IRANIAN ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM
Year:2020 | Volume:11 | Issue:19|Papers Count:14

Light, as the most pervasive natural element, plays an important role in an individual’ s experience of space. The important place of this phenomenon in various sciences, religions, philosophies, and, above all, its role in perceiving the visual, and environmental effects of architectural spaces is significant. The presence of light and aesthetic perception of space in magnificent Iranian architectural spaces reflect the knowledge and skills of their architects in the use of light. In fact, the wise use of light is one of the significant characteristics of Iranian historical architectural spaces. In addition to providing lighting, in traditional Persian architecture, the use of daylight has met the climatic, physical, psychological, and aesthetic needs. In this regard, Iranian architects have been successful in creative use of light in interior spaces. Various combinations of light entrances confirm this claim. The present study attempts to examine the qualitative and quantitative role of light in a certain type of Safavid architecture, i. e. Rasteh and Charsooq of the Grand (Qeysarriyeh) Bazaar of Isfahan by scrutinizing the relationship of light and its origins with its functional purposes. The Grand Bazaar is an example of a certain type of architecture that stimulates human senses through its spatial arrangement and architectural components. It is comprised of massive arches that provoke the imagination by a sequence of lights and shadows in curved hallways, and create a kind of expectation in people dragging them to the bazaar intersection rich in light entered from the dome aperture. The present study aims at investigating the quantity and quality of daylight, and different functions of light in apertures according to the behavior and use of daylight in a public-commercial space where using different types of apertures is limited due to the specific functions. Part of this study is performed using a descriptive-analytical method and another part is conducted through software analysis in which natural light is simulated in specific dates and at given times throughout a year. Therefore, the quantitative indicators of daylight are assessed using Honeybee and Ladybug plugins, and Radiance engine. Proper lighting quality means a state in which efficiency, legibility, and optimal energy consumption are enhanced and the space attractiveness and youthfulness, as well as residents’ wellbeing is improved. First, to achieve a constant pattern to simulate the changes of daylight in a building, the software was programmed for two specific days of the year when the sun is at its highest and lowest altitudes; i. e. June 21 and December 21. To analyze the pattern of changes in daylight, simulations are performed at three times of the day, including 9 a. m., 12 p. m., and 3 p. m. Evaluation of daylight can be studied in two types of static and dynamic characteristics. Since the quantity and quality of daylight vary at each moment, there are limitations for static evaluations, and today, the dynamic simulation is more widely used by users. Therefore, the Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI100-2000) unit, which is one of the dynamic indicators, was considered a good option. This indicator shows how long the natural light in the building is useful during occupancy hours (between 100 and 2000 lux). Results show that there is a specific pattern for using and keeping the daylight in space. The combination of walls and ceiling apertures helps to provide suitable lighting during the working hours in Rasteh of the Grand (Qeysarriyeh) Bazaar in Isfahan throughout the year and during all seasons. As a result, the share of daylight intervals throughout the year are almost constant, and no significant difference is observed in the share of daylight received with the change in season. Also, the amount of daylight received in more than 70% of Rasteh area during 50% of the working hours is between 100 and 2000 lux, indicating a good level of natural lighting in space. The Grand Bazaar is one of the places where the concept of time is perceived. Lighting analyses show that the rhythm and the angle of sunrays along the paths is the most important factor for guiding people who are not visually connected to the outside to understand the time and space direction. Despite the limitations that the Grand Bazaar and its specific functions face in applying various types of light apertures, the results of this study show that the designers have considered the light quantity and quality of bazaar since the early stages of design and they have purposefully and practically designed and programmed the use of natural light in the Grand (Qeysarriyeh) Bazaar. The ideas used in this building can be modernized and architects can use them in designing public spaces.

Urban neighborhoods used to be an essential part of the social, economic, and physical fabric of traditional Iranian cities. Strong ties, a sense of belonging, and cooperation among inhabitants had established an informal welfare system that has limited the intervention of authorities in neighborhoods’ affairs. The formation of the central government and rapid urbanization in the last century has changed the nature of urban neighborhoods from social and administrative units to mere physical urban blocks. At the same time, the application of modern planning tools such as zoning, land-use adjustment, and neighborhood-unit concepts have established homogenous physical neighborhoods with little attention to social issues. A brief analysis of today’ s urban issues reveals that the traditional concept of ‘ neighborhood’ has little place in the planning and management of cities. Demographic shifts, gentrification, and constant alteration of land-uses in contemporary neighborhoods have reduced the sense of belonging to a local community, and therefore have diminished social cohesion with the city. As a response to the current problems, in the past two decades, a shift in planning paradigms along with social and economic changes at the global level has transferred the focus of planning from macro scale to local scale of communities. Formation of various discourses such as neighborhood development, neighborhood planning, sustainable neighborhood-based development, urban village, etc. … accentuates the importance of local communities in urban planning and management, on the one hand, and emphasizes the need to revive the value of traditional communities on the other hand. Therefore, this study aims to revive and redefine social and administrative features of traditional neighborhoods in planning contemporary Iranian cities according to the following steps: first, this study analyzes the main social and administrative components of neighborhoods in traditional Iranian cities. Then, the main components of the neighborhood-based planning approach are derived to make a comparison between the former and the latter issues. Finally, this study provides strategies for the social-administrative regeneration of neighborhoods in contemporary Iranian cities. Due to its analytical and comparative nature, this research uses bibliographical documents to define the main components of the neighborhood-based planning approach. Then the social and administrative nature of neighborhoods in traditional and contemporary cities of Iran is analyzed and the main components and indicators are derived from library resources and deep discussion with experts. To make a comparison, a group of experts and specialists in urban issues were asked to compare the social-administrative components of traditional Iranian neighborhoods with the components derived from the neighborhood-based planning approach. The comparison highlights both supportive and deterrent factors in the realization of a neighborhood-based approach in the planning of contemporary Iranian cities. The data analysis displays the fact that many principles of neighborhood-based approach were used to be practiced regularly in traditional neighborhoods of Iranian cities. However, according to experts, some features of traditional neighborhoods such as patriarchy, hierarchical social structure, segregation of ethnic and religious groups, and restrictions on the presence of women in public spheres, are not compatible with the ideals of the neighborhood-based approach. On the other side, some features of contemporary Iranian neighborhoods, such as neighborhood councils, community-based organizations, and ethnoreligious inclusiveness are considered supportive factors in realization of a neighborhood-based approach. The result of this study also highlights two important issues: first, the social and administrative features of traditional Iranian neighborhoods are quite consistent with the components of neighborhood-based approach (however the existence of some deterrent factors are undeniable); second, redefinition and application of the neighborhood-based approach in contemporary Iranian cities establishes a good opportunity to solve urban challenges and urban management issues especially in large metropolises. The findings suggest that although social and administrative regeneration of traditional neighborhoods is associated with many challenges, the use of new planning tools, such as the neighborhood-based approach, can provide the necessary social, cultural, and administrative bases for realization of neighborhoods with a strong sense of identity and belonging. Since this study does not cover a specific statistical population, its results cannot be generalized to all cities in Iran. Future research can adopt a case study approach and define a statistical population to apply the issues raised in this study. However, the suggested strategies in this article can provide guidelines for policymakers and urban planners to provide processes to establish autonomous, self-sufficient, and selfsupportive neighborhoods in contemporary Iranian cities.

