JOURNAL OF RESEARCHES IN ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Year:2019 | Volume:6 | Issue:4 (21) |Papers Count:7

Since man has been engaged in architecture, he has paid attention to the spiritual, inner needs and aesthetics sense too. Today, in architecture, aesthetics is limited to formal secondary factors due to lack of the systematic and applied explanation, while this concept has a more definition and is closely related to structure, details of construction, audience and environment. Iranian architecture that has manifested aesthetics over many years age, has been a rich source for adapting the principles of aesthetics in architecture. Quantitative and qualitative foundations in traditional architecture, which are related to the aesthetics and visual principles set on structure and proportions, lead to aesthetics appearance. Accordingly This research tries to answer the question: how are aesthetics principles engaged in Iranian architecture in order to utilizing them in contemporary architecture. The analysis of the houses was carried out in Mashhad because of its historical background, which was a rich source of architectural works. In this research, current findings of different schools and philosophers viewpoints about aesthetics were collected next analyzed and Interpreted with content analysis method which they formed the criteria of analysis. Using the documentations, 10 types of Mashhad historical houses were analyzed with aesthetics factors, all of them were belonged to Qajar period. In this analysis, according to architectural changes affected from historical conditions (Qajar period), the spatial & structural principles of the houses belonged to the first period and the beginning of the second period were conformed with aesthetics criteria. While the houses belonged to second Qajar period, they included elements as sloping roofs, and issues like: having less application of the symmetry and proportionality in the plan & faç ade, and more extravagance, which is a conception of Western architecture and doesn’ t fit to regional culture and climate.

In our country, research on architectural design process, is based on two main theoretical approaches; one is the system of Islamic theosophy, and the other is recent empirical studies on design methodology. The main problem here, is to find out the relationship between these two viewpoints, to attend the domain› s pathology, like misunderstanding and oversight of the position and order of theories, rootlessness of empirical theories, ambiguity of theosophical implications on design methodology, extremism and wastage in holism / serialism sides, and finally choosing one and putting aside the other. So the debate is on knowledge unity rejecting polysemy. The macro goal of this research is to find design process, conform to epistemology rules of theosophy, and the micro goal is to draft a comprehensive, existential, meaning rolled, and transcend schemata of design process, as a conceptual model. The practical goal is to comprehend the nature of design process, in order to nurture it. The importance of this inquiry is to avoid latitudinal contest of theories, and therefore wisdom unity and conformity of knowledge stages, in a comprehensive structure of knowledge as a result. The questions of this inquiry are: o On a descriptive objective: what is the designerly knowledge and how can we draw a schema of its process? o On a causative objective: how is the conformity of designerly cognition and its roots in the epistemological map? o On an alteration objective: possibility of a syntactic viewpoint and longitudinal conformity of epistemological theories, instead of latitudinal selection between them o The inquiry has no interpretive-historical objective The research method is under the «transcendental Realism Paradigm» framework, which is programmed and followed by a retroductive strategy. In the research process an allegoric model is derived from transcendent theosophy of Molla-Sadra (as the cognition mechanism) and then this model› s mechanism, is checked with the empirical theories of design process (as eyewitness) to see the conformability. In the first chapter, literature and precedents of the subject are presented. The epistemological paradigms are divided to categories of pantheism and humanism. The pantheist sector contains Masha, Eshragh, and Motealieh dispositions, and the humanist sector contains Sophist, Skepticism, Realism, Positivism, Relativism, Pluralism, Existentialism, Phenomenology, and Hermeneutics. Next the history of design studies and its methodology generations, are classified into three groups: the early analysis-synthesis generation, the concept-test generation, and the late hermeneutic generation. Then the research precedents are listed as different approaches of subject inquiry, followed by design process researches within Molla-sadra theosophy framework. Critiquing the precedents on theosophical cognition and comprehension and oversight of theories, a new strategy of inquiry is conducted. Retroductive inference, conformity as methodology of Molla-sadra, a two sided viewpoint to philosophical and empirical theories, and comprehensive modeling, are mentioned as new specifications of the research. Chapter two belongs to research design and contains realism paradigm, retroduction strategy, and the process of inquiry. Describing the Islamic Realism and Molla-sadra› s special contributions to it (that is mystic approach to knowledge besides the