Rereading the Role of Cafés as Urban Catalysts with a Focus on the Case of Tehran, Iran

Regardless of where you are from, there is always a magic space that will celebrate what makes you, you. People gather there to be under the umbrella of somewhere away, in a simple café, to make connections, experience solitude, and gain the experience of being. From traditional coffee houses since the sixteenth century to contemporary cafés, they warmly open their doors to newcomers to their desires. This chapter aims to unravel the role of cafés as urban catalysts from their first establishment as traditional coffee houses in the Safavid era in Iran until now. The case study method among qualitative research designs is suggested to follow the transformation of coffee houses and cafés. Historical texts, travelogues, maps, figures, observations, spatial data, and Geographical Information Systems are used to make a spatiotemporal analysis of Tehran, the capital of Iran. According to Homi Bhabha’s term, these hybrid spaces always hosted diverse customers. They were always on the border of being the hosts of diversity and homogeneity of different social classes. Magnificent coffee houses entertained Abbas the Great, the Safavid king, and his entourage. The humbler coffee houses, hosting lower-class guests, had a notorious reputation due to using young boys and opium. Coffee houses have played a significant role in shaping societal experiences over the centuries. During the Qajar period, they served as meeting places for specific guilds and even hosted artists. In the Pahlavi era, under the influence of intellectuals who had been to Europe, modern cafés appeared in the Iranian cultural sphere. After the Islamic revolution and a decade of war, their roles faded, but since 1990, new styles of cafés have emerged, leaving a lasting impact on Iranian everyday life. These spaces were always under the suspicion of the authorities and considered as places of deviation from ruling norms. Since the Safavid era, many Fatwas have been declared to restrict them. After a while, the governments could not resist the social forces and reopened them. This story has been continuing in Iran until now. More than a hundred cafés have been closed in recent months in Tehran due to political pressure, but the number of new ones is still rising. Furthermore, in other historical cities in Iran, urban regeneration projects are closely attached to the growth of café culture. The neglected part of society is now on the streets, presenting their lifestyle not only as a social hub but also as a strong business market. Consequently, we suggest reappraising cafés in cities. They are now centres of diversity and freedom, keeping society alive and resilient. In addition, reusing each building as a café gives it a new life. The revitalisation of the urban texture is indebted to these socio-commercial spaces. These all show that it is time to change our mindset and consider their functions beyond just entertaining spaces but mostly as diverse urban socioeconomic catalysts.