The creation of understandable and readable urban space is very important. In fact, humans interact with the environment when the received message from the environment is recognized in their Semiosphere. This indicates that paying attention to cultural meanings of environmental design is essential. Accordingly, this research aims to develop the production process of such a space, based on the linguistic paradigm. Despite the importance of this issue, there has been a decline of meaning in the modern era. Therefore, theorists criticize the modernist approach and try to find different solutions to this problem. Thus, in the transition from modern theory to postmodern theories, a wide range of theoretical paradigms have been recognized that are classified in the categories of phenomenology, linguistic theory (including semiotics, structuralism, post-structuralism, deconstructionism), Marxism, and feminism. Among these paradigms, linguistics has been developed in relation to the category of meaning. In fact, the revival of thought in the form of linguistic paradigms changed the postmodern cultural criticism. Meanwhile, semiotics, structuralism, and poststructuralism have been effective in the re-development of many disciplines, especially critical actions. These paradigms have once again focused simultaneously on meaning and symbolism in architecture and urban planning. This paper aims to develop the step-by-step process of designing readable urban spaces and identify the factors influencing the creation of such spaces based on linguistic theory. This paradigm was selected due to its ability to solve the problems caused by the perdition of meaning in the field of architecture and urban planning. In this paper, translation studies have been used as a knowledge related to the selected paradigm. In fact, this paper aims to achieve the ultimate goal of the research by using, scrutinizing and understanding the theories proposed in translation studies. The present study is an analytical study according to its purpose. This study uses the meta-theoretical approach as a type of Meta-Study approach. Therefore, historical and comparative methods are used in scrutinizing the theories proposed in translation studies. Having carefully examined the theories proposed in the field of translation studies, the authors have described the process of creating readable spaces according to the research purpose and problem. Meanwhile, the inefficiency of the traditional translation theories has been studied in creation of readable urban spaces. Eventually, the reasons for using modern translation theory and the application of this process have been explained using logical reasoning. The results of the meta-theoretical analysis show that the modern theory of translation and the cultural translation approach that leads to communicative translation is a desirable approach in producing a cultural text in the city. Finally, the process of creating readable urban spaces have been developed by adapting the modern theory of translation to the process of designing meaningful urban spaces. Accordingly, the urban designers should identify the metalinguistic realm of space and the city, and analyze the source of the language. Having applied the filter of culture and the discourses of power and ideology, the designers should identify the hidden and understandable signs and meanings of space and translate them in a process-oriented way. In other words, the cultural translation model is used as an optimal model for creating readable urban spaces. Thus, that the signs in the source text (from Lotman's point of view) represent the cultural identities. This means that the cultural text is produced in the semiosphere. In fact, semiosphere is a center in which texts are produced, and out of which chaos and disorder threaten the inside of the semiosphere. This issue is also important in the target text; meaning that the consideration of signs in the source text in the translation process should pass the filter of culture in the target text for producing a cultural text. Accordingly, in this process, the urban designer should use the signs in the semiosphere to provoke the continuity of meaning and create a cultural text. Otherwise, the produced text will have non-cultural and non-encrypted meanings for the users. There are semiospheres of other cultures within the semiosphere of any culture that interact and communicate with each other. This means that in the process of intercultural communication, some of the signs and meanings outside of the culture may be accepted.

Introduction: Providing clean and fresh air for students in the classroom is of paramount importance, especially in hot seasons. Based on research findings and evidences, mechanical air conditioning systems are not only expensive, but also consume a lot of energy and produce noise. In sultry conditions of Mazandaran province, this issue is more accentuated since the schools are cooled by evaporative air coolers, while it is possible to use the natural ventilation in a better share of the year, and the schools are closed in warm seasons. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to offer a practical solution that can be architecturally applied to the classrooms to improve the indoor airflow by inducing outdoor ventilation (natural ventilation), and provide a desirable and controllable indoor airflow according to the ASHRAE standard. In most Iranian schools, evaporative air coolers are used in hot seasons to reduce the high costs of air conditioning systems. Observations suggest that evaporative air coolers are also used in hot and humid climate near the Caspian Sea, resulting discomfort, particularly with high levels of humidity. In such cases, the evaporative air coolers are turned off and the windows are opened. Mostly, the induced indoor airflow is not effective, or a high flow of air enters the classroom in these situations. Problem statement: Achieving comfort at schools in sultry conditions in hot and humid weather of northern Iran is challenging, and thus it is necessary to establish an effective air conditioning system in the classrooms. Moreover, natural ventilation is the best solution in these conditions according to the climatic and economic reasons. Natural ventilation should consistently induce airflow in all parts of the classroom at a reasonable velocity. Hence, this research investigates the criteria for designing classrooms in the climate of Amol, considering the position and the general configuration of the openings in the classrooms, and the direction of the prevailing wind to induce a controlled level of natural ventilation in all parts of the classroom. The main purpose of this article is to address these issues. Research methodology: According to the literature, the present study is interdisciplinary in nature, and uses a combination of methods. The position of the openings and the composition of classrooms were examined as the independent variables, while the status of the indoor airflow was considered as the dependent variable in this research. The airflow velocity and direction were measured by precise digital devices during the test periods. The statistical population selected in this study includes all schools of Amol while a random case study was selected for further experimental tests. In the next step, a simulation method was used to analyze the data for evaluating the architectural interventions. Simulations were performed by computational fluid dynamics method: The Gambit pre-processor was used for geometric modeling and grid generation, and Fluent Software was used to analyze the grid. In this study, the k-ε standard model was used to simulate airflow. Thus, this research uses a combination of methodologies including experimentation, simulations and case study. Results: After examining different tests, an optimal situation was selected according to the following criteria:  Increased velocity of the indoor airflow in classrooms which (1) is not disturbing and, (2) provides a consistent airflow for all of the students at all spots of the classroom.  Eliminated vortices in indoor airflow.  Modified airflow direction.  Properly directed outdoor airflow into the indoor space and an induced desirable airflow. According to the interventions made in this study, it was determined that both windows must act as air inlets to establish effective airflow in the classroom. The inlet air pressure to both windows must be approximately the same, and the outlet air flow from both windows must be approximately equal as well. This happens when the building facade and the exterior windows have a stepped configuration, and consequently the outdoor airflow can enter both windows equally. If there is no proper outlet considered for the air entering the classroom, the indoor air flow will be very turbulent. Therefore, devising an appropriate outlet based on the inlet airflow rate can balance the indoor air flow. According to the simulations, an outlet for the indoor air flow should be made within the wall facing the wind. In other words, if the wind is blowing from the west to the east, the indoor air outlet must be projected on the west wall of the classroom. In this case, the exit door should also be devised in the southwest corner of the classroom. Some air outlets can be created (in the western wall) that act as a fan, a suction pipe, or an air outlet opening in the wall facing the wind, so that the air exits through the pipes in the wall. The suction rate of the western wall can regulate the internal air flow. Moreover, if the wind velocity is too high in the outdoor, the suction devices are turned off or slowed-down, and if the wind velocity is low, the suction devices can discharge more air. In this case, the shape of the indoor air flow is optimized and adjusted.

