Tehran's Hangout at a Crossroads

The neighborhoods in central Tehran, about three years after being rescued from 'night lethargy', have now reached a crossroads; a forced return to 'nightlife' or 'balancing recreational usage'. The Sanayi street and some streets in the administrative area of the capital have undergone a fundamental transformation from two perspectives; on one hand, with the rapid emergence and prevalence of the phenomenon of 'cafe culture', the density of cafes is increasing to levels close to the number of companies and offices, and on the other hand, the demographic flow that years ago was predominantly one-way towards leaving these parts of the city in the evenings has recently become two-way; employees are leaving while the younger generation, alongside middle-aged and even elderly individuals, are entering. However, the misperception of city managers on Sanayi street has led to the fact that what has turned cafes into a 'new urban hangout' for citizens is not being recognized. A conversation with some citizens who choose this place to 'stay in the city for a few hours' several days a week shows that they do not come to cafes for 'just tea and coffee'. This place has become a 'third space' for life for three reasons, the most important of which is the 'lack of quality public space in the capital'. Urban management can enhance nighttime vibrancy in Tehran with a recent model from Oxford Street in London or continue to saturate the city with 'car-centric infrastructure'.