Methods and Techniques in Using Collective Memory in Urban Design: Achieving Social Sustainability in Urban Environments

Urban settlements are full of inhabitants’ memories. Some of these memories are individual but the other ones are social. Collective memory is the group memory, the negotiated and selective recollections of a specific group. As a socially manifested individual psychological capacity, it can play an important role in sustainable development_ as a kind of development that equally provides environmental, economic and social services for citizens in a community in such a way that natural, social, economic and man-made systems be in a safe condition. In the previous decades, environmental and economic dimensions were the main focuses of attention. The social dimension of sustainability has become an important component in sustainable discourse since 2000. Collective memory can affect some key theme areas of social sustainability such as social networks, health, identity of community, civic pride, neighborhood perceptions, and community participation. Therefore, conservation and representation of citizens’ collective memory will enhance social sustainability and facilitate sustainable development. The aim of this paper is to investigate about how collective memory can be used in architecture, urban design or urban space design for increasing urban sustainability. To achieve this, an inductive method has been adopted for recognizing main approaches in using collective memories through a comparative study about some experiences and then a deductive method has been adopted to discover some techniques for representing collective memory-as negotiated and selective recollections of a special community- based on the findings of semiotics. The research findings indicate two main approaches in using collective memory (conservation of memorable objects and representing collective memories). Finally, the study concludes a matrix to model various techniques for representing collective memories, using the findings of semiotics. The study shows the various potential layers and some important facilities of collective memories that can be applied in architecture and urban design projects.