“How to study public life” during pandemic and beyond: an inspiration from Gehl and Svarre in Tehran

Gehl and Svarre’s work ‘How to Study Public Life’ serves as a vital reference in urban studies and planning. This research employs the analytical frameworks of Gehl and Svarre to investigate public life in Tehran during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined seven urban public spaces recognized by Tehran residents during and after the pandemic, and next, Behavioral Counting, Travel Mapping, Photography, and Field Diaries were employed to address Gehl and Svarre’s primary inquiry: How many? Who? Where? What? and How long? Beyond directly answering these questions, the findings reveal that public life levels in the studied areas were minimal during the pandemic, especially in social interactions, but increased significantly afterward, particularly in verbal communication. The findings also revealed variations in the utilization of urban public spaces, with parks serving as venues for recreational and athletic activities throughout the pandemic. Moreover, the findings emphasized the significance of Points of Interest (POIs) in augmenting the appeal of these areas. In conclusion, the results demonstrate the effective application of Gehl and Svarre’s approach in analyzing public life in Tehran during and post-pandemic.