Everyday Life in Urban Parks: Comparing Parks in Tehran and Kerman

P. Ejlali & R. Anjam Shoa

Abstract

The article aims to grasp an understanding concerning the Iranian everyday life through studying public parks as one of the urban public spaces in which everyday life takes place. In Tehran metropolis two large public parks exist. One is located in prosperous northern part of the city, and the other is situated in the mainly lower class southern part. These two parks were selected for the present research. The same strategy was followed in the provincial 'Middletown' of Kerman, in which Park-e Maadar and Park-e Showra are located. The former is situated in the prosperous part of the city and the latter in the predominantly lower class part.

Tehran is a highly alienating metropolis. It seems that in this so-called modern capital, the costs of modernity outweigh its benefits. In such a city, walking, hiking and passing time in a park, is an important outlet for escaping from the alienation produced by a metropolitan setting. In contrast, in Kerman, modernity is hardly something more than modern instruments and technologies. Family relationships are still strong. Despite the fact that extended family is an extinct social institution in Kerman today, most of the younger nuclear families are organized around a central older family to make a network for social interactions. In this provincial city, individualism and alienation are less important factors in everyday life. As a result, under the influence of different structures of everyday life two more or less different public spaces have been produced by people.

Key Concepts: Everyday Life; Everyday Life Spaces; Public Park; Perceived Space; Conceived Space; Lived Space; Park Consumer Groups.

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