Recognizing Fooladshahr’s contribution to modern heritage
Fooladshahr, as a successful example of contemporary urban planning in Iran, holds narratives of the country’s historical architectural heritage in a new form that must be conveyed to today’s generation, said Ahmad Fathi, head of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department of Lenjan.
Fooladshahr is one of Iran’s modern and new cities located on the outskirt of the city of Isfahan, near the Esfahan Steel Company. Efforts have been made to introduce it as a part of Iran’s and Isfahan’s modern heritage at International Committee for Documentation and Conservation of Buildings, Sites and Neighbourhoods of the Modern Movement (Docomomo), IRNA wrote.
Fathi added that Fooladshahr is one of the prominent examples of contemporary architectural and urban heritage in Iran, reflecting the continuity of our nation’s past architecture intertwined with the modern era. Therefore, the need to recognize it for today’s generation is felt more strongly than ever.
He emphasized that the mosques, streets, neighborhoods, houses, and kindergartens of this city each tell a part of the identity of Iran’s historical architecture in a new form, and understanding this serves as a foundation for identity formation and enhancing the sense of belonging among citizens and audiences.
Fathi added, “Jaame Mosque of Fooladshahr, due to its contemporary architectural features, is one of the buildings for which we are preparing a national dossier, so that after review and approval, it can be listed among the national heritage sites of Iran.”
He noted that experts from Docomomo visited Fooladshahr in recent years and deemed this city valuable and capable of being included in the list of “Cities with Modern Architecture in the World,” which requires proper documentation to achieve.
Fathi stated that the Lenjan Cultural Heritage Department, in collaboration with the municipality, the Islamic Council of Fooladshahr, the Esfahan Steel Company, the University of Art Isfahan, and the Fooladshahr Civil Development Company, aims to introduce the potential of this contemporary heritage through a series of meetings.
He mentioned that the first session of meeting will be held on January 10, and experts at this meeting will discuss the significance of the architectural and urban planning values of Fooladshahr. In conjunction with this, an exhibition of archival photographs related to the formation of the initial core of Fooladshahr by the Esfahan Steel Company will be presented for the audience.
Fathi added that when talking about cultural heritage, people often envision buildings constructed with traditional materials and methods, typically over a century old, while those built with steel and concrete frames do not usually fall into this category in the public’s perception.
He emphasized that the historical and cultural values of these modern buildings in Iran have received less attention so far, even though some of these works are considered great achievements in architecture and urban planning. International organizations like Docomomo have been established to identify and promote these works.
The urban planning and architecture of Fooladshahr were carried out by Iranian and European engineers since the 1960s, with local access, green spaces, and the design of residential buildings based on modern architectural standards.
Experts state that the diverse ethnic backgrounds of the residents provide a suitable opportunity for developing cultural tourism in this region, which is why Fooladshahr is also referred to as the “Rainbow of Ethnicities.”