Undoubtedly, the residence of tribes and community groups’ presence continuity could be considered as the most important element of formation and survival of neighborhoods and urban areas in history, in a way that a threat to residence in cities or neighborhoods is also a threat to survival of them. The Armenian in Isfahan are the tribe who has been living among Iranians for more than four centuries and has truly been part of sad and happy events shoulder to shoulder with them sacrificing their material and spiritual assets.
During recent years, Armenians’ immigration abroad and their move to neighboring cities of Isfahan have experienced a dramatic rise, in a way that if no more is there little financial help by the Armenian Prelacy, many of them will confront significant problems living in Jolfa, the Armenian quarter in Isfahan.
The increasing land price in Jolfa neighborhood, along with lack of prosperity in Armenian families, has caused the locals to gradually sell their properties and move mostly to Shahinshahr or Faridan. On the other hand, with real estate agents rush on the properties in the area and the sharp rise of carelessly constructed buildings, lacking identity of any type, there is a dire threat to the architectural heritage of the urban fabric of Jolfa. With regard to what mentioned above, in this article a new model of collective residence is introduced, in addition to design of a neighborhood in historical context of a quarter-the historical path of Khajeh Abed.
The purpose of this project is to protect the Armenian, living in Jolfa, against urban fabric transformations and to increase the capability of their residential environment so it is able to adapt to nowadays continuous life change.
In other words, the design is developed with the purpose of protecting and emphasizing originality, social, cultural and historical values of the fabric, memories of the Armenian, emotions and their personality. Most importantly, it responds to the difficulties and the Armenian society’s today needs, so that the frame, which has been representing and indicating the originality and identity of the quarter, guarantees continuity of its children’s lives and prevents the locals from severance and social-cultural shakiness as much as possible. Definitely, without the presence and inhabitancy of the Armenian in Jolfa, there is no hope for the continuity of historical, cultural and social portrait of this quarter in the future of Isfahan.
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