Towards extroverted urbanism: Haussmannization and building a new urban identity in Tabriz (1925-1942)

Abstract

Since the late Qajar to the Pahlavi dynasty, the history of Modernity in Iran has been intertwined with urban modernization and westernization of the country. With Reza Shah’s ascent to power, a series of radical modernization practices were orchestrated to transform the traditional physical structure of cities and establish a modern image and a new urban identity. In this regard, alongside the utopian aspirations of the newly established autocratic state, the application of European urban renovation models like Haussmannian policies manifested themselves in the massive destruction of the traditional urban fabric of the cities. This research attempts to provide further insight into the socio-spatial transformation of Tabriz during the First Pahlavi period (1925-1945). The initial phase of the state-driven ideological intervention in the urban fabric started with the construction of modern boulevards and the widening of the old streets inspired by what Baron Haussmann did in Paris. The inevitable consequences of autocratic modernism included the massive destruction of the historic urban fabric, encompassing the residential neighborhoods, the courtyard houses, and the traditional royal gardens such as Bāgh-Shomal. All of these interventions were aimed at the transformation from an introverted to an extroverted form of urbanism. In the subsequent phase, new patterns of social life emerged, giving rise to modern public spaces like parks which served as alternative forms of life. By benefiting from the socio-political theories of space, this study scrutinizes the relationship between ideology and space, highlighting how space functions as a political apparatus that disseminates state ideology.