Type: Urban Design
Date: 2022
Area: 500,000 sqm
Location: Khorasan Jonoobi, Birjand
Client: Khorasan Jonoobi Science and Technology Park

Birjand Science and Technology Park, as the main hub for synergy among knowledge, research, and industry in the eastern region of the country, has been designed with the mission of providing an enabling platform for the development of a knowledge-based economy and strengthening the value chain that turns ideas into products. Drawing on contemporary approaches in urban planning and urban design, the project is founded on establishing a coherent spatial structure, clear zoning, enhanced legibility, improved permeability, and walkability. Through defining a spatial–functional hierarchy, it enables the deployment of technology-driven activities within a flexible, expandable environment. Within this framework, the placement of a central landmark element (the park’s cultural–social core), as an identity anchor, plays a key role in organizing massing and guiding pedestrian and vehicular movement.
The Park’s functional structure has been shaped through a comprehensive, multi-layered approach based on the co-location of specialized innovation uses and support spaces. Accordingly, the specialized zones provide for the establishment of knowledge-based firms, incubators, accelerators, workshop spaces, and research and development (R&D) facilities; alongside these, service, educational, commercial–exhibition, cultural, welfare, and back-of-house/support zones complete the program and create a dynamic ecosystem for interaction, knowledge exchange, and the formation of collaboration networks. The modular and repeatable organization of building blocks, while improving construction efficiency and enabling phased implementation, generates a unified rhythm in the physical urban image and strengthens the Park’s adaptability to future needs.
In the spatial organization of the site, the continuous network of open and green spaces acts not merely as a landscape layer, but as an ecological corridor and a key component in enhancing environmental quality. By connecting different zones, strengthening shade provision, improving the microclimate, and upgrading the pedestrian experience, it significantly contributes to shaping the identity of public realms and reinforcing vibrancy. Moreover, by designating an area for clean energy production (a solar array/solar farm) and incorporating energy-efficiency considerations, the low-carbon development approach and infrastructural resilience are embedded in the core design logic.
The access network has also been designed with an emphasis on internal traffic management, separation of pedestrian and vehicular flows, and safety as well as crisis-management considerations—ensuring quick, legible access to all zones while supporting the logistical needs of activities and maintaining operational continuity under emergency conditions. Ultimately, Birjand Science and Technology Park is recognized not only as a technological infrastructure, but as a regional development catalyst that, by establishing a dynamic, sustainable, and identity-rich platform, outlines a clear vision for strengthening the role of innovation in the province’s economic and social structure and enabling closer linkages among universities, industry, and society at urban and supra-regional scales.