philosophical-logical one), conformity method as the truth finding theory of Molla-sadra is explained. According to this idea, every difference between theories does not mean controversy and the judgment of true and false, because the two sides might be two levels of a truth in our knowledge that may conform. Then the inquiry paradigm, Transcend Realism of Bhaskar which critiqued positivism and critical rationalism (induction and deduction), is introduced. This epistemology considers our knowledge in tree domains of feeling, imagination and intellect. The intellectual domain contains mechanisms and constructs, which underlie a phenomenon seen in nature. These mechanisms are conjectured as descriptive models that are rules and patterns, witnessed by empirical studies. The research strategy of such paradigm is called Retroduction, which uses allegoric models as hypothesis of a mechanism, being tested and proved by eyewitnesses. The next chapter (3) is on theoretical framework of hypothesis (model). Transcend theosophical system of Molla-sadra, is chosen to be the fundamental and generative mechanism of epistemology. The philosophical hermeneutic of Gadamer is also considered to be the epistemological background of empirical design studies, because of the comprehensive viewpoint. These two theories are conformable on the essence of creativity, two sided viewpoint, unity of knowledge, and transcend thinking. This is continued by modeling hypothesis as an allegoric descriptive model, which is a core-crust schema on design process. Chapter four informs the data collection from references, and the discussion. The resource in cognition mechanism is epistemological system of transcend theosophy of Molla-sadra, while the resources on empirical design studies are: Donald Schon› s reflective practice, Nigel Cross› s desinerly ways of knowing, and Bryan Lawson› s designers thinking skills. This part discusses conformability of Molla-Sadra theosophy and empirical theories of design study, in ten theorems on epistemology ontology (kinds of wisdom) and epistemology itself (cognition process). Theorems are consisted of: 1-implicit & explicit knowledge 2-imagination/presentation/verification 3-the whole & the part 4-schema & detail 5-design process and cognitive levels 6-cognition levels, growth & expertise 7-consciousness & unconsciousness 8-reflective thinking/practicing 9-framing/solution-led/co-evolution 10-constructive/generative reasoning. The last chapter concludes and draws inferences of the discussion. It is concluded that the cognition mechanism in transcendent theosophy of Molla-Sadra which was constructed and presented as a core-crust descriptive and allegoric model, has an adoptive methodological conformity, with the empirical theories of design study in holistic aspects. Empirical design epistemology also, could be deducted depth wise from Molla-Sadra theosophy. Therefore, existential theosophies and hermeneutic interpretation of design studies, are not adversary theories to choose between.

Our limited knowledge of Iranian ceremonial architecture in the early Islamic centuries to the beginning of the later centuries has been accompanied by fundamental questions in the design of palaces, their spatial elements, and the way in that kings reside in them. Not remaining abundance and impressive works of this relatively large time period, Caused These questions never answers well. But If the architecture works in the Lashkari Bazaar collection, study and introduce properly can solve part of this concern, especially from the fourth to the sixth century AH which is exactly equal to the period of the domination of the Ghaznavid monarchs. Two of the major works of the collection, the South Palace and the North Palace, have attracted the attention of researchers for their better preservation than other works of the collection. Despite the numerous studies in this regard, the previous questions have not been answered firmly. Therefore, this study attempted to deal this issue; By adopting the position and architectural structure of the two traces with the help of historical and literary sources, which have not been addressed or used extensively in previous studies. Therefore, the use of a comparative approach in the field of comparative literature (architecture and literature) makes this research different from previous studies. In doing so and specifically, analyzing the findings has also benefited from a historical approach. The latest research shows that the Southern Palace, as its explorer, Scholomberge, also said earlier, was built at the time of Amir Mahmud, Ghaznavi and contrary to Alan› s view literary documents show that, , his large traces of paintings appeared on the northern front at the same time. The Beygman castle structure reflects the thoughts of the official architecture of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphs in Iraq and the Shams. But the spatial composition of structures, the type and manner of implementation of the elements of architecture, the manner of performance and the theme of the images has been taken from the Iranian traditions that existed till then and persistence. The special position of this palace and other palaces of the complex depending on the natural course of the Hirmand River. In that way, the dominant idea in choosing the position and longitudinal axis of the palaces is this natural landscape. This issue was continually noticed by the poets of the same period, who also often admired the Ghaznavi court. The