JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTURE STUDIES
Year:2017 | Volume:5 | Issue:10 |Papers Count:11

Stucco mihrabs are among valuable elements of Iranian architecture both in view of technique and of composition of patterns and inscriptions. They were crafted over a long period and are considered a valuable collection of designs and motifs either invented or inherited from past eras. The climax of the craft is considered to be during the Seljuq and early Timurid period، but dating remaining [undated] examples has been a difficult task because of the slow pace of development and continuing traditions. For example، there are two [undated] mihrabs of the historic Masjid-i Kucheh-Mir located in Natanz. Since the inscriptions containing the date for the two mihrabs are flawed and indiscernible، numerous opinions are expressed about their probable date of construction. After reintroducing the mosque and its mihrabs، this paper intends to provide a realistic date for the mihrabs through a comparative study and examination of details. For the reason of Kirmani’ s signature “ amal-i Haidar Kirmani” on the first floor mihrab، the comparative study was based on stucco mihrabs having his signature. Analysis and comparison of the structure، patterns، and inscriptions of the two mihrabs with those of dated or undated mihrabs holding Kirmani’ s signature، added to the fact that the signature of the craft of Kirmani exists also on several wooden works belonging to the second half of eighth century AH in villages near Natanz، the mihrabs are datable to the mid-eighth century AH. Data collection methods include library and field studies and the research approach is historical-comparative.

Although the discipline of Iranian architectural history has its roots in the recent century، its theories and discourses are still under debate. Stylistic analysis is one of the major tools in art and architectural historiography. In this paper، we discuss differences in the purposes behind the stylistic analyses provided by two major historians of Iranian architecture، namely Mohammad-Karim Pirnia and Donald Wilber. This paper aims to discuss the stylistic analysis of Iranian architecture and study the effects of its purposes on the product of architectural historiography. The study extracts concepts by thematic analysis of the principal histories written by the two authors، which are Sabk-shenā si-ye me‘ mā ri-ye Irā ni [The Stylistic Analysis of Iranian Architecture] and The Architecture of Islamic Iran: The Il Khanid Period، and compares the concepts by logical reasoning. For this end، the basics in the stylistic narratives in the works of Pirnia and Wilber are compared first. Next، elements of narrative and purposes of their historical accounts are compared. In comparing the basics، the different approaches to formal parameters in stylistic classification as well as to temporal and local restrictions are studied. In comparing elements of narrative، the differences in theory regarding style origins، style phases، and style development are studied. Secondary elements of narrative such as the interrelation of styles are also studied، in addition to the benefits of each of the two stylistic approaches for architects. Findings suggest that the two approaches to stylistic analysis do not totally match. It could be stated that different purposes underlie the analyses of Pirnia and Wilber، resulting in different analytic systems. In Pirnia’ s analysis، regional factors contribute to the formation of architectural styles، directing architects towards vernacular concerns in Iranian architecture. Nevertheless، every style in this approach has advantages and weaknesses، and as models، they are not of the same value. Pirnia regards internal changes inside the architectural atmosphere as the motive for changes in different styles. On the other hand، Wilber believes in some sort of continuity across Iranian architectural styles، such that if every style was conceived within its preceding style. He does not make value judgments about styles and sees their development as a reflection of changes outside the architectural atmosphere. Hence، the stylistic analysis of Pirnia could be interpreted as internal-educational، while that of Wilber could be thought of as external-historicistic.

The common division in Iranian architectural history to two separate periods-pre-Islamic and Islamic-which was once efficient، has gradually lost its motivating power. Such a cliché had consequences including disregarding the architecture of the very transitional era from the late Sassanid to the early Islamic period. Understanding the real changes، evolutions، breaks، and continuity in the two sides of the supposed historical border requires more inquiry and research; a research that should begin with eliminating the border. Human beings think about architecture before، during، and after practicing it. They speak about it; and their words are evidences of their understanding of architecture. The concept of “ architecture” is not constant and timeless. It changes during history; and its changes reveal themselves in the language. In this article، after introducing “ conceptual history” and its benefits for Iranian architectural studies، we study the conceptual history of the architecture of the transitional era. We take lexical and etimological methods in defining semantic fields and categories of architecture in the era as a way toward understanding the cultural changes and evolutions of architecture. Our primary sources are in three languages: Pahlavi (Middle Persian)، Persian (New Persian/ Dari)، and Arabic. By the conceptual history of architecture of the transitional era from the late Sassanid to the early Islamic period، we will show that the concept of architecture in the era revealed in the term ā bā dā ni، did not bear any radical changes. Of course the concept of architecture as ā bā dā ni is far from the modern concept of architecture، despite including it.

