Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Urban development, SR.C., Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2
Department of Urban Development, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
In contemporary urban environments undergoing rapid physical, social, and economic transformations, cities are gradually losing their historical meaning and identity, facing phenomena such as collective amnesia and decline in place identity. Revisiting the concept of “timelessness” offers a novel approach to strengthening cultural sustainability, social reproduction, and developing local ecosystems. Timelessness refers to a spatial quality that, despite the passage of time, retains its meaning, functions, and human experiences, sustaining itself within collective memory. This qualitative study, grounded in Grounded Theory, explores the qualities of "timeless urban space" as a platform for social enterprise formation and local community empowerment, focusing on Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 stakeholders including local vendors, active women, cultural tourists, handicraft masters, and tour guides, complemented by field observations and analysis of historical and contemporary documents. Findings reveal that timeless spaces possess characteristics such as semantic continuity and historical memory, evocativeness, ritual adaptability, multifunctionality, human scale, connection to nature, and spatial coherence. These features enhance collective memory, social interaction, and cultural participation while providing foundations for small-scale economic networks and the emergence of local social enterprises. Naqsh-e Jahan Square exemplifies a timeless space where integrated commercial, ritual, governmental, and recreational functions create a dynamic arena for urban resilience, social reproduction, and sustained cultural life over time.
Keywords