مرز

Mutallib-khan mosque is an abandoned and derelic building in the city of Khoy, north-west of Iran. It was built in 1839 with intentions to Serve as a mosque, in which muslims say their prayers in congregation, and also as a tomb for the proprietor and patron of it, Mutallib-khan himself. But upon his unfortunate demise, the building remained incomplete, and the architect's work remained undone. without a dome or any kind of  roof  or closure for about two century, it has been susceptible to any and every kind of damage, ranging from natural predicament to mankind misuses and has always been desolated. The buildings interior space is completely open to the Element and therefore it is fair to say that it does not have an interior space with a quality that house an interior function. On the other hand the very exposure of the building has always been the abode to sun, and daylight has always been present, and this has brought a quality to the space for the past two centuries that has become the quintessence of the building: it's character. This article studies ways in which it is possible to rehabilitate the building through redefining an interior space. The framework of this studies is divided into four main sections. In the first section the building itself is studied from an architectural and historical point of view. Second section is dedicated to a comparison between two extremes in how to treat a classic building in rebuilding its dome. In the third and fourth section methods and approaches to designing a dome-like shell is studied, in the context of iranian domes and contemproray shells.  The outcome of these four sections is a generic proposal of a two layer transluscent dome with an interior geometry of a catenary arch, and an exterior shape of a Chamaneh arch that could be 3D printed directly on the building.

Architecture reflects the human perception of their existential relations with the world andtherefore it creates meaningful places. Every place with its boundaries concretizes a Harim, whichis the manifestation of such existential relations. This interrelation between the boundary (Marz)and the Harim may cause us to assume them both the same, but these two are different. Althoughevery Harim has its boundaries, not every demarcation concretizes Harim. In architecture, onthe one hand, which always entails demarcation; paying attention to these conceptions is provedto be essential. On the other hand, though, it may cause to demote the conception of Harim toanother thing; consequently, this conception is likely to be regarded as a nominal one without anyrelations between it and fundamental meaning of architecture and it is just related with the bodyof architectural works. This research intends to explain theoretically that Harim is an essentialconcept in architecture. To achieve the intended purpose, the research seeks to find the originof Harim. Here, the research methodology, which is in the qualitative sphere, is grounded inlogicality. The majority of its arguments are founded on scholars’ phenomenological theories ofarchitecture. Accordingly, after studying about the word Harim and examining its etymology,the relation between three conceptions of human, place, and harim has been investigated tounderstand its status in architecture. The results are Harim:Which is a formative theorem is originated from human existence and their relationswith otherness.Judgments about Place and its authenticity and rightness is founded on Harim and itsideal concreteness. The form of Harim is the consequence of the very existence of beings.It connects and disconnects.Its emergence is not an absolute geometrical concept but it reflects existential aspectsof beings;Based on hierarchies of human’s existential relations, is able to create a continuousspectrum from the out of outside to the inside of in. (the utter outside to the utter inside).

The boundary of quarter is among the subjects that have been widely addressed in urban planning and urban design research. Clearly, several studies have examined the issue of “quarter boundaries in the historical fabric of Iranian cities”, but the literature review shows that there are still ambiguities in this regard. There are two contradictory answers to this issue: one group of studies has set clear boundaries for quarters in the historical fabric of Iranian cities, while the other ones consider the boundaries of quarters in these fabrics to be vague and believe that each quarter will reach another quarter gradually. The purpose of this article is identifying the boundary of quarter in these fabrics. In this regard, Ali Gholi Agha quarter in the historical fabric of Isfahan was chosen as a case study and the qualitative research method of conventional content analysis was used. The boundary of Ali Gholi Agha quarter was studied in three ways of historical boundary, quarter boundary based on door-to-door interviews, and subjective boundary drawn by the inhabitants. Among these three ways, the historical boundary discovered based on the historical structure of access and quarter elements, shows the hidden order in the structure and provides a new method to discover the objective boundary of the quarter in the historical fabrics of Iranian cities. Interestingly, the accuracy of the achievements of this method is confirmed by two other boundaries. Finally, it is concluded that there is an objective boundary in some parts of the quarter. This boundary is often in dead ends and darbands (passes through the entrance of the houses in historic fabrics). Also, in the other parts of the quarter where there is no clear boundary, the boundary can be determined based on this objective boundary.

