Assessing the Necessity and Feasibility of a Typological and Hierarchical Classification Framework for Ranking Contemporary Iranian Cities

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Hamed Abedini 1
Behzad Omranzadeh 2
1 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Khatam University, Tehran, Iran.
2 ,Center for Iranian-Islamic City, Sadr Institute for Civilizational Studies, Imam Hossein University, Tehran, Iran.
10.48311/bsnt.2026.118903.82915
Abstract
Aims: The diversity in size, function, and structure of Iranian cities has posed significant challenges for urban comparison. This study, focusing on Iran’s urban system, examines the necessity and feasibility of employing urban typology and hierarchical classification as the analytical basis for quality-oriented urban ranking.
Methods: This research is applied–developmental in objective and descriptive–analytical in nature. The study first delineated the theoretical foundations of urban typology and hierarchical classification through logical reasoning. Subsequently, content analysis of Iran’s national planning documents identified policy requirements, followed by a comparative review of international urban ranking practices. To enhance the results, the propositions were evaluated by a panel of seven experts, and their validity was assessed using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and the mean importance score.
Results: Establishing a robust urban ranking system requires acknowledging structural, functional, and scale-related differences among cities and institutionalizing typology and hierarchical classification as analytical prerequisites. At the theoretical level, this approach emphasizes epistemological foundations, distributive justice, and institutional frameworks; at the policy level, it aligns with the avoidance of homogenizing approaches while considering regional and functional diversity; and at the empirical level, it is applied as an integral component of urban evaluation systems.
Conclusions: Urban typology and hierarchical classification extend beyond technical instruments, serving conceptual and methodological roles in redefining the logic of assessment, comparison, and decision-making in urban planning. By reconfiguring the analytical units, these mechanisms enable a transition from general and quantitative comparisons to context-sensitive, equitable, and analytical evaluations within urban ranking systems.
Keywords
Contemporary Iranian Cities
Islamic-Iranian Identity
Contemporary Architectural Heritage
Modern Heritage
Sustainability
Contemporary Iranian Architecture.
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 20 January 2026
  • Revise Date 17 June 2026
  • Accept Date 01 July 2026