Urban Economics and Planning

Urban Economics and Planning

The Explanation of the Juridical, Legal and Ethical Dimensions of the Urban Mega-Projects

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Maryam Mahfoozian 1
Asghar Molaei 2
Masoumeh Ayashm 3
1 Ph.D. Candidate in Urban Development, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Tabriz, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Tabriz, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Tabriz, Iran
10.22034/uep.2025.515375.1622
Abstract
Introduction 
In recent years, urban megaprojects have expanded around the world. This trend has also been noticed in Iran. Along with their fundamental and undeniable role in the cultural and national identity of cities, these projects stimulate the city’s development, the creation of infrastructure, and the promotion of the city’s status. In the meantime, the task of the city builder is to balance industrial developments and human needs, and find a way to overcome industrial developments on the one hand and respond to all human demands on the other. Accordingly, one of the ideas proposed for the design of the city and the settlement is mega-structures. These projects have always been criticized in various ways, including social, economic, and managerial dimensions. Megaprojects have been identified with multiple positive and negative consequences. However, this competitive environment cannot be avoided because of the competition among countries in developing and attracting capital. The innovation of this research is that it has taken a jurisprudential approach to respond to the issue of large-scale urban projects, which is a new approach to do this. This study aims to extract jurisprudence and ethical principles in urban megaprojects.
Materials and Methods
The current research method is descriptive-analytical, of an applied research type. So, at first, some indicators have been identified. Such data are collected throughout library-documented studies, books, and scientific articles, as well as surveys in samples. To this end, various jurisprudential, legal and ethical principles in the field of super projects have been extracted and presented in the form of a conceptual model; and in the next step, the mentioned indicators were categorized; and in the last round, the components and sub-components affecting on the construction of any megaproject in the Iranian-Islamic Cities have been examined in detail. In the field of examination of various jurisprudential, legal, and ethical dimensions on super-projects, the method of compliance and analysis of the content of texts is used.
Findings
In the first stage of the conceptual model and implementation in the current research, it is clear that, as far as the Islamic worldview is concerned, such beliefs and values form the principles of cities and affect their people’s quality of life. In this regard, megaprojects have also become popular around the world, including Iran, and have played a decisive role in various social, political, economic, and technological dimensions on a local, regional, and global scale, and based on models of competition and the approach of globalization, should follow these Islamic beliefs and values. So, based on the material presented during this study, it can be said that if we want to give today’s urbanism the color of Islamic-Iranian and return its lost identity, we must seek help from the science of jurisprudence and religious law. For instance, in the legislative process and planning and implementation of projects in the field of urban planning, the public interest is more important than the individual interest. Also, cases such as reducing the privacy, creating a microclimate and shading of surrounding houses, increasing population density, environmental pollution, and traffic can affect the neighboring areas due to negative effects on the structure and the functioning of the city and its landscape. It was also found that doing activities that cause damage to other people and destroying the mental landscape of citizens with illegal construction are against the rules. Finally, it became clear that relying on opinions and narratives extracted from jurisprudential rules such as persecution, domination, justice, the people’s rights, and the environment’s rights was possible.
Conclusion
In the Islamic worldview, beliefs, convictions, and values constitute the foundation for creating cities suitable for the quality of life of their inhabitants. In this context, in recent decades, megaprojects have emerged as megastructures that have become prevalent worldwide, including in Iran. They play a decisive role in various social, political, economic, and technological domains at local, regional, and global scales, based on competitive patterns and a global approach, and they must adhere to these Islamic beliefs, convictions, and values. Based on the discussions presented throughout this research, it can be said that if we wish to imbue contemporary urban planning with an Islamic-Iranian flavor and restore its lost identity, we must rely on the science of jurisprudence and Sharia law. The main issue of the present research is the position of juristic rules in large-scale urban projects and the challenges posed by the construction of large-scale projects from the perspective of Islamic jurisprudence and ethics. This discussion involves three categories of components: juristic rules and regulations, ethical principles, and legal rulings, which are presented as a conceptual model. This framework can serve as a guiding principle for large-scale projects to be economically and financially profitable and lead to the creation of equitable, humane spaces that respect Islamic principles. By considering Islamic teachings, it is possible to propose plans that align with the culture and needs of Iranian society, as many urban megaprojects in Iran currently contradict the principles of Islamic urbanism and architecture. Therefore, an appropriate and effective response to enhance the concept of megaprojects in light of using these three principles—juristic rules, ethical principles, and legal rulings—can strengthen various aspects of megaprojects. This approach can help achieve a desirable quality for these large-scale projects at both small and larger urban scales.
Keywords
Civilized Juridical
Civilization Rules
Islamic Ethics
Iranian–Islamic City
Mega-Project

Subjects

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Urban Economics and Planning
Volume 6, Issue 3
Summer 2025
Pages 130-143

  • Receive Date 06 April 2025
  • Revise Date 08 June 2025
  • Accept Date 15 July 2025