Present a City-Scale Urban Planning Model with a Sustainability Approach In The Post-COVID Era; a Case Study of the City of Isfahan

The coronavirus outbreak in 2019 gradually spread across the globe, creating numerous problems in various aspects of individuals' personal and social lives. The unknown nature of the virus posed significant challenges for decision-makers in confronting it, making crisis management in cities more difficult. This pandemic's consequences have led to imposing restrictions on social, economic, and environmental sectors. Key factors significantly impact the resilience of cities against the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors such as urban growth patterns, economic dimensions, accessibility to services, and the urban environment are the main indicators of urban sustainability. By adopting smart urban growth as a growth model for post-pandemic cities, cities can be made more resilient against disasters like pandemics. This study aims to propose an appropriate spatial planning model for the city of Isfahan in the post-COVID-19 era, focusing on urban sustainability. It seeks to identify a suitable spatial planning model for Isfahan by analyzing urban planning patterns, urbanization, and urban sustainability. A quantitative analysis method was used to evaluate the data, with data collected through questionnaires and analyzed using statistical tests in SPSS and AMOS software. Subsequently, the MICMAC software was used to identify the interrelationships between the influential factors in the study. The findings indicate that out of the 27 variables examined in this study, nine variables have been identified as the driving forces for determining the appropriate spatial planning model for the city. These driving forces include neighborhood-level planning, integrated management, law formation, neighborhood empowerment, citizen participation in local affairs, local institutions, the role of local governance, urban space polarization, and inequality in the quality of life, which collectively form a suitable model for spatial planning aimed at ensuring the sustainability of Isfahan.
 
Extended Abstract
1-Introduction
The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in 2019 gradually spread across the globe, disrupting various aspects of individual and social life. The unknown nature of this virus created challenges for city managers and significantly complicated crisis management in urban areas. The consequences of this pandemic led to restrictions across social, economic, and environmental sectors. Among the factors influencing urban resilience during the pandemic, urban growth patterns, economic dimensions, access to services, and urban environmental quality stand out as key indicators of urban sustainability. By adopting smart urban growth as a post-pandemic development model, cities can enhance their resilience against challenges such as widespread diseases.
 
2-Materials and Methods
The widespread outbreak of COVID-19 exposed the inefficiency and instability of urban systems in handling the crisis, giving rise to xenophobia and criticisms of high-density living. These issues also created threats to the relationship between people and places. This raises the question: How can urban spatial planning be directed toward sustainability in light of the factors influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic?
The primary concern of this study is to propose a spatial planning model for post-pandemic cities, using sustainability indicators to protect cities against epidemics like COVID-19. The main research question is: What is the appropriate spatial planning model for the city of Isfahan in the post-COVID-19 era, with an emphasis on urban sustainability?
This applied research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. Data were collected through purposive non-random sampling involving 39 healthcare professionals, urban managers, and experts with direct experience during the pandemic. The reliability of the research questionnaire, which includes three dimensions of sustainability (social, physical, and institutional) and eight criteria such as urban growth patterns, land use and services, social capital, quality of life, passive defense, COVID-19 regulations, neighborhood-based planning, and governance, was confirmed with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.852. The questionnaire consists of 46 questions, and the structural equation modeling (SEM) method in AMOS software was used to analyze the direct and indirect effects of latent variables.
 
3- Results and Discussion
As one of Iran’s major cities, Isfahan, with 15 urban districts and a population of 1,961,260, faced the COVID-19 pandemic from early March 2020. Like other large cities, Isfahan suffered from the health, economic, and social consequences of the pandemic, and its dynamic urban spaces posed constant risks of virus spread. Local governance and neighborhood-based planning, integrated management, law formation, neighborhood empowerment, citizen participation, and addressing urban inequalities were identified as key drivers for shaping a suitable urban spatial planning model.
The findings indicate that Isfahan's urban managers and planners can leverage sustainable urban development principles, smart growth strategies, local governance, and integrated management to enhance quality of life and empower local communities. These actions would prepare Isfahan to withstand pandemics and similar crises in the future.
 
4- Conclusion
In the post-COVID-19 era, urban managers in Isfahan must enact regulations to improve living conditions and enhance the resilience of neighborhoods through the social empowerment of citizens. Active involvement of local organizations, such as community development offices and social councils, can significantly improve neighborhood resilience against crises like pandemics. Such efforts support policymakers in addressing economic and social disparities and ensuring equitable service distribution. Delegating responsibilities to local governance, adopting flexible and effective management strategies, and enhancing citizen participation will play a vital role in preserving urban life during and after pandemics. Recognizing local institutions, fostering structured communication with urban management, minimizing bureaucratic interventions, and ensuring fair distribution of services can collectively elevate the sustainability of Isfahan’s neighborhoods and the city as a whole.