Statement of Problem: The urban landscape of Zahedan is a multi-layered text in which different human, natural, and artificial layers are placed next to each other according to paradigmatic/ syntagmatic principles. Using a rhizomatic communication process and applying the negotiation and intra-code translation tool, these layers have created a meaningful complex. Due to their dialectical relationship with the development process, they have also obtained new identity characteristics, capabilities, and capacities in line with the previous paradigm since their emergence, regarding the changes resulted from the development and progress. But in the recent decades, due to the absence of negotiating and appropriate communicating with the city’ s traditional codes, the development process as an “ other” has disrupted its rhizomatic behavior and created a gap in the city’ s coherent network. In this paradigm shift, today, the residents of Zahedan city are faced with a chaotic narrative and have relatively lost their sense of belonging and affiliation to the city. Research method: The present study aims to present a solution to identify the urban landscape of Zahedan city during Pahlavi period. This is made possible by retrieval and reading of identification signs hidden in the city layers, using layered semiotics and generation method. Layered semiotics implies that the text of a city is gradually formed by encoding/decoding of the codes that are common in a group of humans, and become understandable in the same way. Results: The human layer in the urban landscape of Zahedan has emerged in the city fabric through the convergence of values, worldviews, and socio-cultural foundations that have been present since the formation of the initial city core up to date. The presence of different ethnicities and nationalities such as Sistani, Baluch, Birjandi, Kermani, Yazdi, Afghan, Pakistani, and Indian, each having different beliefs, religions and paradigms, has given a unique feature to the city. Various individuals of different nationalities in Zahedan city come from a context composed of other contexts in itself. Thereby, in the context of Zahedan city, we are in a fluid and dynamic network of habits that are rhizomatically interconnected and have formed a complex called Zahedan urban landscape. The artificial layer is a combination of different contexts derived from the diversity of human layer contexts. This means that the form of constructed buildings, type of materials, construction techniques, the use or loss of decorations and colors, spatial layout of public and residential spaces, and other factors in the urban landscape of Zahedan city during the First Pahlavi period result from at least three major contexts: 1) The “ so-called modern” architecture and common way of thinking during the First Pahlavi period and during Reza Shah reforms; 2) The traditional architecture in desert areas of Iran adopted by people of Yazd and Kerman, observed in the city’ s significant and prominent buildings; and 3) Vernacular architecture adopted by other residents including Baluch and Sistani, which is also derived from the cultures and subcultures of these people’ s primary habitat. The people representing a context have an influence on the city, regarding their status and authority. Conclusion: Considering the connection of rhizomes and the link between the codes existing at their connection points, changes occur in urban landscapes where some signs are found, changed, or demolished. The only solution for the survived signs is to maintain them in their status quo. In case the signs are deteriorated and completely disappeared, it is better to be recreate (reconstruct) or regenerate them by infill development, as long as the originality and ancient identity are not impaired. In this way, a new sign can act as a symbol of an old sign in the past times and be reminiscent of something lost/eliminated over time. There are also various solutions for dealing with corrupted or changed signs: if the sign changes are in line with the contemporary currents and discourses and at the same time adhere to the old signs and features of the original urban cultural landscape fabric, the signs can be conserved in the same state; and if the sign changes distort the meaning of the place or destroy its identity, the changed sign can be re-modified by another change in the existing discourse. In other words, a new discourse in line with the urban identity and at the same time in accordance to contemporary requirements can be created in latter case. In this way, the conservationist seeks to expand the frameworks through criticizing, translating, measuring the frameworks, and dealing with the “ other” , thereby reproducing the distorted meaning by creating a link between the existing codes at different times; an intervention that can be resumed in the present time and changed over time. However, it is not aimed at reproducing or imitating the pre-existing patterns and signs; because, repeating the signs without linking them to their history, breaks the urban spatialtemporal integrity and undermines the concept of authenticity. Rather, it is meant to create a balanced relationship between the urban network and the changes that occurred due to the developments of these areas. So, the created change can conserve its meaning. In this way, the city regains its legibility through signs, regenerates its lost identity, simplifies its meaning and restores its identity easily.

