Culture of Islamic Architecture and Urbanism Journal
Year:2024 | Volume:9 | Issue:2|Papers Count:12

The integration of smart technologies in modern buildings has revolutionized the way buildings are designed, constructed, and operated. However, rapid advancements in smart building technologies have posed complex challenges, particularly in integrating and effectively utilizing these technologies to maximize building efficiency, sustainability, and user comfort. This research aims to enhance understanding of this issue by elucidating the benefits and potential applications of scenario planning as a strategic tool in designing smart buildings. Key questions addressed include: How can scenario planning be used to address the integration challenges of smart technologies? What are the critical drivers influencing smart building design? By employing scenario-based approaches to create more housing using new technologies and improve residential quality of life, this study identifies key drivers: "Legal and Social Framework" and "Technology Acceptance and Integration" through expert consultations and the Intuitive Logic Scenario Planning method. This led to the development of four scenarios: the Coordinated Horizon Scenario, the Disruptive Crossroads Scenario, the Renaissance of Regulations Scenario, and the Resilience and Recession Scenario. After comprehensive scenario development, an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of each scenario was conducted, yielding key insights. Ultimately, based on the results obtained, a comprehensive and coherent approach for innovative strategies in designing smart buildings was presented, encompassing important options such as prioritizing user-centered design principles, supporting regulatory frameworks, embracing continuous learning, adaptability, and agility, promoting social justice and equal opportunities, and enhancing resilience to crises.

In the past, the Iranian-Islamic neighborhood has been the main unit of social relations in cities and has played a unique role in people's lives with numerous positive social functions. However, recently, with the development of the Internet and cyberspace, people's social relationships have gone beyond local boundaries, and the dependence of social relationships on place has decreased. This issue, while changing the social relations of people, can cause difficulties in the realization, progress, and stability of the Iranian-Islamic neighborhood, which is dependent on its social relations and functions. Based on this, the current research aims to analyze the possibility of realizing the social functions of the neighborhood in the Internet era in order to better define, plan and design the spaces of the neighborhood. The method of the current research is qualitative, while analyzing the content of relevant documents, logical reasoning is used to organize information and analyze the issue. The analysis of the research has been conducted in three analytical sections: including the general analysis of the views and results of the studies of scholars and researchers, the analysis using Wellman's theory of network individualism, and the analysis referencing to the historical background and rethinking it. Based on the findings and results obtained, it seems that in the age of the Internet, it is hardly possible to realize the social functions of the Iranian-Islamic neighborhood, which goes beyond the superficial, formal and transitory social relations in local spaces. The most important factor in this matter is the change in living conditions and the strengthening of networked individualism in the age of the Internet, centered on the individual and the their desires, which is in serious conflict with the collectivism existing in traditional Iranian-Islamic neighborhoods and the social functions derived from it.

The external wall of the building has always been discussed and investigated as one of the effective parameters for heat exchange and energy consumption. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the energy consumption and the effect of phase change materials as insulation on the thermal behavior of the external walls of a residential building and determining the optimal melting temperature in the cold climate of Tabriz. To this end, three different melting temperatures of 18, 24 and 28 °C were selected. The research method employed was quantitative with a positivist approach. A five-story residential building in Tabriz was selected because of its availability. Analyzes and simulations were conducted with Grasshopper, Honeybee and Ladybug plugins. The results of the research showed that melting temperatures of 24 and 28 degrees in hot months reduced energy consumption by 31.93 and 20.48%, respectively. The reduction in energy consumption in cold months for melting temperatures of 24 and 28 degrees respectively was equal to 36.08 and 15%. The biggest reduction in energy consumption in all months of the year was related to the southern front. Thus, at a melting temperature of 18°C this decrease was 61.65% and 61.80% in hot and cold months respectively, at a temperature of 24°C it was 65.83% and 74.5% and at a temperature of 28 °C it was 62.53% and 61.94% compared to the base state. Therefore, considering the cold climate of Tabriz, the use of PCM with a melting temperature of 24°C is appropriate and economically viable.

