Soffeh
Year:2020 | Volume:30 | Issue:88|Papers Count:7

Sustainable development is becoming an issue of critical importance in the past three decades in every respect, especially in architectural and urban design. Its focus was initially limited to the environment, but it gradually developed to encompass economic and social dimensions. There is a need to develop a clearer understanding of the social pillar of sustainable development. Accordingly, this paper’ s focus is on social sustainability. The purpose of the research is to find out the effective indicators on improving social sustainability in housing. Initially, data collection was carried out through a literature review on the subjects related to the areas of urban planning, architecture, and residential environments. In the current study, the codes, themes and categories were obtained using content analysis techniques on the collected data. Through examining a broad range of references obtained from the results of the search, key candidate indicators influencing social sustainability, which appeared most frequently in the literature were identified and classified into five main components. Following the identification of the candidate criteria, the Delphi technique was used to validate the proposed framework. The study presented here comprised two questionnaire rounds sent to panel members. The experts were selected from people with substantial knowledge in the field of housing and residential neighbourhood planning and design. They were from a pool of academics in environmental design and residential design. The experts were asked to rank the importance of each indicator, to provide suggestions on how to improve the framework and to suggest criteria not listed. Following revisions resulting from the comments received from the first round, the respondents were also asked to repeat the assessment in the second round. The findings showed that the "physical desirability" and "social and cultural life" are the most significant aspects for improving social sustainability. Also, the indicators of "social security", "social participation" and "social interactions" from social and cultural life category were the most influential indicators with mean values of 3. 675, 2. 904, and 1. 527, respectively. Based on the experts' opinion, "inclusive design", "pedestrian-cantered/ bicycle-friendly land uses", and "spatial diversity and liveability" from the physical desirability category were the most crucial indicators for social sustainability with mean values of 1. 322, 1. 300, and 1. 252, respectively.

Geometry is one of the most important elements in iranian architecture. Geometry is used in planning, drawing and decorating. Among outstanding components were ornaments used in many parts of houses. The realisation of ornaments in Iranian architecture is dependent on geometry, with geometry also generating variety in ornamental decorations. The ornaments used in the architecture of Dezful is usually made of bricks, and can be found in several parts of a building as secondary surfaces with astonishing diversity. The aim of this study is the documentation of geometric patterns and their underlying generative context in Dezful houses, answering research questions on the way. The research method is a combination of field studies and historical-interpretive methods, with data collected through library studies and personal observations. The data analysis method is based on Vikor method which opens a new scope on ornaments studies. Case studies are based on relevant traditional faç ades selected through data analyses based on Vikor and Entropy methods. The paper concludes that ornaments are diverse, and on top of their beauty, they have functions such as providing comfort for passers, increasing area in upper floors, ventilation, shading and thereby shielding against heat, protecting “ Xowun” s from rain, and creating hierarchies. In order to assess ornaments, the paper suggests, one can use the type of the ornament, its ratio, proportions, connections and layouts, as criteria.

It has always been crucial for architects to obtain an intuitive understanding of the structural performance of architectural forms. During the modern period, there has always been a close collaboration between architects and engineers in designing high-rise buildings. With the recent dwindling of this closeness, the structural efficiency of high-rise forms has been in decline. Bearing in mind structure represents one-third of the entire construction costs, structural considerations at the early stages of a project will result in significant savings. The present research is after finding the effects of form on structural performance in order to assist design teams at the conception stage. A variety of forms were initially generated in a parametric environment with floor plans, roofs, and vertical configuration as parameters. An external metal diagrid structure was then applied on the outer surface of models, and their performance against lateral forces of earthquakes was assessed using static methods. The results show that the least movement at the highest level occurs in hexagonal floor plans with triangular roofs (7% lower than average), with generative geometry playing a more significant role in movement compared with total weight. Among architectural forms with similar floor and roof plans, octagonal floor plans have the least movement (6% lower than the average), with octagonal and dodecagonal forms having the least total weight and movement. The latter can be considered as the best while triangular forms can be considered as the worst-performing structures.

Designing settlements and their formation patterns has always been one of the controversial topics in the field of architecture and planning, but it is the implications of these patterns on forming spatial structures in residential layouts which is the focal point of this research. The main aim of the current paper is to scrutinise Space Syntax theory and criticise its origins and fundamental thoughts. In order to do so, the paper uses computational models of three residential settings in Tehran, Iran. The main question is how deeply is Space Syntax able to predict movements and behavioural patterns of residents in a residential layout. In other words, this research explores whether Space Syntax computational models can fully cover behavioural patterns or does it leave gaps. The hypothesis is that although the configuration of settlements is the basis for movements, it demands Behavioural Settings theory to interpret the behavioural-movement patterns. In order to answer the main question, three relevant residential layouts have been chosen in Tehran: Narmak, Yousef Abad, and Shahrak-e Gharb. Moreover, current situation of these communities in terms of private, semi-private, and public spaces were modelled in the Depth Map software, which is developed by Space Syntax Research Group at UCL. Afterwards, these settings were observed during a four-months period. The subsequent comparison between the results obtained from Depth Map models and observations reveals the gaps between Space Syntax theory and the reality. It reveals that the configuration of residential layouts` has a causal relation with the formation of spatial-physical structure. The integration analysis, based on the Space Syntax methodological-conceptual framework is able to predict the general movement patterns of residents, but when it comes to behavioural patterns, the synomorphy between physics and behaviour can perform a more accurate prediction. The behavioural settings theory by Roger Barker has developed the synomorphy in order to find the adaptations between physical environments and behaviours. Obtained results indicate that spatial-physical structures in the neighbourhoods correspond mainly with the intensity of the behavioural-movement patterns but much less with the shape of their spatial integration. The empirical findings can be considered innovative in light of the fact that Space Syntax studies dealing with ecological psychology in cities are rare and a completely fresh theoretical ground. The research findings nonetheless support the theoretical understanding that the urban environment’ s spatial configuration provides a fundamental condition for the movement patterns but barely can offer a good interpretation for the micro level behaviours by the residents.