Regarding the substantial increase of energy consumption in the building sector, it is necessary to consider construction characteristics in the policymaking processes in order to improve the building energy efficiency. Basically, it is infeasible to improve the energy efficiency of the building industry based on the energy characteristics of individual buildings. Political strategies are developed based on the study of building typologies following the climatic conditions of each region. There are limited studies on the types of residential buildings, most of which emphasize on architectural concepts and building formation. Lack of research in the field of housing typology in Iran highlights the necessity to develop an approach toward energy-efficient residential buildings. This study aims to recognize the typologies of residential buildings, focusing on the parameters affecting energy consumption, in Babolsar City, which is selected as a city representative of the humid and mild climate in North of Iran. This paper also tries to evaluate and improve the thermal performances of the recognized typologies based on the Iranian National Building Code (Part 19: Energy Efficiency). The methodology is completed into four main sections: 1) Reviewing the literature in order to identify and select the criteria for developing residential building typologies 2) Conducting a survey on a number of residential samples based on the statistics and distribution of residential buildings in Babolsar city 3) Classifying buildings and presenting plan typologies based on statistical and pictorial analyses 4) Investigating the heat transfer coefficient of the recognized typologies and introducing the optimal patterns according to the Iranian National Building Code (Part 19: Energy Efficiency). Using a descriptive-analytical strategy, this research is based on statistical methods of quantitative analysis and simplifies residential building plan concepts. The data are collected on the field by investigating 384 residential buildings constructed in a period between 1963 and 2016 in Babolsr City. Each sample is scrutinized by completing a questionnaire. The questionnaires are created in two parts: 1-the building general information including, the architectural type (apartment or villa), the age of the building, the number of families, the neighborhood type, the building gross area, the number of bedrooms and building type (flat/apartment, attached/ semi-attached); and 2. the construction details including, the physical parameters of the building such as materials, windows/glazing type, overhang size, thermal insulation, indoor space height, area of external surfaces / controlled / uncontrolled spaces, heating and cooling system, and building envelope details. In other words, all required information and parameters affecting the building energy consumption are included. The residential building samples are classified into ten categories based on the number of families, building type, and neighborhood unit. Typologies are divided into two groups of “ villa” and “ apartment” housing. Each group has four subsets numbered as A, B, C, and D which differs in terms of total plan area and the position of conditioned/ unconditioned zones. In order to determine a typical plan for each category, all possible plan concepts for each group were designed and codified. Then, the plans of all 384 samples were simplified and codified and categorized in their relevant groups. Finally, a group of higher frequency was chosen as the group representing the typical plan. The eight recognized typologies of this research can be used as reference in any research on housing for evaluating and predicting thermal performance, cost, and energy analysis. The analysis of the thermal performance of the building typologies demonstrated that none of the typologies comply with the Iranian National Building Code (Part 19), in terms of conformity with heat transfer coefficient. Adding a 5-cm thermal insulation, with a heat transfer coefficient of λ = 0. 041, to the external wall, and also replacing windows with double-glazed ones are necessary to improve their energy efficiency and achieve the minimum requirement of the building code. The results of this study can be used as a basis for further investigations on energyefficient building design, in order to improve the thermal performance of buildings rather than developing a regional energy efficiency building code for building construction in the mild climate in north of Iran. The presented typologies can be used as a reference for energy auditing, retrofit actions, and refurbishment measurements, and for quantifying the energy-saving potentials of existing buildings. They can be applied to the existing buildings stock to increase energy performance by considering the optimal tradeoff between policymaking and cost. The results are also important for developing and modifying regulations. Further studies are required to make the result of this study applicable to other climatic regions in Iran.

The advent of the Industrial Revolution, the rising standard of living, the invention of automobile, and advanced transportation technology, have led the cities to overgrow in the post-world war era, causing environmental problems, pollution, traffic, poverty, etc. Hence, to fairly distribute urban services and provide others with housing units, the construction of public complexes and residential settlements for the labor force was taken into account, especially for those migrating from other places to industrial cities seeking for a job. Regarding the time and budget constraints, these programs provide a large number of low-cost housing units as shelters for millions of households, often leading to low-quality, unstable, and even unhealthy buildings. In some cities such as Abadan, constructing residential centers and new communities that meet the needs of immigrant workers was quite essential due to the establishment of the refinery which functioned as an industrial hub attracting the population to the heart of the city and changing people's lifestyle. These residential areas were designed to accommodate the workforce according to their nationalities, ethnic characteristics and occupational social class. They were devised to provide an ideal place for people to spend their leisure time and simultaneously enjoy educational, medical, sports, and other facilities. Social sustainability is an aspect of sustainability, which is unachievable if the elements of social capital are ignored. Therefore, it is essential to recognize and compare the existing examples to determine whether the elements of social capital have been realized. This article seeks to make a comparative evaluation of the elements of social capital in Braim and Bawarda residential areas in Ababan. In addition, a comparative study will be performed on the elements of social capital in these two thriving neighborhoods to further scrutinize the barriers of achieving social sustainability through the realization of social capital. This research is aimed at making the decisionmakers aware of the feedback resulted from constructing new residential settlements. Carrying out a comparative study on the realization of the elements of social capital in the two residential neighborhoods of Braim and Bawarda in Abadan, this paper tries to answer the following question: "What are the similarities and differences of Braim and Bawarda neighborhoods in Abadan in terms of realized social capital elements? " This research is a descriptive study and in terms of field studies, it uses a "survey method" based on observations and questionnaires as data collection tools. The data in this research is analyzed in the form of an applied study. The desired physical structure in a public residential settlement seems to be impotent for realizing social sustainability goals regardless of the social stratification and the creation of participatory networks. Social capital is considered as a social capacity that improves and promotes interpersonal interactions in a society and its institutions. In addition to material resources, each social network depends on factors such as trust, participation, and social cohesion, which might hinder social development and sustainability if the elements of social capital are not realized. The findings of this study indicate that only the variable of "sense of social belonging" in Braim neighborhood is considered desirable, while other variables of social capital are not considered desirable. Moreover, the variables of "sense of social belonging" and "institutional trust" are regarded as desirable in Bawarda neighborhood, while other variables of social capital are regarded as undesirable. Adopting the neighborhood unit approach and dividing each neighborhood into manageable and law-abiding cores will allow for more effective use of urban services. Since both regions have similar physical structures, the "sense of social belonging" is desirable in both neighborhoods. The research findings also acknowledge that Bawarda neighborhood is better off than Braim area in terms of three variables, "interpersonal trust, " "institutional trust, " and "sense of social belonging, " with no significant difference between variables in the two neighborhoods. Since Bawarda residents are lower-ranking employees with different lifestyles, beliefs, and family experiences than Braim residents, the elements of interpersonal trust, institutional trust, and sense of social belonging are more desirable than that of Braim. Multiple researches have been conducted on social capital so far. Research on the assessment of social capital in cities and neighborhoods often confirms the existence of physical defects in the design of residential settlements and the shortage of public services, green space, and lack of public gathering centers. No comparative evaluation has been carried out on the elements of social capital in two neighborhoods with successful physical characteristics. Moreover, wrong housing allocation policies have failed to be identified as one of the factors influencing active presence of residents and reduced civic participation. This research can be expanded to examine the extent to which the separation of social stratification in residential settlements is effective in realizing the elements of social capital.

