شناسایی سطوح مشارکت کاربران در فرآیند شکل‌دهی وتوسعه کانسپت در طراحی معماری(مراکز خرید معاصر تهران)

Participatory design represents a methodological orientation within architectural and urban studies that emphasizes the active involvement of citizens and end users throughout the design process. At its core, this approach seeks to enhance user centeredness and strengthen the position of users as legitimate partners who contribute meaningfully to design decisions. In architectural design—especially in environments with high levels of public interaction such as shopping centers—participatory practices enable designers and decision makers to align spatial outcomes with the lived needs, preferences, and expectations of actual users. Building upon this premise, the present study set out to determine the degree to which users can participate in the formation and development of architectural concepts in contemporary shopping centers in Tehran. Employing a survey based research method, the study examined the feasibility, depth, and quality of user participation in the earliest and most influential phase of design: conceptualization.

The fundamental research question addressed in this work asks: To what extent can user participation be realized in the conceptual formation and development of architectural design for shopping centers? To respond to this question, the study targeted individuals who actively use semi public spaces—namely, visitors and users of shopping centers. Through Cochran’s formula, a total of 153 participants were selected randomly from three major shopping centers in District 1 of Tehran. Data collection was carried out through a researcher developed questionnaire grounded in the theoretical principles of participatory design. The instrument’s content validity was confirmed through expert judgment and the computation of CVI and CVR indices, while face validity was assessed and approved by three domain specialists. Reliability of the instrument was ensured using the test–retest method, and the collected data underwent descriptive and inferential analysis, including the Chi square test.

Following data analysis, user input for each design component was integrated with Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation to determine the corresponding participation level. This integrative approach enabled a precise interpretation of how users’ preferences directly shaped key design decisions. The findings reveal that overall, the depth of participation among users falls within a medium to high range, aligning closely with recognized international participation standards. Rather than remaining at minimal or symbolic forms of involvement, such as simple information sharing or superficial consultation, most components analyzed in the study demonstrated characteristics associated with “Involvement/Interactive Participation” and “Collaboration,” indicating a substantive level of user engagement.

A closer examination of the conceptualization phase—which includes site selection and spatial configuration; form, structure, and architectural expression; functional programming and performance; circulation, legibility, and the design of open and semi open spaces; as well as meaning, identity, and sensory experience—demonstrates that user participation was both significant and influential across all categories. In nearly all major phases of early stage decision making, users were not merely respondents but active contributors whose preferences carried considerable weight. Their involvement produced design directions that resonate with established global standards for participatory practice.

Ultimately, legitimizing users’ decisions and reinforcing the authenticity of their role in shaping the built environment is one of the central objectives of participatory design. This study illustrates that, when provided with structured mechanisms for engagement, users in the context of Tehran’s contemporary shopping centers are fully capable of influencing critical architectural decisions. The findings emphasize the value of incorporating user perspectives in early stage design and highlight the potential of participatory methods to enrich design processes and outcomes in semi public urban environments.