This study investigates the factors impacting academic satisfaction among architecture students at Tabriz Islamic Art University, developing a model that captures the multidimensional nature of this construct. Adopting a descriptive correlational design, the research sampled 170 graduate students using a structured electronic questionnaire consisting of 87 items rated on a five-point Likert scale. Data analysis employed exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to identify and validate key influencing factors. Ten critical factors were identified: personal characteristics, psychological factors, perceptions, emotional intelligence, educational services, non-educational services, environmental psychology, economic and entrepreneurship factors, personal growth, and social culture. Educational services, cultural-social factors, and emotional intelligence were found to be the most significant determinants of academic satisfaction, while economic factors had the least influence. This study highlights the need for deeper understanding academic experiences in architecture and offers practical implications for enhancing educational practices and institutional policies, serving as a vital resource for universities aiming to improve student satisfaction.

Architectural knowledge and knowledge in general, like all human knowledge, relies on certain ontological and epistemological foundations as the main philosophical topics of the new era. The premise of the research is that based on the Basit al-Haqiqah rule of Mulla Sadra simplicity in architecture can establish harmony between the sphere of human life environment (architecture), the sphere of human inner self and Ego (anthropological and self-knowledge sphere) and the sphere of existence and reality (ontological sphere). The aim of the research is to rely on the aforementioned rule, to open and better clarify the ontological and unitary view of the phenomenon of architectural knowledge and the relationship between "truth" and "objects" in contemporary architecture.

Architecture, with the goal of enhancing residents' living environments, pays special attention to improving the quality of residential spaces. A correct understanding of the satisfaction approach in residential environments requires an understanding of the nature of the satisfaction assessment process as an objective-subjective approach and the factors that influence it. The purpose of the present research is to identify the effects of the effective components in the satisfaction assessment process based on objective components (residents' experiences of physical changes in the environment) and subjective components (residents' emotional reactions to changes) within a conceptual framework. This research employs a qualitative approach that, while studying library documents and analyzing their content, has benefited from semi-structured interviews with environmental psychology experts and has explained the effective components in the satisfaction assessment process, their effects, and the relationship between these components within the framework of the satisfaction assessment process. The results of the research indicate that the residential satisfaction assessment process is based on residents' experience of physical changes and their emotional reactions to these changes, considering individual characteristics and differences. Residents' physical experience is derived from the components of environmental capability, self-extension, and the importance of the living environment, which initially form residents' mental frameworks. Residents' emotional reactions to changes in the environment create new mental anchor points and adaptation to new conditions in residents, which ultimately change residents' behavior in the environment and lead to their satisfaction with the residential environment.

This article investigates and analyzes the method of studying Islamic architecture in the context of historiographical developments of the 20th century as presented by Oleg Grabar and Robert Hillenbrand, aims to answer the question of which factors caused the difference in their approaches to of studying Islamic architecture and, what the results of this divergence of opinion have been? This research, which was carried out using a historical-analytical method, examines the historiography of Islamic architecture in the works of Grabar and Hillenbrand based on their most significant written contributions. The findings revealthat the different attitudes of Grabar and Hillenbrand towards Islam and Islamic culture influenced by the educational environment and the scientific-cultural trajectory of the West during the 20th century resulted in receiving two different views of the word Islamic in architecture and consequently led to the application of two different methodologies in their studies.

Architecture and, more broadly, the surrounding environment of humans, are among the factors that play a significant role in shaping and altering the lifestyle of people in society. Due to the importance of this topic, numerous studies have emerged in this field, each addressing their specific issues from different perspectives. The main objective of this research is to determine how architecture, considering the body of research conducted, affects the lifestyle of the Iranian people. The primary aim of this study is to provide lawmakers with a clear and comprehensive understanding of national issues in order to solve major strategic problems in this domain. The statistical population of this research encompasses all studies conducted on the relationship between architecture and lifestyle over the past decade (2014-2023) in Iran. The research approach is qualitative, and the method is descriptive-meta-analysis. According to the findings of this study, the most significant impacts of architecture on the lifestyle of the Iranian people are, in order, on the socio-cultural, individual-biological, and economic dimensions. Architecture, with its unique characteristics, particularly in the field of spatial relations, the function of micro-spaces, physical attributes, and elements and components, can facilitate the formation of a specific type of lifestyle. In the socio-cultural dimension, architecture has the greatest impact on social interactions, religiosity, and consumption. In the individual-biological dimension, architecture most significantly influences leisure time, daily activities, nutrition, and family structure. In the economic dimension of lifestyles, architecture has the greatest impact on livelihood, employment, and income generation.

