Soffeh
Year:2022 | Volume:32 | Issue:98|Papers Count:7

The present article is an inquiry into one of the relatively neglected aspects of Christopher Alexander, the architect and theorist of the second half of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. An important feature of Alexander is the multifaceted nature of his personality and intellectual life. He is both a distinguished scientist in the field of exact sciences such as mathematics and computers, and a well-known designer and theorist in the field of architecture. His entry into architecture was accompanied by a desire to scientifically streamline the architectural design process, but eventually the path he took led to a structural critique of contemporary science. Despite all the ups and downs along the way, the relationship between science and architecture seems to have always been one of Alexander's main concerns. In response, we intend to explain this relationship by analytical reading of Alexander's life and works here. The article shows that the most important difference between Alexander the scientist and his peers in the contemporary world is not in his method but in his findings. Alexander, like many modern scientists, works empirically, but his findings reveal the ‘, whole’,rather than the meticulous details that are common to many modern studies. Relying on the ‘, theory of complexity’, , and the challenges and capacities that this theory presents to modern science, Alexander tries to bring back to focus concepts such as ‘, beauty’, , ‘, value’, , ‘, quality’,and the like, which, in the philosophy of modern science are generally considered as outside of the field of science. In this regard, he introduces architecture as a model that can be a facilitator for scientists and tries to show how architecture can use new scientific paradigms, such as the theory of complexity, to reconstruct and revive itself, and at the time help change the paradigm of science in the world to come.

The importance of free-hand sketching on the one hand and the increasing use of computer software in various stages of the architectural design process on the other, havecaused controversies in the selection of appropriate design methods. Despite the increasing development of computers and computer-aided design software, the use of sketches in ideation stages is still common among designers. Today, various tools and software for computer aided sketching (CAS) have been marketed with the aim of closing the gap between ideation and the use of computers, so that the tendency of some designers, and more so students, to use them is evident. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of replacing CAS with sketches and their impact on the designer's creative thinking for ideation. For this purpose, using descriptive-analytical method, the effect of sketches and CAS, as external influences in cognitive design skills are compared. The results show that although many efforts have been made to develop advanced application of CAS taking advantage of both sketching skills and technology, they have not yet managed to pose serious competitionfor hand sketches, and sketches have retained their advantages.

The climate of Iran’, s south coasts is one of the rarest and most critical worldwide. Climate-aware design has been a fundamental aspect of Iranian houses. Therefore, the use of paradigms of functional spaces of vernacular houses in contemporary housing design can improve the comfort level in today's houses in similar climates. This article deals with the climatic typologies of vernacular houses in selected cities, ports, and islands through descriptive typology and the Grounded Theory model. The study is descriptive, based on the compositional indicators classified in multidimensional tables. Case studies are so organized to answer these questions of how many types of houses in the study area fall into terms of climatic criteria, and whether these types conform to the climatic typology of the regions. The results show that vernacular houses in Ahvaz, Dezful, Lar, and the ports of Lengeh, Bushehr, Chabahar, and Loft village in Gheshm Island, which were among the most populated areas in the past, are classifiable in three general types. This typology entirely corresponds with the climates of these regions. The compatibility of vernacular house types with climatic classifications shows that the patterns of these houses are devised according to their local climate, and therefore using them in today's architecture can result in improving comfort level.

According to statistics, educational institutions have the highest level of energy consumption in governmental buildings. Understanding the correct energy performance of the building, therefore, can help in using the correct optimisation methods. In this research, the aim is to optimise energy consumption in five new and old faculty premises of Shahid Beheshti University. To answer the research questions, using field measurement and simulation methods, the initial status of each faculty has been investigated in terms of energy consumption, carbon footprint and discomfort hours. Then, construction, architectural, installation and management strategies for reducing energy consumption are simulated via Design Builder software, with optimal options proposed for each building. Finally, based on implementation costs, all solutions are classified, and the energy label for each faculty consumption reviewed in terms of electricity consumption before and after optimisation. According to the results of this optimisation, in the Faculty of Theology and Earth Sciences, respectively had the highest (79%) and lowest (27%) impact on reducing primary energy consumption. Also, using solar panels was shown to provide between 8% (Faculty of Biology) to 65% (Faculty of Theology) of electricity needs.

