Applying the Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) Method in the Designation of Character Areas and the Physical Conservation of the Historic Urban Landscape (Case Study: Lar Old City, Fars, Iran)

The Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) of the city is shaped by several layers of explicit and implicit contextual values ​​that distinguish it from other landscapes. Sustaining these contextual characteristics and values ​​as a whole is made possible by a thorough understanding and putting in place measures to preserve and enhance them. This article, in the absence of methodologies to delineate and redefine heritage conservation areas, and respond to the inadequacy of the definition of the heritage buildings regulatory Buffer Zones, seeks to present a new approach aimed at the physical protection of features (including architectural and natural dimensions) of the Historic Urban Landscape in the city of Lar (as the case study). In this regard, the CACA (Conservation Area Character Appraisal) method has been applied, which is measured by four criteria including “evidence-base,” “historical value,” “aesthetic and architectural value,” and “authenticity and integrity.” To this end, the study has assessed the criteria in two scales using two conservation approaches of “point-based” (focused on single heritage buildings) and “area-based” focusing on the characteristics of a conservation area. The present study is an applied research and has used qualitative and quantitative methods in a consolidated way. Initially, and with a “point-based” approach through field surveys and interviews with experts, valuable heritage buildings (in addition to registered heritage elements) have been identified. This step was intended to further the inclusion of relevant heritage elements. Then, weighting the criteria by the experts and incorporating them into the AHP process, the ranking of the importance of the criteria and sub-criteria is attempted. In the next step, using the “Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW)” method in GIS software, the historic fabric “conservation areas” of Lar City are identified around valuable points in the form of “character areas.” These zones have been proposed in three levels with high (grade 1), moderate (grade 2), and low (grade 3) characters. The designation of these areas will serve as a criterion for taking into account the regulations for intervention and conservation of the Historic Urban Landscape of the city.