Introduction: Change is an undeniable part of life. Change is always needed in people’ s lives, and this has become more essential in this era due to the complexity and diversity of lifestyles. Apart from rapid social, economic, and technological advances, the need to increase adaptability and flexibility has become one of the most important issues in residential design. Considering the ecological factors, this issue is so important that, according to Schneider and Till, sustainable development can be achieved through a flexible design (Schneider & Till, 2007: 50). Given the characteristics of the contemporary era and the successive changes to the lifestyle in Iran, it seems that flexibility must be one of the priorities for residential building designers. Factors involved in the design of flexible housing are numerous and intertwined, and their appropriate consideration can lead to a proper design. These factors include structures, the layout of the wet areas, access space, and appropriate space dimensions (Albostan, 2009: 28-34, Friedman, 2004: 92). According to the above issues, wet areas are chosen as the main focus of this study in order to better understand the formation of flexible residential buildings (considering the location of wet areas) and also to take steps to facilitate the design process for residential building designers. In this regard, this study aims to identify the most common layouts of wet areas in flexible residential buildings and makes a comparative study based on different approaches to flexibility. Research method: The present study is an applied, descriptive, and analytical research. Obviously, a typology for wet area must be provided after understanding the typology of flexible residential buildings. Thereby, an appropriate process can be followed in the layout of the wet areas based on the designer’ s approach to the plan flexibility. Using a library research method, this paper scrutinizes and identifies the common approaches to flexible residential building. Regarding the importance of flexible design in residential complexes, when several adjacent units are designed, two approaches can be adopted in two levels of intra-unit and inter-unit. At the intra-unit level, the layout of the wet areas within a residential unit as well as the relationship between the wet area and the adjacent spaces are studied. At the inter-unit level, the location of the wet area in the layout of several adjacent residential units are studied. Flexible residential plans are then collected by library research and, based on the flexibility approaches, the location of the wet areas in the plan are studied. After collection, description, and qualitative study of residential plans, the most widely used wet area layout of residential plans are specified and the layout of the wet areas in flexible residential buildings are identified in the form of three main patterns. Next, these three patterns and their subsets were analyzed more accurately by selecting about forty plans. The criteria for choosing the plans were the success of the projects, the variety in the plan form, and access to high-quality visual documents of the project. Also, for consistency reasons, exceptional patterns that had been rarely used were not included in this study. In the last step, unlike the previous steps, a comparative study was conducted. It is worth mentioning that in this research, technological issues were avoided and more attention was paid to architectural design, i. e. spatial organization. Conclusion: Consequently, it can be concluded that one of the most important features of all flexible residential projects is merging of wet areas. This can occur in various ways mentioned in the article. Regardless of the types of approach to flexibility, it seems that the whole plan can be divided to separate areas or free areas. In both cases, the layout of the wet areas plays an essential role in configuration of the design in the early stages. Thus, it can be concluded that in most layouts, the plan should be divided into two separate or free parts. Eventually, the design process can be made much easier by recognizing and selecting common patterns to devise wet areas in flexible plans. One of the advantages of dividing the plan into free spaces is that the wet areas are placed in the peripheral spaces and other spaces are therefore completely free of many changes in the plan. In this way, the dry spaces can be easily placed in different places without overlapping wet areas. In contrast, when the dry and wet areas are separated, the wet areas reduce the number of hypothetical alternatives of spatial layout and simplify the design while providing a relative control of space.

The Building Information Modeling (BIM) system is one of the most important breakthroughs in the construction industry of the current era, and has the potential to transform traditional architectural education into a more productive model. The construction industry is considered to be one of the largest industries in the world, playing a major role in the development of countries around the globe. In fact, the impact of this industry is such that its recession can cause a recession in the whole economy of any country, while its prosperity can pave the way for prosperity of the whole economy of the country. Today, with the development of science and technology, the construction industry is facing new avenues, bringing about major changes therein, one of which is the BIM system. Consequently, with the development of technology in this field, higher education, which always seeks to keep pace with the industry, has confronted the challenge of accepting modern technologies and thus shapes more effective educational strategies. Although Building Information Modeling and its training courses are among the most important and sought-after subjects in recent research literature in the world by leading countries, this new modeling, and especially its training, has been widely neglected in Iran. The purpose of this study is to propose a conceptual framework for getting familiarized with the exploitation of building information modeling system in teaching Iranian architecture. In terms of purpose, this study is an applied research which employs a mixed approach including secondary case study, survey and focus group. The selection of the statistical population was undertaken purposefully, as each component of this statistical population was selected based on its relative knowledge of the building information modeling system and the sample is consisted of 200 architectural graduates. The measurement error was set at 0. 05 and the level of reliability was 95%. The questionnaires were distributed online and analyzed using SPSS. The validity of the questionnaires was assessed and the reliability of the variables was calculated and confirmed by Cronbach's alpha test with a coefficient of 0. 876. First, the theoretical framework of the research was devised using previous case studies and then the opinions of participants were obtained and analyzed. Finally, the final framework was validated by a focal group of professors and experts. According to the results of the Chi-Square test, the level and objectives of the course were evaluated to be such that the BIM system could be used at different educational levels and along with other training classes. Friedman test and one-sample t-tests and were also used to select the content and measure importance of the courses, in which the highest significance of the application of building information modeling was witnessed in project management, sustainability issues and architectural Studio, while the lowest significance of its application was obtained in the field of concepts and mental imagination. Based on the findings, three areas of software and modeling, concepts and theory, and information management recognized as effective in the educational framework of BIM, and were thus recommended for consideration in the curriculum of the undergraduate course in architecture. The final educational model is proposed in combination at different educational levels. As such, the proposed framework for teaching building information modeling system is divided into three courses of elementary, intermediate and advanced, in which the students first learn the individual skills in modeling and analysis in the bachelor's program of architecture, then they learn the concepts and principles of building information modeling in the master's program course. They can finally take part in advanced training courses related to the building industry and profession based on teaching teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration and integration in real projects. The results indicate that the educational objectives of the BIM system should incorporate the principles of cooperation and integration, as the ultimate goal of implementing a building information modeling system is generating integrated knowledge. The building information modeling system can be taught as an independent course or in combination with other courses such as architectural design Studios. Therefore, recognizing the content of the course and the different fields of technology, policy and processes, measuring the capabilities assigned to learners in the field of technology, which is associated with gaining elementary knowledge in software, hardware, shared platforms, and technological equipment and expertise in modeling, project delivery and presentation techniques, requires an efficient and practical method, for which using BIM system and testing concepts and practical principles is recommended. On the other hand, regarding the subjects in the field of building information modeling processes, i. e. management skills, which reveals the degree of familiarity with the principles and rules for decision-making, and also measures and evaluates the scope of policies, i. e. the legal capabilities, in which the theoretical and standard skills of learners are considered, and finally regarding the theoretical and analytical nature of these fields, oral presentation, conference and interview methods are recommended. In the intermediate courses, this can lead to joint projects of architecture, structures, and facilities for the application of cooperation, and in advanced courses, it can lead to the presence and cooperation of learners in real projects and integration. Therefore, given the opportunities and benefits that building information modeling offers to the field of architecture and construction education, there is an urgent need for education, promotion, legislation and creating proper infrastructure in the field of building information modeling and its purposeful, optimal and principled use of such up-to-date construction system with the aim of improving the quality and executive level of the construction industry in Iran.

