Abstract
Introduction
Historic urban fabrics, as vital repositories of cultural heritage, are frequently marginalized within contemporary urban development trajectories due to enduring socioeconomic constraints among residents and insufficient governmental support. Consequently, their physical, social, and cultural assets have undergone continuous deterioration. In response to these challenges, the concept of culture-led regeneration gained prominence in the 1990s as an alternative urban development paradigm. This approach treats culture not merely as an intrinsic value but as a strategic instrument for stimulating economic development and revitalizing historic districts. By emphasizing local scales and the dynamics of human–place interaction, culture-led regeneration aims to cultivate distinctive, attractive urban environments capable of drawing the talent and investment associated with creative industries.
Within this context, the recent emergence of the Khayyami Ritual, musical performances based on Khayyam’s quatrains, has played a notable role in activating cultural spaces, reinforcing social vitality, and attracting both domestic and international visitors. This phenomenon presents a distinctive opportunity to formulate integrated strategies that simultaneously advance social revitalization and economic development. Nevertheless, conservation efforts in Bushehr have predominantly been limited to isolated, single-building interventions. These fragmented actions have not succeeded in reconstituting the social networks or establishing the sustainable economic mechanisms required for long-term regeneration.
To address this gap, the present study identifies, analyzes, and prioritizes culture-led regeneration strategies tailored to Bushehr’s historic fabric, with particular emphasis on the transformative potential of the Khayyami Ritual. The research is guided by two principal questions:
(1) Given the endogenous capacities of Bushehr’s historic fabric, which culture-led rege