Problem Statement:The physical structure and contemporary challenges of many major Iranian cities are inextricably linked to the socio-political dynamics of the first Pahlavi era. This era is widely regarded as a turning point in the transition from traditional spatial organizations to modern structures, marking the genesis of the modern state in Iran.Given the foundational role of institutionalism within the framework of modern states, coupled with the dominant influence of power institutions during the early stages of Iranian state modernization, an in-depth analysis of urban transformations is essential. Specifically, investigating the city of Ahvaz as a distinct case study in this context necessitates a re-examination of the role the institution of power played in shaping the country’s urban morphology during this historical epoch.
Objective:This study seeks to reinterpret the physical effects of the institution of power through the lens of three major theoretical currents and to test this analytical framework against the physical transformations of the city of Ahvaz during the period under consideration.
Methodology:The research employs a descriptive-analytical strategy.Data collection relies on library-based sources as well as historical documents and maps found in travelogues, books, articles, reports, and archives, some of which are being utilized or published for the first time.
Conclusion:The findings indicate that, although in many contemporary Iranian cities the “disciplinary power” intended by the state was exercised through abstract spatial forms, in Ahvaz three power institutions-political(central and local government),economic(the railway), and military (the 6th Khuzestan Division)-shaped a new spatial organization through “spatial fixation.”By developing infrastructure and a new transportation network, these institutions reconfigured the city.Subsequently, through the creation of abstract spaces in both the old and later the new parts of the city, the disciplinary power envisioned by the state became embodied in the emerging urban structure of Ahvaz by the end of the First Pahlavi era.