The Role of Vernacular Architecture in Reviving Cultural Identity in Urban Regeneration Projects

This study employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach to analyze the role of vernacular architecture in revitalizing cultural identity within urban reconstruction projects in Iran. Given that recent redevelopment policies have largely followed a form-centered and technocratic paradigm, many urban regeneration initiatives have unintentionally produced cultural discontinuity, weakened collective memory, and generated placeless spatial environments. The research therefore investigates the strategic value of vernacular architecture as the most resilient foundation for sustaining a Sense of Place across evolving urban contexts. The systematic review of theoretical literature and case-based studies published in recent decades reveals that the elements of vernacular architecture-beyond their environmental responsiveness― embody cultural codes, symbolic meanings, and community-based social patterns. These embedded cultural layers, often overlooked in modern reconstruction processes, function as carriers of identity and indicators of local worldviews. The analysis demonstrates that culturally meaningful reconstruction does not rely on superficial imitation or decorative replication of traditional forms. Instead, its success lies in the reinterpretation of fundamental vernacular principles, including inward-orientation, spatial hierarchy, human-scale proportions, and the adaptive use of local materials combined with contemporary construction technologies. The findings of this SLR highlight that vernacular architecture provides a critical pathway toward sustainable, identity-driven urban development, countering the homogenizing effects of globalized and standardized design models. As a result, the study concludes that incorporating the conceptual logic and socio-cultural essence of vernacular architecture into contemporary design frameworks is essential for achieving culturally rooted, context-sensitive, and community-empowering reconstruction in Iranian cities.

کلیدواژه ها:

Vernacular Architecture ، Cultural Identity ، Urban Regeneration ، Sense of Place ، Slum Area ، Comparative Architecture