Anticipating the Future of Iranian Cities: High-Tech Versus Nature-Based Solutions

Abstract

One of the most critical questions about our future is, “What will our cities be like in 2050?”. The answer to this question shows our definition of development, humanity, nature, and what we expect from life. The ever-growing world population will intensify the climate change challenge, global warming, etc. Therefore, the research aims to anticipate the possible urban future scenarios and to outline the most prescriptible scenarios for the global south. The research methodology is based on the primary literature of the Discipline of Anticipation (DoA) by Riel Miller, Roberto Poli, and Pierre Rossel for future studies. It was conducted by co-design discussion involving a focus group discussion (FGD) methodology in three phases for expectations and hopes, reframing, and rethinking for flourishing ideas based on future literacy (FL). It was implemented with an interdisciplinary approach ranging from visionary and utopian futures to participatory, critical, or integral futurism by 2050. The conclusion of the research promoted nature-based solutions, socio-economic empowerment, carbon neutrality, high-performance architecture, against irrational ambitious capital-intensive developments. It is to focus on measuring happiness instead of incomes, circular economy instead of short-term gains, nature-based value creation instead of conventional mercantilism, for the MENA region and the global south.