results of this study showed Multiple sections that sometimes have a relatively independent structure of the palace› s public spaces was the location of the elders of the country and the army Along some of the elements of space. These parts are sometimes recorded in the literary and historical sources with the name Saracheh or Tarom. The decorated porch of the North Face, contrary to the views of Etinghusen and Grabar, and with the approval of Ashlomberge and Allen, has been the location of the seat and Royal headquarters of Amir Ghaznavi. This porch that is said «high arch» to the river in the literary sources, which is considered to be the status of the throne of the Sultan. This porch is adapted to a space that has been brought into the body of the palaces of that period by the name of “ Audience Porch « by Baygahi, a journalist of a number of Ghaznavid emperors (Sultan Mahmud and Amir Massoud). The palace was continuously used by Ghaznavid emperors since the middle of the sixth century, when the political office of the Ghaznavid government was shut down by Aladdin Jahansuiz / Ghouri. Subsequently, with extensions such as a bath in the northeast of the palace, the reconstruction of parts of the stage damaged by the fire of Amir Ghori› s war with Bahramshah Ghaznavi Also, the narrowing of the width of some of the ports was useful for the rulers of Ghoria. In the seventh century AH and with the devastating attacks of the Mongols, it was once again fired and abandoned like many Iranian architectural traces forever. The middle palace, which is much smaller than the Southern Palace, is also centered on the north-south river flow. There is no need to argue that the use of the Hirmand River landscape was also the reason for choosing its position near the edge of the 10 meter abyss. The body of this palace is generally made up of two sateges, such as parts of the South Palace. There can be no doubt that the lower satege, with the exception of the eastern axis, was available to the crew and some government officials. The porch of this satege that opens to the garden is where Amir Massouds audience hall. The high stage, which offers a few patterns of nine extraterrestrial dome, has been the residential and private section of Amir Ghaznavi; This section is adapted as «Farvar» in the Persian ceremonial architecture that has been repeatedly published in literary sources. There is a significant diversity in the perspective of the four porches of this stage. The river in the west, Locan plain and the river in the north, the garden and meadow on the east side and again, the Locan Plain and the River Flow in the south are the views of this palace. In this respect, the middle palace, which must be a belvedere as Allen said, is also considered to be significant in Iranian landscape architecture, and with some poetic descriptions of some literary sources it is adapted to the relatively pervasive design of some of the slopes of this period. In general, the body of this palace is part of the extensions that were added after the development of eastern part of garden. It means, the garden area, which was previously developed to the river and the position that belvedere later built and When the middle palace was built, the old palace was replaced by the removal of the western gate of the old four-wall. These events took place before the Ghaznavid period, and Alan considered it during the Samanids (half of the 4th century AD). But, of course, the garden and the surrounding fence should be considered the oldest part of this landscape structure. In any case according to Beyhaqi› s words It was used, during the Ghaznavids period and specifically during the time of Amir Massoud I. Noting this point that the secondary use that seems to have been given from the time of the Samanids to its four-sided garden was preserved and used as a campus or hunting ground; Predators and grazers of the Lacanian plain surrounded by a large number of manpower and probably driven through the gates of the east, south, and north. Amir Ghaznavi was obviously in an enclosed area of more than 10. 5 hectares in its developmental structure and in a special position that could have been the eastern axis of the two stages. There is a small building in the north of this site, which sometimes called Kushk-i-Rudkhaneh. Some of the architectural elements of this building are reasons for belonging it to pre-Ghaznavic period and its overall structure same to the middle palace has two mezzanines. This building has been formed in two periods. At the first time two rooms were built in the northern and eastern sides of a platform which exactly facing to the river. The other parts are belonging to the second period of palace architecture. This relic is considered as residential and private palace. There is no doubt it has been used in Ghaznavic Period same to the middle palace. The results of research showing that contrary to what is associated with simplicity, avoidance of futility and slang of the Islamic first centuries architecture (Khorasani style), but ceremonial architecture has taken an another route. The ceremonial architecture was accompanied by impressive decorations and also found a great place. The decoration of common times platform in the south palace and the mentioned relics in two mezzanine clearly challenge the previous view. Despite the lack of evidence, ceremonial architecture of the first Islamic centuries could have been a continuation of whatever during the pre-Islamic era was widespread.

