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Masouleh is one of the few historical and habitable spaces in Iran, where the continuity of Iranian Islamic arts has been common for many centuries. Masouleh is located in the mountainous part of Fuman city with a thousand year old history. This historical city was registered as a national monument in 1944 and is currently being registered in the UNESCO World Organization. Masouleh’s architecture has a stepped structure and the houses are extroverted. Masouleh has six neighborhoods, Reyhane-bar, Asad-mohalleh, Keshe-sar, Khanebar, Masjed-bar and Bazaar. Reyhane-bar neighborhood is the main entrance to Masouleh and is located in the southern part of the city. The formation of Reyhane-bar neighborhood and its buildings is deep-rooted in the Zandiyeh- Pahlavi period. Reyhane-bar neighborhood has 50 residential units, of which 26 buildings have a historical structure and were examined in the current research. The Reyhane-bar neighborhood has a variety of latticed openings made of enclosing decorative patterns. The aim of the research is to recognize the types of openings and ornamentations in the Reyhane-bar neighborhood. The research questions are as follows: 1- In how many levels are the openings of the historical building of Reyhane-bar neighborhood classified? 2- What decorative patterns are used in the openings and what is the frequency of new to old patterns in the ornamentation of the openings of Reyhane-bar neighborhood? The research method is descriptive-analytical and the information collection method is documentary and field study. The results of the research show that the ornamentations of the openings of Reyhane-bar neighborhood have been implemented using three methods Girih-tiling, Ghavarehbori and woodcarving. The openings of the Reyhane-bar neighborhood are classified in six levels: integrated openings, without Sarbarieh (opening above the window), inscribed openings without Sarbarieh, Sarbariehs without a border design (single), and inscribed Sarbariehs (single) and Orosi. This should also be noted that the Reyhane-bar neighborhood has the lowest number of Orosis in comparison with other neighborhoods and Orosis in the above-mentioned neighborhood are mainly observed in the economic constructions. A total of fifteen decorative patterns have been used in the openings of Reyhane-bar neighborhood, among which, 8-square Shamse girih patterns and Paisley Ghavarehbori are the most repeated patterns. Reyhane-bar neighborhood has 6 new patterns and 9 common (original) patterns in Masouleh. The results of the research show that 24% of the decorative arrays of the openings of the Reyhane-bar neighborhood was of new patterns and 76% of the original and common patterns in Masouleh neighborhoods. A noteworthy point in the construction of the ornamentation of the openings of the Reyhane-bar neighborhood is the common use of the Ghavarehbori method. Among the main reasons for the Ghavarehbori construction method in the decorations of the openings of the Reyhane-bar neighborhood, the following can be mentioned: Cost-effectiveness: The Ghavarehbori construction method is much more economical than the Girih-tiling method, but by implementing Ghavarehbori, more limited designs can be made in comparison with the Girih-tiling method. Ease of construction: Artists need to use soft wood to make Ghavarehbori ornamentations, and this causes less durability, more wear and tear, and a more unfavorable appearance in the building wall. For this reason, to solve the problems of corrosion and to prevent biological and environmental disintegration as well as turbidity of color, the residents are forced to use stabilizers and chemical colors that do not match the authentic and historical texture of Masouleh. The research results show that there are sixteen geometrical patterns in Reyhane-bar neighborhood. As already mentioned in the text, the ornamentations of Masouleh’s openings have been implemented in three forms: Girih-tiling, Ghavarehbori and woodcarving. Several researches have been recently conducted with regard to the subject of Masouleh, its neighborhoods, and the existing ornamentations of the openings of each of these neighborhoods due to the significance and importance of Masouleh, as one the few habitable historical places in Iran. This research and its results are only a small part of the wide and extensive topics that can be performed in the field of knowledge of traditional arts and how they work to meet the needs of users. In fact, it is possible to investigate the ornamentations of other places in Masouleh in future research, which would lead to the recognition and preservation of the architectural arrays of Masouleh.

Decorations, as important components, have long been one of and the most stable characteristics of Islamic architecture and art. One type of these decorations is openings. In addition to practical aspects, openings have presented diversity and enclosing beauty in Iranian architecture. The surface of the openings has mostly been decorated with geometric and vegetal patterns. The city of Masouleh has various geometric openings that have been embedded in this city for many centuries. Masouleh is located near (55 km away from) Rasht in Gilan province and in the southwest of Foman in a mountainous area with a height of 1050 meters above the sea level. This city is registered in the list of national monuments under number 1090. In the present research, an attempt has been made to analyze the types of decorations in the openings, the abundance of decorations in each of the openings, the concepts of decorations, and the drawing of arrays in Masjedbar openings.

The current research aims to answer these questions: how many levels do the openings of Masjedbar neighborhood include? What concepts have been effective in the formation of arrays of openings in Masjedbar? In this research, an attempt has been made to analyze the decorations of the openings of 26 buildings in Masjedbar neighborhood, which are older than other residential buildings in this neighborhood. The method is descriptive-analytical and comparative. In the first step, the pictures of openings were prepared based on field surveys. In the next step, they were drawn by AutoCAD 2023 software. Also, to understand the proper amount of lighting, the dimensions of the openings, and the influence of the arrays on the lighting, optical simulation software "VELUX Daylight Visualizer 3" was used. In the last step, the results of the types of decorations in the openings, the abundance of decorations in each, the concepts of decorations, and the drawing method of the arrays in Masjedbar openings were presented.

