Green Infrastructure 2014 Group B - Case Study 4
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| Name | Evin River Valley | |
| Country | Iran | |
| City | Tehran | |
| Authors | Sanaz Emamverdi | |
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Rationale: Why is this case interesting?
When we move from East to West of Tehran,seven major river valleys can be seen. One of the main valleys is Evin- Darakeh river valley. River valleys in the north of the city are as deep valleys, but when they flow through the city, for the lower depth and older history of urban texture, are almost as cored cement canals. From ecological viewpoint, river-valley ecosystem is a part of the space on the ground that meets a specific arrangement of topography, land cover, hydrography, and built environment. The slopes of Alborz Mountain Range as a main origin for establishment of Tehran City provide the citizens with tourist resorts. Unsustainable development regardless of environmental considerations in Tehran in the last three decades has led to degradation of mountain ecosystem in the northern Tehran and its surrounding plains. Considering that mountains and river valleys are natural heritage and a vital source of water supply, their conservation must be the responsibility of all society members. Tehran Master Plan highly emphasis on the importance and necessity of maintaining and developing river-valleys in Tehran as a respiratory lung of the city. They are fertile habitats that support a variety of flora and fauna and play significant roles as catchments and as places for energy and wind flows to remove air pollution from the city environment, providing opportunity for connection with the natural upland–lowland context. Therefore, the advantages of protection and using potential of ecological systems of this river-valley, providing extensive for public recreational within the urban and rural areas, providing economic benefits and protection of cultural values and heritage.
Author's perspective
I have graduated with a bachelor’s degree and I have been working in a consulting firm. I have been interested in landscape and urban design. This site is located in the capital city of Iran which I have spent most of my life there. 7 river-valleys of Tehran always were the landmarks of this city which nowadays they have been lost among the buildings and pollution. As a matter of fact, this area has the range of potentials for green infrastructure.
Landscape and/or urban context of your case
- Biogeography, cultural features, overall character, history and dynamics
- Illustrations: maps; sketches; short descriptive analyses
Biogeography
The seven north–south river valleys are characteristic of natural corridors of Tehran’s landscape structure. They are fertile habitats that support a variety of flora and fauna and play significant roles as catchments and as places for energy and wind flows to remove air pollutions from the city environment, providing opportunity for connection with the natural upland–lowland context. Upland areas benefit from much better conditions than lowlands due to less environmental destruction caused by urban development. The natural hydrological corridors along the river valleys face more destructive factors and have less ecological functions from north to south because of their structural modifications. Natural corridors connect many natural and built patches scattered along them. These corridors are mostly oriented in a north–south direction. The east–west ecological connections are restricted due to the morphological structure of city.
Climate
Tehran features a semi-arid, continental climate. Tehran's climate is largely defined by its geographic location, with the towering Alborz Mountains to its north and the central desert to the south. It can be generally described as mild in the spring, hot and dry in the summer, pleasant in the autumn, and cold in the winter. As a large city with significant differences in elevation among various districts, the weather is often cooler in the hilly north as compared to the flat southern part of Tehran. Summer is usually hot and dry with very little rain, but relative humidity is generally low and the nights are cool. The majority of the light annual precipitation occurs from late-autumn to mid-spring, but no one month is particularly wet. The hottest month is July (min. temp. 26°C, max. temp. 36°C) and the coldest is January (min. temp. -1°C, max. temp. 8°C). From the south toward the north, the altitude increases, from 900 meters in low areas to 1800 meters. This difference in height results in differences in weather.
Overall character
Tehran consists of three sections: mountainous, piedmont and desert. The mountainous section includes peaks over 1800 meters. The Alborz mountain chain in the north of the City, the river valleys of the Darabad, Golab Dare, Farahzad, Kan, Evin and the low hills and urban forest parks (e.g., Lavizan, Sorkhe hesar, chitgar, Quchak) are examples of primary landscape elements which are intrinsically linked with Tehran ecological network, and provide an essential sense of place which can be appreciated from many vantage points within the city. There are other more local landscape elements that can help give areas a sense of place and which can be referred to as secondary landscape elements. Among other landscape features are natural and manmade patches, which give Tehran its unique characteristics and residential and touristic values. One of its most important natural patches is northern heights which endow the city with a special natural characteristic. From the south toward the north, the altitude increases, from 900 meters in low areas to 1800 meters. This difference in height results in differences in weather, better vegetation and beautiful countryside in the north. As one move from the south to the north, where are many changes in the natural environmental conditions, property value, access to services and social conditions.
History
Tochal peak is 3900 meters in altitude. Its main ridges overlook the southern slopes and Tehran plain, and forms small drainage basins. The rivers flowing in these basins are the life veins of the city. Water constantly flows in these basins and probably the main reason why Tehran developed is its hydro morphological conditions influenced by its northern heights. The most important basin, which covers the southern slopes of the northern heights of the city, include: Kan, Farahzad, Darakeh and Darband basins.
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Analytical drawings
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Green Infrastructure benefits for this site
Look again at the multiple benefits of green infrastructure - what could be achieved in your site and which are most relevant?
Potential for multifunctionality
Green infrastructure has typically multiple functions. What could be achieved for your site in this respect?
Projective drawings
- How would you like this case to change in the near future? (in 1-2 years)
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- And how could it look like in 10-15 years?
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- Projective Drawings
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Summary and conclusion
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Image Gallery
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References
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