Research Paper Example: The Status of Social Norms in the Field of Biophilic City in Iran: A Systematic Review

The Status of Social Norms in the Field of Biophilic City in Iran: A Systematic Review

1. Abstract

1.1 Background and Objectives

The biophilic city paradigm integrates nature into urban environments to enhance environmental sustainability and human well-being. In Iran, rapid urbanization has raised interest in biophilic planning, yet the underlying social norms that influence its implementation remain underexplored. This review aims to identify prevailing social norms related to biophilic city initiatives in Iran.

1.2 Methods

A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA framework (Moher et al., 2009), encompassing literature up to 2025 across databases including Scopus and Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria targeted empirical and policy studies addressing social norms in Iranian biophilic contexts. Data extraction focused on normative themes within communal gardening, architectural practices, stewardship, and public green space use.

1.3 Key Findings on Social Norms

Four normative domains emerged: communal and family gardening practices concentrated in southern Tehran (Razzaghi Asl & Azadgar, 2022); aesthetic norms promoting green façades and green building codes (Ziari et al., 2018); environmental stewardship characterized by limited volunteer participation (Ziari et al., 2018); and cultural rituals in public parks rooted in picnicking and social walking (Alizadeh & Habibi, 2021).

1.4 Conclusions

Iranian biophilic initiatives are guided by communal cultivation norms and aesthetic regulations, yet face gaps in civic engagement and equitable park access. Strengthening community-based gardening, incentivizing green façades, and fostering stewardship through education may reinforce biophilic social norms in Iran.

2. Introduction

2.1 Biophilic City Concept and Relevance

Biophilic urbanism seeks to reconnect citizens with nature by embedding ecological elements in built environments (Ziari et al., 2018). Such integration is associated with improved air quality, biodiversity conservation, and population well-being.

2.2 Urban Planning in Iran

Since Tehran’s first master plan in 1968, large parks became integral to city planning, serving as quasi-natural spaces for leisure (Alizadeh & Habibi, 2021). Recent policies emphasize green infrastructure but often lack coherent social engagement strategies.

2.3 Rationale for Focusing on Social Norms

Social norms shape acceptance and success of biophilic designs. Understanding collective gardening practices, aesthetic expectations, and park use rituals is essential to tailor policies that resonate with Iranian communities.

2.4 Research Question

What social norms underlie the adoption and practice of biophilic city initiatives in Iran?

3. Methodology

3.1 Systematic Review Protocol (PRISMA)

The review adhered to PRISMA guidelines (Moher et al., 2009), involving identification, screening, eligibility assessment, and inclusion stages.

3.2 Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

Included were peer-reviewed articles and policy reports addressing social behaviors or norms related to biophilic elements in Iran. Excluded were non-Iranian studies and purely technical design papers lacking social analysis.

3.3 Data Sources and Search Strategy

Databases searched included Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Keywords combined “Iran” AND “biophilic city” OR “community garden” OR “green façade” with “social norms.”

3.4 Data Extraction and Analysis

Extracted data were coded into thematic domains: communal gardening, architectural aesthetics, stewardship behaviors, and park rituals. Thematic synthesis identified normative patterns across studies.

4. Results

4.1 Communal and Family Gardening Norms

Gardening clinics in Tehran yield communal plots managed under municipal supervision. Community gardens concentrate in lower‐income southern districts, reflecting a normative reliance on shared cultivation for food security and social cohesion (Razzaghi Asl & Azadgar, 2022).

4.2 Architectural Aesthetics and Green Façade Practices

Tehran’s local codes promote green roofs and vertical gardens as aesthetic and environmental standards. Adoption of green building guidelines constitutes an emerging normative expectation for new developments (Ziari et al., 2018).

4.3 Environmental Stewardship and Public Participation

Volunteer efforts in nature restoration remain limited (<1% participation), signaling an underdeveloped stewardship norm. Municipal budgets devote around 1% to conservation education, indicating normative undervaluation of civic environmental engagement (Ziari et al., 2018).

4.4 Use of Public Green Spaces and Cultural Rituals

Pardisan and City Parks function as social arenas for walking and picnics, which persist as dominant recreational rituals. These cultural norms drive park design emphasis on open lawns and shaded pathways (Alizadeh & Habibi, 2021).

5. Discussion

5.1 Interpretation of Identified Social Norms

Communal gardening reflects collective action norms in resource‐scarce communities, while green façade regulations denote rising aesthetic norms aligned with environmental goals (Ziari et al., 2018).

5.2 Comparison with Global Biophilic City Norms

Global cases highlight public–private collaborations and high volunteer engagement in projects such as The High Line and Gardens by the Bay, where community involvement is a core design tenet (Mukhtyar, 2024). Iran’s norms, by contrast, remain more municipality‐driven with modest civic participation.

5.3 Implications for Urban Planning Policy in Iran

Policies should amplify participatory gardening programs, recalibrate funding toward community stewardship, and incentivize green façades through subsidies and density bonuses.

5.4 Limitations and Future Research Directions

Few studies explicitly address social norms, limiting empirical depth. Future research could employ ethnographic methods to map normative changes across diverse Iranian cities.

6. Conclusion

6.1 Summary of Key Social Norms

In Iran, communal gardening, green aesthetic codes, modest volunteer stewardship, and park‐based rituals constitute the main biophilic social norms.

6.2 Recommendations for Policy and Practice

Strengthening community‐led gardens, enhancing conservation education, and embedding green façade incentives in planning regulations can reinforce biophilic norms.

7. References

Alizadeh, H., & Habibi, K. (2021). Urban Park Traditions in Iran and Tehran. In Why Cities Need Large Parks. Routledge.

Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., Altman, D. G., & The PRISMA Group. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLoS Medicine, 6(7), e1000097.

Mukhtyar, D. (2024). 10 inspiring biophilic urbanism case studies. UDL Education Pvt. Ltd.

Razzaghi Asl, S., & Azadgar, A. (2022). The spatial distribution of urban community gardens and their associated socio-economic status in Tehran, Iran. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 6, 949075. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.949075

Ziari, K., Pourahmad, A., Fotouhi Mehrabani, B., & Hosseini, A. (2018). Environmental sustainability in cities by biophilic city approach: a case study of Tehran. International Journal of Urban Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1080/12265934.2018.1425153