This article is about value-based foundations of internalizing of geometry in young students of architecture. Training of geometry has long been an important part of architectural education that can be pursued back up to ancient Egypt and Babylon. But in modernity it has passed a radical change from a sacred one to a value-free job. But more precise look will show that this value-free claim has not been of real truth. Here via interpretativehistorical analyze it has been shown that four basic values are historically attached to the geometric facts of architecture that all of them have affected architectural education. The four value-giving areas of human life are the transcendental, the individual, the social and the materialistic ones. Putting emphasize on every of the four as canon of value makes a different type of architectural training system of geometry. In this study five types of geometrical approaches towards architecture upon value structures are introduced: 1. the absolute geometry: this approach refers to mathematical view of geometry and could be traced back to Platonic academy. But in its relationship to architecture the absolute geometry is linked to Aristotle’ s conception of geometry and its Islamic followers such as Avicenna and Farabi where he considered form as a production of the mind upon given information of the object. He sees form of no value-based content or meaning. This aspect of form could be realized in contemporary paradigm of parametric design while it has its counterparts in 19th century model of education of architects i. e. the tradition of polytechnics; 2. Geometry as a mirror of the transcendent: it has been the main stream of geometrical thought in Islamic world as well as some other traditional civilizations. But in the contemporary time it was modern movement that put such a heavy value on form a distinct platonic view of le Corbusier. It has its base in enlightment thinking of Ledoux and Bulee. In the field of education this was crystallized in Bauhaus style where Platonic volumes had their transcendental place as highest reference of creation; 3. Geometry as manifestation of the subject: this trend can be linked to Romantic thought. In Romanticism the hidden part of Kantian self was perceived to be emerged in artistic work of hand. So the hand drawings and sketch found a special attention from artistic architects. This view has been extended into current educational content of architecture. But it has its counterparts in primitive architectural analysis. The homology of body, home and the universe that Eliade among others presented is a semi-subjective theory of geometry for vernacular architecture. Presentation of self via hand sketch has a symbolic use in architectural education today; 4. Geometry as the manifestation of nature of the materiality: it is another product of Aristotle’ s geometric thought that was manifested in his conception of the term of “ form” but in contemporary architecture formalist movement of deconstruction and other critical theories is based on self-referring formal composition of either absolute formal components or synthetic collage. Architectural education of some Avant-grade schools such as AA school of London follows this current of geometric bias; 5. Geometry as united nature of the world: ancient view of Pythagoras about numerical order of the world has been an examplary vision for some traditions of architecture. Molla Sadra’ s theory of existence presents a different unity concept between human and nature. In currnt times some other theories claim this role of geometric order that unites world of subject with nature. Christopher Alexander’ s view in “ Nature of Order” proposes such a vision to geometric value of artifacts that can make them like living beings. In terms of architectural education apart from vernacular tools of cultural transmission could be traced in works of Alexander’ s followers. The second part of the study concentrates on Islamic view in terms of training attitude towards the geometry. This part of study is basically centered on Islamic original context (i. e. the Holy Quran and Ahadith). Two main words are found in this Islamic texts that relate to geometry: 1. “ Ghadr” : it is about measure in material world which has been considered as basic Quranic term in this respect within Islamic theorists of architecture. A notation that is strengthened amongst Shiiets by a verse from Imam Reza that equals the Quranic term with geometry (Hendeseh in Arabic and Persian). But this understanding of his verse is some doubt. Architectural consequences of this interpretation are about type 2 of five above mentioned types of geometry. 2. “ Kail” : this second term which is emphasized by our research as a new approach toward geometrical content of Islamic view in architecture is about deep humane relation with geometrical form. Kail upon its Quranic usage is those measures of materiality that are parallel to individual as well as social measures. This view has its effect on both content and method of geometrical education. Acceptance of Kail as main geometric concept in Islamic geometry has its effect in method and content of architectural education. In method the term replaces individualist motivation with social responsibility toward users and in content the psycho-social spaces which are defined by humane distances in environmental psychology are put in transcendental place of absolute geometry.

The recognition of main urban elements, specially the holy monuments, have had changed a lot in the image of the Islamic city since past to present. Faç ade, height and position of building are some of the ways of making recognition. In each period, some of the buildings with specific activities are recognized. Buildings which was mosque, bazaar, monastery, tomb, bath, reservoir, mounth, school or citadel, now is transformed to political, administrative, commercial or sometimes residential and religious one. It has root in the mind of the governors or the builder of the buildings that which one is more recognized. Among all of urban activities, the recognition of religious buildings is the most disputed one. The aim of this research is the typology of recognition of the main buildings of the city centre, specially the religious ones, in order to be beneficial for the contemporary urban design. This research initially tries to distinguish different types of recognition of special elements in the image of city, with the phenomenological approach from theory to practice. Then it attempts to assess them with theoretical and cultural criteria. According to the consequences, tWo types of encounter with the recognition of urban image can be distinguished. The first type is need – oriented and functionalist which follow emergence and recognition of buildings in plan, much more than image and dosent pay much attention to aesthetic preferences. This type of recognition was more common in the earlier periods of Islamic civilization (Khorasani Style) such as Naeen city centre. In the second type, the emphasis is on the aesthetic recognition of buildings, specially the religious ones. Cities which belong to this type, last two periods of conflicting identities. This evolution reached a balance between these orientations in the safavid period. This research tries to introduce the safavid period as a balanced tendency in consideration of proper recognition of each building and suggest the continuation of its patterns.

