Jalali Castle Complex in Kashan - Iran

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Why is this case relevant?

The Ghaleh Jalali citadel around Kashan was built in 11 century for defending purposes towards enemies. This complex had a significant role in the safety of the city during the history. During the time the city grows also out of the walls, but around the Jalali complex pasture land and also greenery started to be dominated.

Nowadays Jalali citadel plays a significant role in the surrounding landscape. First of all the

1- Mud structure of the walls has a huge impact on the surrounding area.

2- Second it an iconic element in the surrounding landscape.

3-Also despite the contrary between agricultural land and the physical features and the identity of these walls gardens and agricultural part began to be dominated around and inside of this area.

Which idea of ‘design with nature’ guides the design concept of this site?

Jalali citadel has an iconic and important role in the surrounding landscape, the walls around the citadel during the time made their own identity trough the urban fabric and the greenery started to grow in this site. there are no maintained strategies about this wall, so erosion and incompatible functions are destroying the castle and the surrounding environment.

Which challenges is this landscape facing?

lack of awareness, incompatible functions, and erosion are the most important challenges in this case.

lack of awareness: awareness toward a problem play a significant role in solving that. One of the most important issue in this case is lack of awareness toward the importance of Ghale jalali in the urban fabric and the maintance polecise about it.

incompatible functions: incompatible functions around and inside Ghaleh Jali are leading to erosion of walls , which can be a treat for the whole citadel and its identity.

Erosion: lack of maintenance and incompatible functions make the structure of walls weak

What would be your strategy for improvement?

In my opinion, in order to overcome the challenges mentioned above, the first steps would be:

Awareness: This awareness should be started in the educational part and in next step in decisional part.

Omit the incompatible functions: As the incompatible functions are the main reasons for erosion before renovation they should be omitted.

Renovation the wall: As finding a new function and arranging new function takes time, walls should be renovated before a new plan. otherwise, in a few years, the whole place would be ruined

Initiate a new function: According to the lack of public spaces in Kashan urban fabric, my suggestion for this place would be a local part with the appropriate features for this place.