Sustainable Urban Design Within Desert-fringe Cities

Desert - fringe cities constitute a considerable number of the Iranian Settlements. These same cities have been facing drastic physical alterations, cavsed by the practice of the Modern Architecture and Urban Design teachings over the last three decades. The modern interventions, such as the implementation of «the Street - Widening Projects» and «City Master Plans», have led into several unwanted consequences at both architectural and urban design scales. Some of the consequences include: the predominance of construction of buildings with little respect for the climatic condition of desert areas, and damaging natural resources, such as conversion of quality agricultural lands into urban built-up area to meet the requirements of the low-density-urban-sprawl paradigm currwntIy prevailing in these cities.
This article aims to review the theoretical underpinings
of the concept of «Sustainable Urban Design» and Subsequently, to critically examine the practice of Modern Urban Design with in desert communities from an environmentally sustainable point of view. The paper suggests that through application of the principles of Sustainable Urban Design, and through learning lessons from the traditional architectural heritage of the communities involved, one can guide the physical environments of the cities towards a more harmonious relationship with their natural settings. In so doing,
application of the principles ruling the «Iranian compact city» model is advised, and the adaptation of urban regeneration policies are underlined.