative and quantitative assessment outputs revealed that the qualitative approach is more conservative than the quantitative method. Therefore, this study emphasizes the importance of integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches in a comprehensive assessment process to guide sustainable conservation strategies for national architectural heritage.
Problem statement: In recent years, tourism growth in many historical sites and monuments has been accompanied by factors such as overtourism and undertourism, phenomena that can threaten the physical, managerial, and perceptual sustainability of cultural heritage. Despite its outstanding historical value, the Rab' e Rashidi historical site in Tabriz, as one of the most prominent complexes of the Ilkhanid period, has often been overlooked within the urban tourism system of Tabriz. Due to the absence of quantitative and spatial analyses concerning visitor distribution patterns, intensity of spatial use, and the tourism carrying capacity, the site has remained under examined in these respects. Research objective: This study aims to evaluate the tourism carrying capacity of the Rab' e Rashidi historical site in Tabriz with the purpose of addressing the imbalance in tourism activity and planning for the reduction of physical degradation of the archaeological complex. The research seeks to answer the following question: Considering contemporary approaches to heritage site tourism, what is the tourism carrying capacity of the Rab' e Rashidi historical site in Tabriz? Research method: This research employs a mixed method strategy, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches through library studies and field surveys. The study estimates the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) and presents results across three primary levels of carrying capacity analysis: Physical Carrying Capacity (PCC), Real Carrying Capacity (RCC), and Effective Carrying Capacity (ECC). Conclusion: Findings indicate that this valuable historical site, when physical, environmental, and managerial factors are taken into account, will fall within the range of minimal tourism by 2025. According to the calculated data, of the original 90 hectare area of Rab' e Rashidi, currently less than 13 hectares are recoverable, and the site is capable of hosting more than 5,000 visitors per day. However, on average, only about 7 visitors per day have visited the site throughout the year.
Problem statement: In Iran, fortresses are generally classified into two categories: mountain fortresses and plain fortresses. Mountain fortresses were constructed along mountain passes, on ridgelines, beside valleys, or near rivers, primarily with the purpose of providing security and defense. In northwestern Iran, due to its distinctive topographical features, thousands of mountain fortresses exist. These structures have been built from the fourth millennium BCE coinciding with the emergence of political and social instability and their construction continued until the Qajar period. The architectural plans of these fortresses were strongly influenced by the topographical characteristics of their surrounding landscapes, and local stone materials were predominantly used in their construction. Owing to their mountainous geographical setting and the use of indigenous materials, these fortresses are highly vulnerable to various forms of deterioration. The research addresses two main questions: What materials were most commonly used in the construction of mountain fortresses? And which factors have had the greatest impact on their deterioration? Research method: This article, employing a descriptive-analytical method and relying on both fieldwork and library-based studies, examines the natural and human factors contributing to the destruction of these monuments, including precipitation, frost action, soil erosion, and anthropogenic impacts. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the primary construction materials of mountain fortresses in northwestern Iran are stone and sarooj mortar, while factors such as erosion, earthquakes, human intervention, and environmental conditions have had the most significant impact on their destruction.
Problem statement: The tension between the imperatives of modern urban development (such as commercialization and tourism infrastructure) and the necessity of architectural heritage conservation threatens the integrity of the historic fabrics of Tabriz and Yazd. Furthermore, the lack of precise documentation and the weak enforcement of conservation laws have exacerbated this crisis. Research objective: To conduct a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the destructive impacts of development on architectural heritage, identify the spatial patterns of degradation, and evaluate the effectiveness of existing conservation frameworks. Research method: This study employs an "explanatory sequential mixed-methods design" grounded in the "Historic Urban Landscape (HUL)" paradigm. In the quantitative phase, 156 heritage parcels were utilized as "urban sensors" for field surveying and GIS analysis. In the qualitative phase, employing a "nested sampling" strategy with a focus on "deviant cases," 47 interviews were conducted with stakeholders of the most severely degraded parcels to inductively generalize micro-level observations. Conclusion: The findings confirm that micro-level alterations have systematically driven destructive macro-level transformations. Specifically, 34.6% of the samples in Tabriz (predominantly due to commercial regeneration in the Bazaar) and 28.6% in Yazd (driven by rapid hotel construction in the Fahadan district) have sustained structural damage. The research identifies three primary mechanisms driving this loss-"hidden degradation," "structural instability," and "gentrification"-and emphasizes the urgent need for a transition to the HUL conservation approach.
Problem statement: In recent years, the increasing frequency of natural and human-induced crises, such as earthquakes, war, and climate change, has created serious challenges for the conservation and reconstruction of historic architectural heritage. Conventional approaches to restoration and reconstruction are predominantly reproductive and form-oriented in nature, paying limited attention to adaptive, temporal, and resilient mechanisms at the material level. In this context, biomimetics, as an approach inspired by the behavioral and process-based logic of nature, can provide a theoretical foundation for rethinking the adaptive reconstruction of historic heritage, particularly when it moves beyond mere formal imitation and becomes oriented toward the behavior of materials. Research objective: Focusing on Bio-Lime as an example of material-oriented biomimetics, this study seeks to explain the capacities of self-healing lime-based materials in the restoration and adaptive reconstruction of architectural heritage. Research method: This study employed a comparative analysis and a systematic review of recent studies in the fields of self-healing materials, lime mortars, and bio-based additives. The selected studies were analyzed according to criteria such as material type, self-healing mechanism, degree of compatibility with historic restoration, and functional outcomes. Conclusion: The findings indicate that, unlike conventional self-healing systems based on concrete, lime-based materials-and Bio-Lime in particular-possess an inherent capacity for gradual, low-energy, and historically compatible self-healing through natural processes such as carbonation, rehydration, and microstructural modification. The findings further suggest that biobased additives can purposefully enhance this capacity and contribute to improving the durability and physical resilience of historic buildings without causing chemical incompatibility. Accordingly, this study proposes a conceptual framework for adaptive reconstruction based on material-oriented biomimetics, which can support a transition from static restoration toward adaptive and future-oriented reconstruction in historic sites in Iran, particularly Rab'-e Rashidi in Tabriz.