There is an established idea in Iranian urban studies that puts the bazaar as the spine of the social and spatial structure of historical towns. This essentialist universal reading has eclipsed the diversity of Iranian bazaars across the country. This paper، however، aims at revealing the social and spatial diversity of bazaars in Iranian cities. This study employs the Space Syntax method for a topological analysis of the spatial configuration of Dezful and Shushtar. In addition، it investigates the socio-economic context of these cities. This study suggests that pre-modern Iranian cities were at least two types. First، there are those with a non-commercial urban economy، wherein the bazaar included a cluster of retail shops and did not encompass major socio-cultural public places. These solely retail bazaars were neither structurally the spine of the city، nor the heart of social life. Second، there are trading cities where the bazaar was not only the center of trade and the spine of spatial configuration but also the place of social interactions. This type of bazaars is referred to here as socio-commercial bazaars، or simply social bazaars. This type is what is widely considered as the stereotype Iranian bazaar. By highlighting the differences between the two types، this paper challenges the definition of ‘ the’ Iranian bazaar and its stereotype. The ultimate aim of this paper، by no means، is to offer a typology of bazaars، but rather highlighting the diversity of Iranian cities that the essentialist modern reading has ignored.

Double Skin Faç ades (DSF) is one potential response to two major problems، i. e.، low Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and high energy consumption. The second skin provides thermal comfort، optimal sound performance، and better day lighting and ventilation. Many typologies of DSFs are widely used mostly in countries of cold climates. In Iran، however، they are less known، and therefore، there is no precise information on the optimal typologies suiting different cities with different climates. In this study، the optimal DSF configuration was selected for an office building in Tehran among proposed alternatives using dynamic simulation and evaluation of different spatial configurations، cavity ventilations، and material compositions. The final model was selected based on a minimum energy demand and maximum thermal comfort hours. According to results، utilizing a DSF decreases heating demands and enhances indoor qualities during the warm seasons. The decrease in energy consumption ranges from 28-54 kWh/m2 (minimum 7. 9% to maximum 14. 8%). The most remarkable result of using the proposed DSFs is significantly reducing the cooling energy demand، nevertheless increasing the lighting energy demand for all alternatives.

Square or geometric Kufic (also known as banna’ i) developed from the Kufic script and consists of repeating vertical، horizontal، and parallel geometric units on a geometric network called a grid. Due to its unique visual characteristics and its close association with architecture، it is very promising for use in contemporary arts. This paper presents a research on contributing factors to the endurance of this script، as well as the geometric and structural features of square Kufic (banna’ i) and its applicability for designing logotypes. Structural features of square Kufic include the relationship and interaction of black and white، simple and explicit components، logical order، legibility independent of thickness، the absence of diacritic marks، its traditional backgrounds، its high regenerative capacity، and the possibility of changing positive and negative spaces and its texture. This set of unique features makes it a promising typeface for use in visual arts، especially in logotype design. This research attempts to explore contributing factors to the endurance of this script، as well as contemporary procedures in its applicability for logotype design with a descriptive-analytic methodology. Results show that banna’ i calligraphy features rectilinear surfaces، repeating vertical، horizontal، and parallel geometric units on a geometric grid، positive and negative spaces، flexibility in design، and other characteristics which help symbolize texts.

The architectural profession and architectural education involve procedures deeply rooted in the cultural، historical، geographical and social context of any country. One of the major goals of architectural education should be training architects who are able to practice architecture based on their understanding of cultural characteristics. Thus today، the significant question regarding architectural education is whether the current system in Iran can prepare young architects to respond to regional/vernacular concerns and design ingeniously in the cultural context of their country. Content analysis method was applied in evaluating architectural education using cultural criteria. First، the definitions of ‘ culture’ were studied، and next، three major criteria were defined including ‘ world-view and beliefs’ ، ‘ history’ ، and ‘ geography’ . Each of these criteria consists of different factors that influence architecture، which were derived using the Delphi method. Second، the current architectural curriculum in Iran was evaluated based on the criteria and factors defined in the first step. In this evaluation، undergraduate curriculums of architectural education in three main programs were selected and studied: The Undergraduate Program of Architecture approved by the High Council of Programming of the Ministry of Science and High Education (1998)، and The Revised Undergraduate Programs of Architecture in Shahid Beheshti University (2005) and University of Tehran (2012). The results estimate how much value is given to each cultural criterion in the text of each course description in the curriculum، which is categorized into four groups of courses: ‘ architectural design’ ، ‘ history and theory’ ، ‘ building techniques’ ، and ‘ electives’ . The results show that the values given to cultural criteria of world-view، history، and geography are not consistent across the three programs and that the curriculums lack an overall proper consideration of cultural criteria. Each of the four categories of courses offers a good capacity to include cultural criteria as rendered in course descriptions. Revision of architectural education programs with a content analysis approach and developing new courses offers an opportunity to compensate for the shortcomings of the current educational system according to cultural contexts.

