Introduction

Megacitiy Region Tehran-Karaj

Young Cities — New Towns in Iran is one project out of 14 currently supported by the research program » The Urban Transition - Research for Sustainable Development of the Megacities of Tomorrow of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The Project focuses on the evaluation of New Towns as a strategy for the sustainable development of the fast emerging Megacity, the City of Karaj in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Together with the Iranian lead partners » "Building and Housing Research Center" (BHRC) and » "New Towns Development Corporation" (NTDC) a consortium of German research and construction institutions lead-managed by Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) explores the question of whether New Towns can be an answer for the Megacities of tomorrow, a concept for the sustainable development of Megacities regions

• for a well-managed and sustainable urban and regional development and
• in order to manage the expansion made necessary by the growing needs of housing and industry?

On the basis of the extensive international experience in the field of New Towns in different parts of the world, the Young Cities Project aims at analysing the well-known risks associated with the concept of New Towns and formulating as well as implementing guidelines for their sustainable development.

In the first two-year kick-off phase (2005-2007), the Project is primarily carried out as an intervening » case study in Hashtgerd New Town 30 km west of the rapidly growing City of Karaj looking for new and innovative ways to create a built environment. » Map

The joint Iranian-German consortium involves 13 chairs from different fields of the Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin), non-academic well experienced research institutions, specialised companies and associations. On the Iranian side relevant actors from local, regional and national institutions, lead-managed by BHRC and NTDC, are involved in the Project. The coordination unit lies with TU Berlin, localised in a » Project Centre.