Introduction: Behavioral setting, as a result of ecological psychology knowledge, investigates the behavior and experiences of people in their daily lives and the real environment. From this perspective, the study of human behavior depends on the study of the environment in which the behavior is formed. Therefore, the designer, in addition to identifying repetitive behavioral patterns and the environment in which the behavior is formed, needs to recognize the relationship between these two factors. Statement of the problem: Dormitories as a kind of residential places accommodating a variety of users and embracing lifestyle diversity, induce a variety of activities due to synchronicity with other activities. Therefore, the disruption of permanent behavioral patterns in the built environment are studied in this paper. In fact, lack of comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the needs, habits and behaviors of students in dormitory spaces has led to such conflicts between the space and the users. Since in the last few decades the number of students have increased in our country, the problems of their accommodation and providing sufficient space per capita in dormitories have arisen, and behavioral and physical conflicts have become obvious. Thus, today, it is essential to study the behavioral patterns from a psychological point of view carefully and methodically to build a compatible environment with the users’ needs. On the other hand, research shows that female students are under more emotional pressure caused by being away from family members and the inability of the individual to adapt to the difficult conditions of the dormitory. So, we found it necessary to focus on designing dormitories for girls. The aim of this research is to find architectural designing guidelines for student dormitories in accordance with Iranian female students' spatial behavior based on “ behavioral settings. ” What are the different types of behavioral settings in the studied girls’ dormitory? How is the current identified function of the behavioral settings in the studied case evaluated from the students’ point of view? What are the appropriate space characteristics related to the behavioral patterns for students in dormitories? Methodology: Given the cultural diversity among the residents of a room in the dormitory, as well as age differences, educational level and different personality traits and consequently their multiple needs, it was considered necessary to assess repetitive users’ behavioral patterns and physical aspects of their living space using their own opinion. This study uses non-intervening methods including being present in the environment, as well as field observation method. A group of two hundred students of four female dormitory complexes of Shiraz University at different levels (undergraduate, Master and PhD) were observed. An open questionnaire and content analysis of qualitative data were applied to determine the weight of the effective components in the design including current behavioral patterns, physical characteristics, and disruptive factors of the current synomorphic pattern of behaviormilieu during identifying behavioral settings. Findings: At the end of this study, qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis method. After determining the frequency of effective components in the design, which include repetitive behaviors of students in their living environment and the physical dimensions of the dormitory space, the degree of synomorphic relationship was evaluated and finally design guidelines were presented in three broad categories: private space of individual activities, semi-private space of individual activities, and public and semi-public spaces of collective activities. This research is based on theoretical and practical background of the case study, and attempts to show design techniques tailored to each guideline and provides a suitable platform for identifying behavioral patterns in the dormitory. Through structural testing and considering the degree of interdependence between the synomorphies of a behavioral setting, the five major behavioral settings including “ residential suites” , “ self-governing stores” , “ learning communities” , “ social interactions” and “ sports and health” are detectable in the design of dormitories and each is affected by the larger context to which they belong. Conclusion: Residential suites with high number of synomorphies have been recognized as one of the most important behavioral settings in this study. Students living space is a place where they spend most of their time and where they perform many activities. The spatial boundary of their living space includes a wide range of place-behaviors, each of which can be defined structurally as a separate behavioral setting; because they have more detailed synomorphies within themselves. Therefore, they have a more complex combination of behavior-milieu synomorphies. As a result, residential suites are more important than other behavioral sites in this study. They have to be carefully designed to realize multiple behavioral patterns of residents that occur simultaneously in the form of individuals’ different cultures and habits. In addition, the function of residential suites has a significant impact on the function of other behavioral settings. In fact, if the accommodation suites play a key role in meeting the primary and basic needs of students including the need for sleep and rest, health and personal hygiene, study, etc., the desire to do voluntary and social activities to meet the transcendent needs of other students will increase and the performance of other settings will be improved.

Although housing as a human resort and shelter has provided a proper physical and spatial context for improving human relations at family and neighborhood levels since long ago, today, the role of housing has declined due to the large number of residential complexes and the development of life style in apartments. Recently, the changes led by social developments and the changes of social institutions such as families, have transformed many vivid and latent functions of social phenomena, one of which occurs in the elderly period (Khashei, 2006: 2). According to the latest records of the Statistical Center of Iran in 2016, 7 million and 450 thousand elderly people live in the country, and in 2050, the elderly will comprise about 30% of our country's population (Mojnews, 2018). The feeling of loneliness is a widespread and pervasive phenomenon, affecting 25 to 50 percent of the total population over the age of 65 in terms of age and gender (Heravi Karimavi et al., 2008: 3). The elderly people over the age of 65 have a special need to socialize. Apart from the physical and psychological limitations, this group of people fail to communicate with the surrounding community to meet their needs due to the social inefficiencies. Therefore, they suffer from being separated from their families and the society, and any attempt made to abolish their feeling of loneliness is a barrier against the complicated problems of the elderly people. In fact, increasing their social contacts helps promoting their mental and social health (Mohammadzadeh, 2015: 2). Reducing sociability also creates many problems in people’ s relationships, reduces their sense of belonging to the place and decreases security. It also creates other problems that are resulted from ignoring the declining quality of collective life in housing, especially for the elderly group. At the same time, meeting and talking to each other is pleasant for the elderly people. They can contact or encounter each other by having a conversation, a greeting, or just smiling at each other. Consequently, socializing can make a big change in people’ s lives, especially for those introverted people who communicate more with the outside world. These social interactions are necessary for inducing public happiness, and are the central part of people's quality of life (Zabetian & Taghvaee, 2009: 4). Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the social needs of the elderly and to promote the sociability of the space for this group. The present research aims at explaining the sociability of residential complexes in Tabriz and evaluating the indicators of sociability in four case studies. It seeks to answer the following two basic questions: What are the most important indicators of sociability for the elderly in residential complexes in Tabriz? And what is the level of sociability for the elderly in the four cases studied? Having explained the housing sociability indicators for the elderly, obtained by combining the sociability indicators of regular housing and the elderly housing, the authors evaluated the indicators of sociability in people over the age of 65 in Sattarkhan, Aseman, Allame Amini and Sepidar residential complexes. After comparing the sociability of the elderly in these complexes, the most important dependent indicators affecting the independent indicator of sociability in each complex were explained. Today, the sociability of residential complexes is very important for the elderly who need to have social relationships and spend most of their time at home. The present research is conducted with the aim of explaining the physical sociability of residential complexes for the elderly group in Tabriz, and the indicators are evaluated by causalcomparative method. In this research, 4 residential complex from 4 districts of Tabriz were selected to be studied. Field research was also conducted on the elderly over the age of 65 in the four selected complexes to measure the indicators obtained from the previous step. In this regard, a simple random sampling by Cochran's formula in the statistical population of 313 people limited the size of the group to 172 people. Thereafter, a closed questionnaire and non-participatory observation were used. The questionnaires were analyzed by variance, regression methods and by calculating the average scores in the observations. According to the variance analysis, Sattarkhan, Aseman, Sepidar and Allame Amini complexes had higher scores of sociability for the elderly, respectively. According to the regression analysis of the questionnaires, various hangouts in Sattarkhan complex; the landscape in Aseman complex; disposition opportunities in Allame Amini complex; and various activities in Sepidar complex were of higher priority. Based on the results obtained from the observations, sitting space, welfare facilities, natural elements, appropriate furniture and access in the area in Sattarkhan complex; nature, and decorative elements in Aseman complex; safety and pedestrian pavement, and proper access in Sepidar complex; and welfare facilities in Allame Amini complex were of higher priority. Eventually, solutions were offered to improve the sociability of residential complexes for the elderly based on the overall summary in the four selected complexes.