The architecture of Masouleh has attracted the attention of many domestic and foreign tourists and researchers due to the use of authentic Iranian Islamic arts and its great compatibility with the nature and culture of society. The openings of the historical city of Masouleh, especially Masjedbar neighborhood, are one of the oldest and most beautiful arts where one can see the originality and artistic creativity of the artists of Masouleh and the province. Masjedbar neighborhood in Masouleh is considered one of the centers of the early formation of Masouleh; because of the presence of the mausoleum of Awn ibn Ali, it has earned special sanctity among the habitat of Masouleh. To meet the needs of its users, Masouleh’s buildings have various types of integrated openings, Sarbariahs with inscriptions (single), Sarbariahs without border design (single), openings without Sarbariah, and Orosies. The openings often consist of Girih-tiling and Ghavarebori decorations. Masouleh integrated openings have a two-part structure Sarbariah and bariah. These types of openings are the most common types of windows in Masjedbar neighborhood. The upper opening of the window, which is called Sarbariah, is fixed, and the bariah part consists of two parts that can be separated from each other. Sarbariahs are inscribed (single), have minimal decorations, and possess a minimum amount of space for light and ventilation. In the opening part of the bariah, a door without decorations is used, and the Sarbariah has two parts of girih-tiling decorations on the border and the middle inscription. Sarbariahs do not have a border design (single), have a similar structural and function similar to the windows of inscribed Sarbariahs (single) of Masjedbar neighborhood. Openings without Sarbariah in Masjedbar neighborhood have a surface with full light absorption capability in the bariah section and do not have Sarbariah or upper opening. The Orosies or rising windows of Masjedbar neighborhood have a structure with many Girih-tiling and Ghavarebori decorations. From the point of view of receiving light and natural ventilation of the interior, the Orosies are of a higher level than all other Masjedbar openings and have been used in the residential buildings and mosques of this neighborhood. The Orosies of residential houses have more decorations compared to the Orosies of mosques in Masjedbar neighborhood.

The research results show that Masjedbar openings are classified into five levels of integrated windows, openings without Sarbariah, Sarbariahs without inscriptions, Sarbariahs with inscriptions and Orosies. The present research results show that 19 geometric arrays of Girih-tiling and Ghavarebori were used in the structure of openings in Masjedbar. Ghavarebori arrays with checkered design, an eight-square shamseh knot, and a four-square knot are the most frequent patterns in the openings of Masjedbar neighborhood. The results of natural light reception analysis show that integrated openings, without Sarbariah and Orosies have a good performance in receiving light; Sarbariahs with inscriptions (single) and Sarbariahs without border design (single) have poor performance in absorbing natural light in Masjedbar neighborhood. The results of investigating the shapes of the geometric arrays of Masjedbar openings show that the plant shapes in the arrays of the openings are often taken from the designs and patterns of flowers and historical and mythological plants of Iran, which were very common in Iran's pre-Islamic buildings. Cypress tree, paisley, and lotus motifs are included in this category. Religious and cultural motifs and symbols are other effective factors in the formation of arrays of Masjedbar openings. Ghavarebori, chalipah, and chaharqol are more widely used in the openings of Masjedbar's religious buildings. The rhombus square knot is one of the few patterns native to Gilan in the arrays of Masjedbar openings. This pattern is often used in the openings of residential buildings and is a symbol of mat weaving in the plains of Gilan. The combination of numbers and basic geometric shapes is another effective concept on the formation of arrays of Masjedbar openings. These shapes, involving a combination of number eight, four and circular, rectangular and square motifs, are among the most used patterns in Masjedbar’s opening arrays.

The evolution of traditional Iranian architecture with the emergence of identity-building elements such as the dome moves in the direction of a kind of perfectionism. The Iranian dome is considered as an important element in architecture that has been used in various types of buildings in terms of its original historical prestige, strong theoretical foundations, unique features and keeping the space cool. The dome is in fact the presentation of a complete architecture, whether it is used as a structure or where it is a symbol of transcendental truths. In fact, the dome, as an urban landmark, helps to read the space by breaking the sky line and directing the view towards its colorful world. In the process of shaping the space in Iranian architecture, we see the abstraction of colors and images in buildings. The Iranian architect creates with the use of various arrays. The culmination of the manifestation and display of the attributes of the arrays appears in the dome, and the color, which is considered as an effective visual element in the urban landscape, doubles this splendor and charm. In fact, color is a tool by which the architect can identify the form and influence the visual logic of the space. The colors in the dome are narrators of a deep and mystical meaning that guide the viewer’s mind towards discovery and intuition. Islamic and geometric maps, shapes and patterns, along with the conscious use of color and attention to harmony and contrast, in the shadow of a novel order, present the dome as an element of semantic index and evoke a sense of harmony and connection in the viewer’s mind. The color on the dome is part of a larger whole that reflects a fundamental concept, to depict a transcendental truth. We are witnessing the peak of this art and cryptography in the Safavid period. This study tries to provide a color pattern by examining how the color accompaniment in the outer shell of the domes in the Safavid period to be used to create an atmosphere with identity in today’s Iranian architecture. The method of data collection in this study was the use of field studies. To analyze this data, two visual methods and the use of digital software based on computer simulation have been used. Then, with logical reasoning and content analysis, the final results are obtained.