Post-phenomenology of Consumption in Public Spaces of the City, Case Study: Central Texture of Zanjan City

Document Type : Conceptual

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Geography Education, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The acceleration of the transition from phenomenology of urban spaces to post-phenomenology can be attributed to the introduction and expansion of technology applications, which have a tangible impact on the interactive structure of the lived world. This research aims to explore the relationship between humans, technology, and urban lived spaces, analyzing their mutual interactions.The study's target population consists of 50 technology users in the public spaces of downtown Zanjan, with data collected through observations and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was conducted using open, axial, and selective coding, then applied within a grounded theory model. The research methodology is qualitative and post-phenomenological, executed within a context-driven framework.Findings reveal that the interaction between humans and the urban space of Sabzeh Meydan is driven by the attraction of the square’s features and the acceptance of citizens, accelerating their presence in the studied space (as a lived world). In the invitation process of Sabzeh Meydan, technology initially interacts with people, playing a mediating role, but later alters usage patterns and integrates individuals into its system.The causal, contextual, interventionist, control, and consequential factors within Sabzeh Meydan demonstrate that technology, through mechanisms of data exchange, sharing, feedback creation, attraction, and control, establishes dominance over both citizens and urban space. As a result, technology-driven consumption of urban spaces gradually shapes the prevailing usage patterns of Sabzeh Meydan in Zanjan within a post-phenomenological framework.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 23 February 2025
  • Revise Date: 11 August 2025
  • Accept Date: 04 October 2025

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