Abstract

Developing appropriate relations between formal, meaning and functional elements of urban spaces is one of the main challenges of discipline as well as profession in urban design. In this paper, a case study has been employed to draw a framework to link these elements for future development of an urban space. The case is Ab square, which is located near the Holy Shrine in Mashhad. Mashhad is the capital city of Khorasan Razavi Province, in the North East of Iran. This square has a unique position as a pre-entrance into the Shrine from the Imam Reza Boulevard; also, it serves as an urban space for residents and the pilgrims. This indicates the importance of development plan undertaken for this square near the Holy Shrine zone. This article aims to review the developmental trend of the square during past decades and analyze the interrelations of formal, meaning and functional aspects of the square.