Lack of by intelligent management in physical and spatial planning is evident in the evaluation and monitoring of the quantity and the quality of disaster and risk management plans in rail transportation development of Tehran Metropolitan and, consequently, in examining the risks and vulnerability of the rail network in the country. Obviously, the crises such as earthquakes and floods on subway lines are largely dependent on trial and error hypotheses, traditional management practices, and poor future studies. Regarding the tectonic studies, it seems that some factors such as seismic zones, differences in the soil types, changes in the north and south fault lines (before the disaster) of Tehran, the vulnerability of the subway stations, and the possibility of crisis exacerbation with the destruction of deteriorated urban fabrics during earthquake and flood are of vital importance in the development of underground railways. Focusing on earthquake vulnerability assessment and the role of intelligent risk management in the development of railway transportation network with an approach to monitor the physical and spatial hazards of subway stations, this research tries to access the information about fault lines, watercourses and subway stations of Tehran for intelligent monitoring of the crises, and identification of the nearest medical centers and urban open spaces regarding the type of crisis. Therefore, three subway stations in Tehran (Tajrish, Darvazeh Shemiran, and Navab Subway Stations) were selected to be studied because of their locations in busy and important areas of Tehran, high level of passenger traffic, high land use density of the surrounding area, being located in three separate different areas, proximity to hazardous functions, year of construction, the station depth, proximity to main and secondary fault areas, and the distance from the watercourses. In the research, a combination of research methods is used based on library studies, review of records and documents, Delphi technique2, hierarchical decision making method and layer overlap. First, the existing maps and field observations were scrutinized thoroughly in order to investigate and analyze the information. Next, the criteria for assessing the risks at Tehran subway stations were achieved based on experts’ opinion. Then appropriate maps for subway stations in the studied areas were proposed according to specific factors (fault, watercourse, deteriorated fabric, distance from the medical stations, … ). These maps indicate the appropriateness of the stations in relation to the location and the function of the current stations. Regarding the various effects of different layers on the evaluation process, the weighted coefficient of each layer was calculated by analytical Hierarchy process (AHP). The number of layers in each category in terms of importance and the effect of each category on the evaluation process were also calculated respectively from the least to the most important as follows: The distance from the fault, the station depth, the distance from fire stations, the distance from the channel (weight 4); the number of regular stairs, the area of nearby open spaces, the number of entrance and exit gates, the exit width, the number of emergency exits, the distance from medical centers, abundance of firefighting equipment, emergency ventilation, the density of the surrounding fabric, proximity to BRT lines, the existence of helicopter landing site, lack of upstream water resources, the number of passengers per day, proximity to high-rise structures, the age of the surrounding structures, the area of the deteriorated urban fabric, the bridge spans (weight 3); the number of escalators, the number of elevators, land slope at the station (slope stability), the existence of a realm for power supply facilities, the distance from fuel stations, the distance from adjacent stations, the desirability of passage network around the stations (fabric density), the existence of fine grains in the surrounding area (weight 2); the existence of proper access, the distance to police station, proximity to hazardous functions, intersection with underground tunnels, the presence of peripheral organic passages, the skyline of the surrounding functions(weight 1). The results of the risk assessment indicate that all stations are within the danger threshold and adopting smart management and executive solutions to reduce possible damage is essential. Based on the average score obtained from the analysis of the stations studied and their relevance to the risk index table, it is clear that all three stations are within the "risk threshold", which highlights the need for careful scrutiny of the issues increasing the risks art the stations. Based on the scores assigned to each of the studied stations, it was revealed that the "distance from the fault" and the "number of emergency exits" at Tajrish station had the lowest score (highest risk). In addition, at Darvazeh Shemiran and Navab stations, " the number of lifts" and "number of emergency exits" had the lowest score. Still after years of extensive research on the key role of risk management in mitigating natural disasters (earthquakes and floods), the development of underground transportation network (subway) is less likely to follow methods of intelligent risk management, especially in cities such as Tehran where the deteriorated fabrics are at high risk due to the soil type, and the location of faults. In examining the risk level of a subway station in an earthquake crisis, the distance from the fault, the depth of the station and the existence of a tunnel, each play a decisive role for intelligent management of the crisis. Also, the overlapping of other related data, reveals the dimensions, extent and severity of the crisis. Accordingly, in order to eliminate or reduce the effects of risk factors in the development of the underground transportation network, all the tectonic and seismic engineering considerations, including the material of the layers, proximity to the faults, land slopes, and groundwater should be considered from the early stage of feasibility studies, to the final stages of determining the route and location of subway stations. Since some subway stations are located in the vicinity of deteriorated fabrics or high-rise structures, the earthquake crisis might exacerbate with the collapse of the buildings and the obstruction of the surrounding routes. The dependence of subway facilities on city infrastructure is considered a weakness. Electrical, water, telephone and other facilities are completely dependent on ground installations, and if they are damaged in any situation (normal and critical), the entire subway network facilities will be disrupted; therefore, it is necessary to devise emergency and intelligent systems.