On one side، “ the divine wisdom and knowledge-centric character of the celestial human soul and human self، and the never-satisfying natural urge of humans for truth-finding and scholarly dynamism” is an obvious truth، and prideful، to all thinkers. This truth bears nothing but “ a kind of dynamic، scholarly life” ، a type of lifestyle that can be achieved only in a dynamic context of ideas and knowledge. On the other side، we are aware of the fact that living cities around the world are much diverse in countless aspects، e. g.، in knowledge-centric cultures، moral manners of life، and the level of strength of educational environments (even in different parts of a city). That is why the aforementioned “ ideological dynamism” as the requisite for human prosperity would only result in “ an essential freedom in the thoughtful، and of course، temporary selection of one’ s dwelling، city، or living environment” . The goal of this paper is to analyze “ permanent dwelling conditions or sedentism” in Qur’ anic literature and Imam Ali’ s (pbuh) sayings. In conclusion، the important finding of this research was that what most professionals regard as the “ reason for the emergence of human civilization and scientific and cultural activities of past and present societies” [(namely، sedentary settlement)] is in fact “ the true cause of all wars، bloodsheds، and violations around the world” . Furthermore، it is “ the root of all scientific and technological decline in Muslim societies، ” for the “ permanent settlement of righteous thinkers and scholars. ” This paper is a specialized research on the Holy Qur’ an and evidentiary sayings of the Shi‘ ite knowledge-centric Imams. The intertextual method was used in the interpretation of the Holy Qur’ an، in addition to an analytic description of the sublime Qur’ anic sayings.

During the past years، many educational centers have been created in our country without regard for the needs of users and learners in the built/open spaces. Due to the growing trend of students enrolling and warm weather conditions in Kashan which has negative impacts on the level of interaction، this study aims to evaluate social quality in the University of Kashan in terms of criteria such as sociability، walkability، flexibility، vitality، legibility، safety، and sensory richness. The evaluation criteria were drawn from the views of urbanists، which were then tested through questionnaires and field data and rated by the Likert scale. Finally، they were assigned weights using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. The outcome of the evaluation shows intermediate values for all criteria in the university campus. Sociability، walkability، flexibility، vitality، legibility and safety criteria rates fall in the medium range، while sensory richness rate falls in the poor range. For instance، some major weaknesses seen under sociability are low-quality furniture and inappropriate combinations of land use; under walkability، inappropriate furniture and paving; under flexibility، incompatible interior and exterior activities and poor-quality spaces in hangouts; under vitality، poor quality of green and public spaces and inefficient transport system; under legibility، insufficient installed signage; under safety، nighttime problems and interfering vehicular and pedestrian routes; and finally، low quality under sensory richness. However، some factors such as safety at daytime، campus lighting system and quantity of green spaces are accounted as strengths in the campus. Public spaces، largely ignored in the Development Plan of the University، are in need of flexible designs. So، in addition to paying particular attention to measures with low values، emphasis should be made on improving places that have the potential of becoming successful public spaces، on re-organization of circulation routes، on re-design of bicycle paths، and etc.

Natural factors are among essential dimensions that shape a city and guide its development. Mountains، rivers، coastlines and valleys are among these factors. Water supply، among others، has an important role in the life and flourishing of a city. In every settlement، the solution to this is considered a part of its urban culture. The Zayandeh-Rud River has been a significant element which has guided the urban development of Isfahan throughout different periods. However، the way of this impact has not yet been adequately investigated. The network of madis is considered one of the most important parts of the Zayandeh-Rud River، which has influenced the development of Isfahan. This network had affected the initial location of Isfahan; the direction of urban development; the structure of the historical core and the Bazaar route; the location of the Safavid governmental quarters; the location of new quarters particularly in the Safavid period; the irrigation of suburban gardens; the underground water levels used for residential purposes، and etc. At first، madis were used for irrigating agricultural lands. Later، however، they connected and formed the initial urban core of Isfahan. Specifically، the madi of Fadin functioned as infrastructure in the development of the spatial organization of Isfahan. The research employs the content analysis method and interpretive-historical approach. Information is analyzed through documentary and library research. Studies demonstrate that following a booming population growth in the Safavid period، new madis were built according to the new urban structure. The network of madis has had great influence on the design of the Safavid governmental quarters، as well as on other urban quarters and key facilities. Before the Safavid period، the urban development of Isfahan was mainly influenced by natural forces، specifically the Zayandeh-Rud River and its network of madis. However، during the Safavid period، there were plural forces which guided the urban development of Isfahan. Finally، a map of madis is re-drawn based on documentary and comparative studies of the historical maps of Isfahan showing the location of the main buildings and the relation of the spatial organization of pre-Safavid Isfahan with the network of madis.