Large-scale artificial landscape interventions can leave a lasting mark on urban ecological systems, affecting both their immediate surroundings and the wider region. This study examines District 22 of Tehran, focusing on two prominent interventions: the artificial Chitgar Lake and the Iran Mall commercial complex. Using a data-driven, landscape-oriented approach, it explores how these projects relate to the ecological changes observed in the surrounding area. Multi-temporal remote sensing data were analyzed across three time points—2000, 2015, and 2025—using four ecological indices: vegetation cover (NDVI), built-up density (NDBI), surface water extent (MNDWI), and land surface temperature (LST). For each period, Landsat 7 and 8 imageries from June 15 to August 31 was selected to minimize seasonal variation and allow for meaningful comparison across years. Changed maps were then produced between the study years, and the area of each index class was calculated. All spatial analyses were carried out using Google Earth Engine and ArcGIS Pro.
The results are fairly consistent: as built-up and impervious surfaces expanded in recent years, vegetation connectivity declined and land surface temperature rose across the region. Chitgar Lake appears to moderate local temperature and humidity to some degree, but the density of construction surrounding Iran Mall has limited the reach and strength of this effect. Overall, the findings suggest weakening and exhaustion of the landscape's ecological functions, driven by the combined pressure of large-scale artificial interventions and reduced connectivity between green and blue spaces. These results point to a clear need for ongoing ecological monitoring of large artificial landscape projects, along with greater attention to the interaction between natural and built elements in urban landscape planning and policy.