Iran's valuable structures and textures have long been relegated to mental oblivion and often left abandoned. The interaction between the "new" and the "old" under the guise of infill designs will be able to restore the continuity of physical form and function through new structures integrated with historical ones within the valuable old texture. The present research takes a step towards identifying appropriate design patterns on the scale of infill buildings in the ancient texture of City of Rasht and, in another step, seeks to establish essential physical and effective criteria in designing infill buildings along the current texture. Elucidating different types of infill models, the present research qualitatively used analytical and descriptive methods in its stages and juxtaposed the collected theoretical foundations with "basic concepts in architecture” in a creative manner to draw a comprehensive diagram of effective physical criteria and sub-criteria in infill designs. Additionally, it benefited from the opinions of experts familiar with the subject and investigated the most effective models using the Analytic Hierarchy Process and the most efficient and inefficient infill patterns using the TOPSISAlgorithm in city of Rasht. A diagram consisting of 4 main criteria, namely "form", "response to texture", "space," and "scale," along with 15 sub-criteria and 31 detailed criteria, which were effective in infill designs, was drawn according to the comparison of documents and theoretical foundations of infill designs with basic concepts in architecture. According to the expert survey, the "Integration" design model was considered the most effective design method in the texture of city of Rasht, and meeting the physical criteria of "response to texture" and "space" was the most effective infill criterion

In the field of architectural history studies, if we aim to move beyond structural studies and start to investigate architecture in connection with social life, certain concepts from the social sciences that also apply to historical societies can serve as useful tools for our understanding and interpretation. The aim of this article is to explore one of these concepts, the concept of resilience, which has recently garnered attention from researchers in various fields of the humanities and is utilized for interpreting and explaining how human societies behave during times of crisis. This concept can also be highly relevant in understanding architectural developments in precarious periods. The question is, if we want to employ the theory of resilience in architecture studies, what topics should we investigate? The historical example chosen for this article is Isfahan during the 9th/15th century, which was one of the most challenging periods for the city. However, Isfahan, with the help of certain factors, managed to be resilient and regained its prosperity. During this century, only a few public structures were built in the city, but it seems that the functions of these structures can be studied in the context of the city's overall resilience. Investigations show that the new constructions and the interconnected human network, both played a role as social, financial and physical assets in enhancing the city's resilience; and with simultaneous material and spiritual support from various segments of society, they contributed to overcoming the crisis period.

People's happiness demands are different according to their age. Children are the link between past and future generations of societies and they should be prioritized in meeting their needs and desires. Today, children's happiness has become an interdisciplinary topic and various researches have been carried out at the world level. Therefore, the main purpose of this research is to evaluate studies and prioritize the components of children's happiness for the principles of architectural design. This applied research with a Systematic Review technique to review sources and analyze and analyze quantitative data with VOSviewer software and qualitative data with MAXQDA software, eighteen articles selected from the external database Scopus and internal Magiran in order to respond to The main research question, "What are the most important components of children's happiness in the process of architectural design?" has been answered. The scientometric analysis shows that the relationship between countries, journals and researchers in this field is weak and there is a time gap. In the content analysis with an inductive approach, the components were proposed in four physical, cultural-social, functional and climatic dimensions.

The partially demolished brick muqarnas in the Jameh Mosque of Saveh was reconstructed in the 1990s by rebuilding eight rows, known as Qatār. The historical depictions of the remaining rows of this demolished muqarnas suggest that the reconstructed components have been implemented at varying heights compared to their original configurations. There is, however, the lack of historical documents and images that can portray its original form. The oldest available images, under Madame Dieulafoy’s patronage, date back to the Qajar period and only depict the demolished form of this structure. Also, due to the lack of prior research into its original form, the present study attempts to achieve the original form of this muqarnas in the best possible manner. Data was obtained through surveying the plan of muqarnas via a close-range photogrammetric technique. Furthermore, data analysis was performed based on the theoretical practice geometry and planar geometry associations. Considering the height of the remaining rows and the type of the semi-dome arch, the number of rows was identified, which was 5. The typology of the filling elements in the penultimate row plan in the muqarnas of the statistical population, along with frequent arrangements of the plan elements and specific boundaries employed by traditional craftsmen for the length of curved elements in the muqarnas components led to four propositions regarding the plan of this muqarnas.