Place attachment is one of the fundamental concepts in people-place relations, which has attracted many Iranian researchers in recent years. These studies began in the 2000s, with each researcher having their own views about the concept. A coherent, systematic approach is, therefore, missing, with some aspects widely studied and others neglected altogether. The present study seeks to systematically provide a comprehensive picture of knowledge about this concept, through a survey of 32 Iranian articles in the field, spotting less developed dimensions. These papers include all the articles published in domestic scientific journals with a focus on place attachment since 2009. The research uses meta study strategy throughout. The results indicate that the highest attention is paid to individual and social dimensions of place attachment, with those focusing on the place and process of attachment overlooked. Most of the studies are on the neighbourhood scale, followed by residential complex and city scales. Most recurring are topics concerning identification and assessment of factors, and others include relations between place attachment and other concepts, models for processes of place attachment, and the consequences.

As dynamic and live systems, heritage spaces and historic sites should be receptive to changes and growth in order to adapt to contemporary society and demands. The main issue in this respect is how the new structures and spaces coexist with their surrounding historic and heritage sites. The historic site of Ardeshir and Dokhtar Castles are among Kerman’, s significant archaeological and historical sites. However, the site’, s generalist and vague protection codes and the definition of multiple preservation areas have not only failed to protect the site against new developments, but also caused an insecure, unfavourable urban and social environment resulting in many preservation challenges. In response, this article explores the design strategies to revitalise the environment and to create a suitable and efficient urban space around these historic monuments. The method is based on comparative studies of existing local site protection regulations against their national and international counterparts. As a result, the protection strategies of the site have been redefined, with design strategies extracted from analysing international preservation projects with almost similar goals. Finally, the design strategies for the preservation area of Ardeshir and Dokhtar Castles have been presented to contribute in sustainable preservation. On top of responding to the requirements of Ardeshir and Dokhtar Castles, these strategies can be adopted for designing in the vicinity of the other historic sites with similar protection goals, as well as in other pre-design-stage studies.

The revitalisation approach in the field of architectural heritage conservation requires the identification and enumeration of all related values. However, little attention has been paid in processes of revitalisation to natural geography and human thought, namely, place values. Shortcomings in recognising and explaining these values lead to a loss of an influential natural environment and the integration of architectural heritage with its context. On the other hand, in order to protect the architectural heritage, it is essential to recognise the continuity of values over time on top of identifying all relevant values. This study aims to improve the knowledge of valuation and develop a value-oriented view in architectural heritage protection, as well as developing current classifications of values and introduce the concept of ‘, continuity’, . Adopting a qualitative approach and logical reasoning strategy, this study investigates the concepts of ‘, place values’,and ‘, continuity’,in architectural heritage, by re-reading related texts and theories, and then by analysing the data, the components of ‘, continuity’, , ‘, Place value indices’, , and their enumeration dimensions have been extracted as research findings and used to formulate the conceptual framework of ‘, architect ural heritage revitalisation based on the continuity of place values’, . Finally, by analysing the theoretical and field data obtained from the study of Choghaznabil Complex, the main question of the research is to do with the approach to revitalise the architectural heritage to perpetuate place values. Findings show that the relationship between the three indicators of ‘, natural foundations’, , ‘, construction idea’,and ‘, constructed edifice’,forms place values that can be identified in the four dimensions of landscape, structure, function and meaning in architectural heritage. Also, ‘, dynamics’,and ‘, conservation’,are found as the two components of continuity, and the continuation of place values is subject to the ‘, dynamics’,of indicators applied to ‘, sustainable development’,and ‘, conservation’,approaches in the relationship between indicators with the approach of ‘, disaster risk reduction’,in the revitalisation process.