Designing sustainable public spaces using design justice framework: a case study in Southern Iran

ABSTRACT Sustainable development has faced criticism for its potential misuse by corporations to portray capitalism as socially and ecologically harmless. In response, urban design discourse seeks to counteract neoliberal influence on public spaces through principles of inclusivity, participation, empowerment, and public ownership. This article delves into the implications of design justice and sustainability principles in regenerating a public space in southern Iran. Adopting a qualitative research method, we conducted 26 semi-structured interviews and a focus group to explore the needs and preferences of the less-heard groups in co-designing a community centre located in a historic part of Sirjan city. The thematic analysis of residents’ responses along with a review of the archival data indicated three major themes to operationalise the design justice framework in designing a sustainable public space: Community-led design and long term engagement, addressing socioeconomic disparities, securing spatial justice and environmental sustainability. Our findings provide critical insights for scholars and practitioners in the Global South by demonstrating the empirical application of design justice principles and potential challenges for its realisation particularly within historically significant areas.