Providing opportunities for social interactions is one of the most critical features of space. When interacting with each other, people in a community build a stronger emotional connection with their social place and space. Not only does this interaction affect the social psyche of that community, but also leads to the economic growth and development of the communities in those spaces, such as workers-industrial sites and estates. Since a variety of chemical, food, pharmaceutical, and other manufacturing industries have come together, industrial estates today encompass the essential activities of human beings. Residents and employees of these estates, both employers and employees, have gathered at various levels for economic reasons. Unfortunately, voluntary and social activities in these estates are negligible due to their architecture. The better the quality of physical spaces in industrial estates, the more social interactions are possible under group activities, such as talking, playing and exercising, watching, and so on. Thus, interactive spaces in industrial estates, such as teahouses, sports stations, mosques, etc., take on the characteristics of a place and, at the same time, have the characteristics of vitality and civic life as a result of mandatory and voluntary activities. On the other hand, Fars (Pars), an old state in Iran, needed the boundaries of the labor settlement to establish a large city with ideal characteristics. The city was founded under the name of Persepolis at the heart of the Achaemenid Empire about 2500 years ago (518 to 494 BC) by the Achaemenid kings: Darius (c. 522-486 BC), and Xerxes I (c. 486-465 BC). Founding the city of Persepolis (in Greek) required a considerable number of workers and artisans, not only from Iran but also from other parts of the world, such as Egypt, Hittite, and Greece. These people settled in the sites and estates around Persepolis and engaged in their (mandatory) work duties apart from voluntary duties. Therefore, this study aims to investigate and explain the social interactions in labor sites in the Achaemenid period and the architecture of modern industrial estates. Among the various architectural factors, such as physical, functional, and spiritual factors, the authors considered the space/body factor. This study uses a descriptive-analytical and historical method in a documentary manner based on desk research. To document the labor areas around Persepolis, several thousand treasury and fortification clay tablets were used, in addition to Greek and Babylonian sources. Persepolis court documents were examined with regard to workers and specialists in the precincts of Persepolis, as well as exploring various texts related to social interactions. The results indicate that the quality of the physical environment in laborindustrial sites and estates depended on a variety of factors. One of these factors is associated with the physical structure of the environment, such as safety and security, diversity and adaptability of applications, climatic comfort, density and proper capacity, accessibility, attractiveness, and vitality. According to the documents provided, not only did the Achaemenid labor sites succeed in establishing social interactions between Iranian and non-Iranian workers with the facilities and ideas coincident with the opinions of their time, but they also created a lively and attractive environment, reflected in Persepolis court documents – Persepolis treasury and fortification tablets. At Persepolis labor sites, there were peoples of different nationalities, professions, and specializations, who usually worked together as a family. In these estates, the topics of landscape, attractiveness, vitality, and climatic comfort were considered, and various agricultural and horticultural items were cultivated in appropriate places. According to archeological and historical documents, and most importantly, the tablets numbered 144 to 158 of fortification, the precincts of Persepolis were surrounded by various campuses (paradises). These campuses were used both as animal shelters, including wild animals in various gardens and orchards, which provided food for the workers and the royal family. In terms of accessibility, these estates had a number of stores and cooperatives to provide comfort and well-being for workers. In this way, they could provide the goods and food they needed, such as flour, sheep, and wine. Not only stores but even branches of well-known banks such as Egibi Bank had representatives in some of those places. In terms of readability and integrity, the Achaemenids used Iranian and global mythological and cultural symbols and elements in the designs of bricks, stones, and tile-work. By combining the appearances of beings with spiritual and heavenly meanings, they were able to create new forms that guided humankind to worlds larger and higher than the existence and environment of their daily lives and associated them with their celestial powers. However, modern industrial estates are, unfortunately, not interactive spaces for workers because they ignore the above elements. Given the importance and role of humans in space, one of the essential tasks in the architectural design of industrial estates is, therefore, to pay attention to interactive spaces. Properly considered in the design, it will lead to economic growth and development in those industrial estates and, consequently, in the whole country.

The emergence and spread of planned residential developments with hard and controllable boundaries called gated communities and the social consequences of living in such communities have attracted the attention of researchers for decades. The increasing growth of these communities signifies a new form of residence and has led to many studies on how and why these communities emerged. Despite the emergence of gated communities in Iran in the 1960s, there is a dearth of research on such communities in Iran. Reviewing theories and empirical studies conducted in this area, this paper is an attempt to examine the existing definitions of gated communities, their types, causes of their expansion, and their positive and negative consequences. The origins of gated communities can be traced back to the previous century and the strong fortifications of ancient cities which were built to protect against invaders, enemies or even wild animals. Systems of class segregation and differentiation such as citadels and fortified cities, common in ancient Iran, were designed to protect against enemies and strangers and prevent them from entering the community. During the early Islamic period, the walls and gates of the inner city were destroyed. In this period, encouraging the expansion of the outer city, that is, part of the city whose people did not belong to upper social classes, toward middle city was the most important policy adopted by the Islamic state. The disappearance of the walls and gates of the inner city and a new relationship between the new government and people who were oppressed before then led to the formation of new strata in opposition to the old strata. The inner walls and gates were destroyed in an effort to bring justice and eliminate class segregation. However, as a sign of city’ s defensive power, the outer walls remained intact to protect from attack and enhance security. It seems that new gated communities first appeared during the early 1960s with the enforcement of the third (1963-1967) and fourth (1968-1972) Reconstruction Plans of the country. During this period, as housing proved to be a major issue, housing provision by the private sector burgeoned. The target profile was an emerging social class formed owing to the economic and political changes of the early 1960s. With the formation of the new social class and the entry of the private sector into housing market, gated residential communities became a marketing opportunity and a means of attracting particular markets for private housing developers. The developers of largescale projects started their research considering this reality and the needs of the new social class. Although the first gated community of the country appeared in Tehran, today, gated communities have increased their market share not only in big cities but also in smaller cities of the nation. Gated communities have four main features: (1) impermeable boundary and controlled access to the community, (2) shared private ownership of common spaces and private access to them, (3) the presence of private facilities and amenities for communal use of residents, and (4) the presence of a common code of conduct to regulate behaviors and activities. According to existing typologies, gated communities in Iran can be grouped into lifestyle, prestige, and security zone communities. Lifestyle communities focus on leisure activities and shared amenities and facilities offered within the community attracting those looking for an identity and a shared lifestyle. Examples of lifestyle communities in Iran are Daryakenar and Lavasan. Prestige communities attract people caring about the image of their socio-economic situation symbolizing wealth and social status. Such communities are exemplified by developments such as Park in Isfahan and Saeedieh in Hamedan. Security zone communities in Iran include communities that were not originally gated but were later gated by residents. In such communities, public streets are often closed to non-residents. Ekbatan is such a community in Tehran. The advocates of gated housing claim that gated communities meet individuals’ needs for security, identity, and sense of community; provide services and infrastructure in the areas that were not previously well-equipped; secure property values; prevent outsiders from entering the community; provide a safer environment for pedestrians due to their lower traffic flow; and often feature high quality spaces and attractive amenities. Those against gated communities emphasize the social costs of gated communities. They believe that gated developments are a threat to social integration and their expansion has led to many physical and social problems in urban areas. Social differentiation leads to the fragmentation and segmentation of the society. Despite these negative views on gated communities, it is unignorable that there is an increase in demand to live in such developments. Neither the demand in the housing market nor the negative consequences of gated communities can be denied. Hence, it is necessary to find a way to achieve a balance between their consequences and mediate their negative effects since gated communities have the potential to become even more prevalent in the landscape of cities in coming decades.