Soffeh
Year:2002 | Volume:12 | Issue:34|Papers Count:12

The approach to housing and residential planning has never been coherent, as for some governments housing is a 'welfare parameter', while for others it is a 'product for consumption'. Despite all the planning mechanisms, housing has always been a problem in some countries. This might be because of the fact that usually the symptoms, and not the causes, have been addressed. There is little difference in the nature of the housing problem in both developed and developing countries, in spite of the fact that in the former, access to low- cost housing forms the problem, while for the latter the demand for low- cost housing with a better quality is the core issue. The housing problem in Tehran should be viewed both as a national crisis as well as a metropolitan concern. It has many dimensions which are reflected in the increase in housing costs (both rent and purchase), migration of some households to marginal settlements, lack of appropriate housing for different income groups, deterioration of existing housing stock, real estate speculation on new housing, etc. The housing market is seriously affected by values, illusions, consumption patterns, and decisions of non- public sector. Insufficient inappropriate intervention of public sector with no clear definition of goals has led to inadequate constraints for controlling the housing market. It is thus dominated by private sector activity with a single objective of maximizing profit. Consequently the 'housing problem' in Tehran can be described by the lack of a common adequate approach and the lack of an appropriate mechanism for control of housing spatial structure.

Issuing permits for buildings with a Floor to Area Ratio (FAR) higher than the prescriptions of the physical plan against a higher fee was evasively called 'selling extra building density'. The adoption of this policy in order to increase the revenues of municipality has been the subject of much debate in professional circles not only in Tehran but also in other Iranian cities. The article considers the problem in two parts: the former part is a theoretical review of determining factors for building density, namely socio- economical, physical and environmental. The latter part considers the city of Tehran as a case where 'selling extra building density' was practiced for a number of years. There have been changes in the policy with positive and negative impacts on the city. The evaluation of the policy leads to three scenarios for its better implementation. The conclusion is that the optimal solution can only be reached within a comprehensive framework that incorporates all factors using suitable software. Otherwise there will be unforeseen consequences that are very difficult to manage.

Although we are quite familiar with the concept of 'problem' based on our experiences and tacit knowledge, but its definition is still complicated. The problem is not a self- explaining fact; rather it is defined according to human values, idols and ideals. Development problems are doubtlessly defined and solved in line with the ideological views of environmental planners, i.e. urban designers, architects, etc. This article tries to interact different views to problem solving in order to introduce Endogenous Development Doctrine. The views are classified into four major groups: the conservatives or inactivists, who are in fact the problem absolvers; the reactivists who are experts at analyzing the problems, i.e. the problem resolve's; the futurists or preactivists who are the problem solvers and  the interactivists who are the problem dissolvers. On this basis the Endogenous Development Model is assessed and its scientific rationale that emphasizes a futurist society, a fair production and distribution process, community participation, and horizontal organizations is explained

Indicators are an essential evaluation element for assessing the level of progress towards sustainable development. Most indicators are designed on the basis of information readily available or obtainable at a reasonable cost, as the costs for data collection and processing is a major obstacle in many fields. Nevertheless the definition and role of an indicator is sometimes ambiguous, underlining the need for a transparent terminology based on an academic consensus. Indicator itself is defined differently in various texts, for example it is sometimes defined as 'a variable hypothetically linked to another research variable which cannot be measured directly'. This indicates the need for developing concrete generalized definitions. The analytical part of a research project, this article tries to address the ambiguities in definition so as to define universal practical properties of indicators.

A subject of much discussion in international academic circles, sustainable development has been defined from different points of view. Conservation of natural resources, pollution control, minimizing use of fossil fuels, adaptation to natural environment are key issues for settlements planning and design that are essential points for planners and executive managers. Among important decisions for design, construction and development of a certain settlement are its location, size, density, compactness and the relation of these properties to natural ecological capacities. Ancient Iranian settlements have responded interestingly well to these criteria, which is the subject of this article.

Study of traditional arts necessitates qualitative methods based on a structural, holistic approach and an understanding of mythological hermeneutics. In order to surpass mere chronological descriptions and simple social elucidations, the article tries to explain the Japanese art in the light of its Zen epistemological basis. The first part explains the expansion of religions and ideas in ancient Japan, whereby an inclusive organic culture developed in which Zen Buddhism prevailed. The second part is an introduction to Zen epistemological fundamentals, starting with a philosophical question and systematically leading to an ontological quest. It is argued that Zen is based on an effort to go beyond the mechanistic ratio in search of higher intuitive levels of sapientia and noesis. It is thus an effort to reach supra- consciousness. The effort is based on silence, contemplation and transversal meditation. These are reflected in the Zen art; as a real, pragmatic experience of a transcendental unification of subject and object.

Built on the northeast fringes of Shiraz, Darvazeh Qor'an (literally the gate of Holy Koran) was not only a gate to the city, but also included symbolic meanings related to religious beliefs. It retained its symbolic function even after the walls of Shiraz were demolished towards the end of Qajar dynasty. Recently the narrow road to Shiraz was widened and the gate now stands eccentrically alongside the road as a common landmark. This article tries to throw light on one of the most important principles in creation of Persian Islamic architecture, i.e. the spiritual symbolism .It is emphasized that this phenomenological dimension should never be compromised in developments that emphasize only the tangible physical dimension.

The fire safety specifications of building materials and building components are the essential information required by architects, civil engineers, and producers in the process of building production. This needs a methodology for determining technical requirements and classification procedures as regards fire resistance characteristics of materials. The article reviews recent scientific literature to propose such a methodology. For this purpose first the building components are classified in two groups: structural and non- structural. On this basis the fire safety requirements for each component is presented. A practical table summarizes control parameters for each group of materials. Finally the recent 2000- 2001 EU method is analyzed

The performance of Persian melodies in a setting designed for western music reveals the inadequacy of such spaces. This calls for a variety of research efforts, one of which is the search for historical forms. This pilot research surveys miniature paintings in search of spatial design principles for musical performance. The first part gives a general introduction to the miniature paintings, while the second discusses spatial characteristics of the setting for musical performance as depicted in miniatures. These include types of musical performance, the relation to nature, architectural elements used in space, the positioning of the audience and musicians. The final part recapitulates the spatial characteristics according to the type of musical performance.