Privacy as a human need, is the result of adjustment of the interaction between human environment, which under the influence of current patterns of activity and cultural background, leads to a favorable atmosphere. Adjusting the privacy in Iranian homes is one of the fundamental features of Iranian architecture, which has had a profound effect on the formation of the spatial organization and the physical elements of traditional houses. However, the climatic and cultural diversity of the Iranian geographic region has caused different types of Iranian homes. The similar situation in the marginal cities of the Caspian Sea has caused the development of extroverted architecture. The extraterrestrial architecture of the rural homes of Gilan has provided a distinctly desirable privacy setting, in accordance with the requirements of Islamic belief and indigenous culture. In other words, the privacy setting in these homes is unique in terms of spatial structure and architectural elements and is different from introverted houses in the central regions of Iran. Architectural solutions to these types of homes in the provision of privacy have not yet been studied by researchers. For this reason, this paper outlines and describes the setting of privacy and its mechanisms, and looks at how to realize the desirable privacy in the works of the outsourcing architectural index in the rural homes of Gilan. The study first identified the spatial structure and architectural features of the selected buildings using library resources and field observations. Then, the researchers, through presence in the field of research, have focused on the evidence behind the behavior and reactions of the inhabitants, and tried to reveal the profound meanings of empirical data obtained from interviews and observations. The findings of this research show that adjusting the privacy plays an important role in the formation of spatial structure and architectural elements of extroverted houses. The presence of trees and hedge around the yard somewhat prevents the view of the interior and causes the enclosure of the space and determines the boundaries of the house, farm, and rice fields. Rotating inputs break the view into the building, and as a result, the visual connection to the building is lost. Bө ltө prevents others from entering the house. Also, the stairs in the minor axis cause fractures and reduced visibility when entering the room. Ivan and Kotum and Esbo in the front of the room, causing plenty of space and staging the presence of people at home. Basically, Tallar and Tallar room, which are the guest› s place of stay, are in the seconf floor. Yelka and Jirben, the place of kitchen and the living room are placed in the ground floor or the first half floor. In addition to their core functions, these elements lead to a communication sequence, lack of visual aristocracy, and space contention, and thus the private sphere of the family is preserved.

Islam spread quickly less than half a century on a large scale-from Spain to the borders of China. While, Christianity spread slowly during several centuries. After the spread of Islam in the West of Asia and the evolution of intellectual foundation of the community, the need for creating cities in accordance with Islamic lifestyle through making the least changes to the existing structure, resulted in adopting a new approach like converting churches into mosques in many Muslim cities. This research studies the various aspects of Islamic and Christianity beliefs on the process of converting churches into the mosques. The questions are: How have the formation of spaces in churches and mosques influenced by Islamic and Christian ideological flows? How have the Islamic thoughts embodied in the Christian architecture, during the process of converting churches into the mosques? The hypothesis of this research is: “ the formation of historical process of converting churches into the mosques is because of either existence of parallel aspects in Islamic and Christian theology or flexibility of Islamic thoughts in influencing by aesthetic patterns” . Based on the research questions and to examine the hypothesis, we analyze the process of converting churches into the mosques through using library source and adaptive approach of historicalinterpretive method. Findings indicates that the origins of these monumental buildings is the simple form of a house that later developed to magnificent architectural forms in response to historical events. Due to the idea of collective worship in Islam, more diverse range of religious buildings were created in Islamic era than Christian era. The introduction of Islam to the new cities and its political power influenced the architectural aspects of the cities. In spite of the parallel aspects and common roots of the early churches and mosques, it was probable that churches were used for different purpose, but the process of converting churches into the mosque in the newly Muslim regions shows the compatibility of Islam with the culture, ideology and the main purpose (worship of God) of Christianity.