Human Ecology and Ian McHarg: Pardisan Environmental Park Project (1972-1978) for Tehran, Iran

Abstract

This dissertation explores the Pardisan Environmental Park initiative (1972–1978) in Tehran, Iran, as a case study illuminating the evolution of Ian McHarg's idea of human ecology. Initiated by Iran's Department of the Environment during the late Pahlavi period, the project was a collaborative effort by Wallace McHarg Roberts and Todd (WMRT) under McHarg's direction and the Mandala Collaborative led by Nader Ardalan. Pardisan aimed to be a groundbreaking environmental design endeavor, covering 300 hectares and envisioned as an ecological network, an educational space, and a cultural symbol showcasing the diversity of Iran's ecosystems alongside global ecological parallels. However, the project was interrupted during its schematic design phase by the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and was never completed as initially planned. This study posits that Pardisan marks a crucial turning point in McHarg's intellectual development, shifting from his foundational perspectives on ecological determinism and suitability analysis to a more nuanced understanding of human ecological planning that incorporates cultural insights, social structures, and symbolic values alongside ecological assessments. The dissertation is structured around three analytical dimensions based on Frederick Steiner's human ecology principles. The first dimension investigates ecological determinism and suitability analysis, focusing on how McHarg's overlay mapping technique influenced the park's spatial layout through topography, landform modifications, water systems, and the selection of climate-suited species, while also critically examining the initial site selection made before McHarg's suitability process. The second dimension delves into bioregionalism and ecosystem-based zoning, exploring how the park organized its exhibits according to Iran's primary ecological regions and expanded this model through a comparative World's Animal Resemblance Program that linked Iranian ecosystems with international ones. The third dimension considers cultural and social adaptation to the environment, examining how traditional Persian architectural styles, garden practices, mandala geometry, and cosmological concepts were used as climate-responsive and culturally attuned systems—this dimension most clearly indicates Pardisan's move beyond ecological determinism toward a comprehensive human-ecological design approach. At the core of these dimensions is the notion of adaptation, which McHarg viewed not just as a biological process but as the fundamental way human societies engage with their environment—a process predominantly shaped by culture. The Pardisan initiative embodied this belief, bringing together a diverse team from disciplines such as ecology, anthropology, ethnography, architecture, philosophy, and theology to illustrate the interconnectedness of physical, biological, and human knowledge. This dissertation does not aim to idealize Pardisan. It critically examines the project's intellectual contributions and notable contradictions, including ecological discrepancies in showcasing non-native biomes in Tehran's landscape, water resource challenges, and the gap between its ambitious vision and the final outcome. It argues that these limitations actually enhance the project's importance. The true value of Pardisan lies not in achieving a flawless embodiment of ecological principles but in revealing the complex negotiations, restrictions, and creative conflicts involved in real-world ecological design. Consequently, the project continues to raise significant questions for contemporary practices in landscape architecture, environmental planning, and ecological design amid a growing environmental crisis.