Liminality indicates a state of transition or being in between, as opposed to being at one. In architecture, it refers to a transition between two places on the way to arrive at a destination. The starting point of the present paper is tackling the reduction of the concept of liminality to ‘being at a threshold’, and thereby the threshold itself as a mere connection point and the neglect of is denotational range. The adopted method is qualitative accompanied with logical reasoning. After accurately defining the etymology of the term, and also a search for transitional zones in the literature, the views of significant architectural thinkers in this field such as Christian Norberg Schulz, Christopher Alexander, and Louis Kahn are further scrutinised. Although these thinkers have different perspectives towards the matter, they still share some common views. An investigation into their views shows that on top of wide-ranging meanings to ‘liminality’, there is also hierarchies in terms of objectivity-subjectivity. Liminality is also classifiable, it is shown, into four categories of the physical, the functional, the denotational, and the substantial. The paper then moves on to investigate concepts such as boundary, centre, and threshold in order to analyse the substantial and its relation with other realms. The results show that transitional zones tend to converge into the centre, which materialise in thresholds. These liminal materialisations set the limits for the adjoining centre. The investigation of the bi-existential characteristics of thresholds and their emblematic state proves the denotational stance of liminality, with its existential demand explained in relation with the audience after defining the substance of the concept at a more subliminal stage. To conclude, architectural liminality is hierarchical, and paying attention to its various denotational levels yields a deeper understanding of the concept.

The phenomenological approach, which is based on the existence of mankind, studies the presence of mankind in the universe (Dasein) and its relationship with the surrounding world. It also investigates the existing boundaries –as important components of spatial structures– between mankind and the surrounding environment as well as those between different phenomena. By creating enclosure, boundaries change “space” into “place” and they affect the character and landscape of place by developing spatial order. Creation of place and features such as the inside, the outside, boundary, enclosure, realm and path, have led to formation of different structures and subsequently formation of meaningful places. Boundary is a necessary structure and condition for formation of place. This paper will explore the qualities of the relationship between the inside and the outside in general and the notion of boundary in particular. From Heidegger’s point of view, space turns into place by means of the presence of an “object”. The existence of a place creates an inside which in turn gains meaning in contrast to the outer environment. Without this presence, space is just a meaningless and a logical spectrum. However, manifestation of a presence or an object immediately turns space into a place. In this sense, a place is part of the expanse of space, which has gained meaning by a specific presence, be it the shade of a tree in a plain or a path which is distinguishable from its surrounding environment due to its different texture. Every person begins to perceive and understand the surrounding environment from their early days of life and gradually develops the manner of this perception and understanding. For humans, the five senses are the means of understanding the surrounding environment and thus the boundary between mankind and the environment, which divides and connects the two at the same time. The phenomenological approach seeks to understand different phenomena and their relationship as well as the relationship between mankind and the world which encompasses these phenomena. It leads humans to revisit their perceptions and feelings in order to gain a qualitative understanding of the world.Conducted with a phenomenological approach and based on first-hand field observations with an existential focus, this research seeks to develop a framework for gaining deep and proper understanding of the spatial nature and qualitative features of place. Therefore, the aim is to investigate the role of boundaries in different places (natural and built) and the role of people’s understanding of the structure of these boundaries in their interventions and efforts for improving the quality of built places. Approaching the subject from the viewpoint of understanding the surrounding world and deriving from phenomenological studies, the author attempts to analyze her place of living as a phenomenon, explain it based on her learnings of this approach and distinguish and identify the existing boundaries in this place. For this purpose, first, the literature of place phenomenology, place structure and understanding of place will be reviewed; then, the structure of the author’s habitat (located in Malayer City, Hamadan Province) –a plain that has facilitated formation of vineyards around the city– will be described and explored based on mentioned approach and phenomenological criteria. Then, the relationship between people and natural/built places and the boundaries in these places will be analyzed. Finally, a possible solution for improving the relationship between the three phenomena of mankind, natural place and built place (in this case dried fruits packaging workshops in the region under study) will be proposed. When environmental interventions are accompanied by proper perception and understanding of the surroundings, place becomes a source of peace and security and it can be much more successful in attracting more individuals. People would feel at home and relaxed and the final outcome would be a place formed from its spatial bedrock that can satisfactorily meet the visual, environmental and psychological needs of its visitors. A person’s proper understanding of the structure of the surrounding environment and its boundaries alongside the accurate perception of various sensory elements such as odors, sounds, etc. can help them grasp and recognize the sense of “being at a place” with clarity. The author’s phenomenological attempt for better understanding the area of study and the needs of its residents has led to formation of ideas and suggestions which can help improve the condition of raisin processing factories and workshops in the area in a manner that the employees can easily work and enjoy the surrounding natural environment and landscapes. Implementations of these suggestions can undoubtedly improve the condition of the workforce and the procedure of work in these manufacturing units. Not only will they be able to avoid defacing the natural landscape, but also they can help improve the environment by means of carefully planned interventions and proper use of environmental potentials for the betterment of the mutual relationship between mankind and natural/built places.

This research is determined to investigate the boundary of man-made and natural places. It also is about find out the issue of man and his world. Being attentive to the significant role of boundary in place, at first it is paid attention to the recognition of this phenomenon. Then investigate it in different places, following studying about the quality of places in where this phenomenon exist. The research design is through library study and according to accessible study done by the prior prominent of phenomenological attitude, this research is done in term of boundary through which man could arrive to a relative recognition of his place and his world around. and become more successful in environmental situation by which can make places that identical sense are preserved there in order to be better to the control of his world. This way can prevent developing non identified and senseless places which are the result of the modern architecture in order to construct better qualified and identified ones.