The realisation of urban sustainable development throughout the world is better observable in local levels, as sustainable cities are based on sustainable neighbourhoods, with the unsustainability of urban neighbourhoods at local levels resulting in unsustainability at urban levels. The Akhund neighbourhood in Qazvin is one of the historic neighbourhoods of the city, which is left in unsuitable conditions economically, socio-culturally, physically, environmentally, and management/ institutional-wise. The aim of this research is the assessment of sustainability in Akhund neighbourhood based on indicators and criteria of sustainable community development and the study of the role of good urban governance in this neighbourhood. The research methodology is descriptive survey, with data collected through library and field studies including observations, interviews, and questionnaires. Using Cochran-Formula, 95 samples were selected for the research. The sampling method was multi-stage cluster, with each cluster based on simple random samplings. The validity content method was used to test validity, and Cronbach's Alpha method was used for reliability. The analysis of questionnaires was based on descriptive and deductive methods based on one-sample T-test. The findings show that the neighbourhood is unsustainable based on its score of 2. 24. The highest sustainability score is for socio-cultural (2. 81), and the lowest for management/ institutional dimension (1. 64). Legibility, identity, sense of belonging criteria gained highest scores, and governance the lowest. The research then moves on to explain shortcomings of sustainable development in the neighbourhood analysing the role and necessity of good urban governance in mitigating inadequacies. The paper concludes with making suggestions to achieve sustainable development in the neighbourhood.

The Iranian capital has suffered from inequalities in the distribution of services and the economic class segregation for decades. The residents of north Tehran are mostly affluent enjoying much better access to urban amenities and infrastructures, whilst those of south Tehran mostly have less incomes with poorer access to services. This inequality is reflected in property prices of northern and southern neighbourhoods. However, the difference between objective indicators such as services, green space and higher income does not seem to be reflected in their respective residents’ satisfaction levels. The focus of this study is mainly on measuring the subjective indicators of justice perceived by Tehran citizens. Based on theoretical foundations and previous surveys, the present paper starts with setting out the justice criteria according to Tehran citizens. It then deals with the question of what differences there are in the perception of justice between the inhabitants of the different neighbourhoods of Tehran. In other words, the purpose of this study is to explain the views of citizens living in Tehran on the indicators of justice. According to studies, the people of Tehran measure justice through four criteria: the distance between the rich and the poor, state aid for the poor, law enforcement and lack of corruption. On this basis, the present article is based data collected through questionnaires, followed by the examination of these criteria in Elahieh (north of Tehran) and Vali-e-Asr township (south of Tehran) neighbourhoods. The survey shows that the two neighbourhoods have significant differences in terms of urban services, land prices and objective indicators, with Elahieh enjoying much better status than Vali-e-Asr. However, there is no meaningful difference between these neighbourhoods in terms of the perception of justice. In other words, even in a neighbourhood with suitable physical conditions, there is higher sense of justice compared to a physically poor neighbourhood. Finally, the paper shows that physical improvements in the urban environment have failed improve a sense of spatial justice.

Dā r al-Funū n School was established in the early 1850s, under Nā ser al-Dī n Shā h’ s rule and by the patronage of his chancellor Mī rzā Taqī Khā n Amī r Kabī r. The building of this school has faced a lot of changes during its life. Its first building (the Older School), which was ordered by Amī r Kabī r in 1266 AH/ 1850 AD, was designed by Mī rzā Riż ā Khā n Muhandis-Bā shī and constructed by Muḥ ammad Taqī Khā n Miʿ mā r-Bā shī . The building remained the same until 1290-1296 AH/ 1873-1879 AD that it underwent some changes by the design of Mī rzā ʿ Abbā s Muhandis Bā shī and construction of Muhammad Ibrā hī m Khā n Miʻ mā r-Bā shī . These changes altered the face of the building as much as it seemed to be another building (the Old School). Later, at about 1295-1305 AH/ 1878-1878 AD another building was built on the north side of the old one called the New School. Dā r al-Funū n didn’ t face any other major changes till the end of the Qajar period, but at the beginning of the Pahlavi period, the buildings were destroyed and replaced by another building with the design of Nikolai Markov. Therefore, through the life of Dā r al-Funū n, there are three phases of the school we are faced with, which are not recognized and reconstructed yet. Even some of the photos of the school are not pinpointed correctly in some researches. The only published research that, by a thorough study of the evidence, introduces the different phases of Dā r al-Funū n is the article “ The Architecture of Dā r al-Funū n School and Its Changes in Qajar Era” ; but there is no reconstruction of the building yet. In this research, the visual evidence, as photos and maps, are used to reconstruct the three mentioned phases of the school. Throughout this research, the photos and the maps of Tehran (Krziž and Abdul-Ghaffā r’ s map) are transformed into architectural plans and elevations by means of geometry methods and software. The rather accurate plans, elevations and the 3D model of the building were gained through comparing photos and the plans several times. The results were achieved by considering unity in style and checking the results with the written evidence. There are merely any pictures from inside of the building, so the reconstruction is limited to the exteriors of the building.