Space Syntax, a Brief Review on its Origins and Methods in Architecture and Urban Design Case Study: Brojerdiha Mansion, Kashan, IRAN

The main aim of the current paper is to review the principals and foundations of the space syntax theory and methods, while looking at its most recent developments and computer based techniques within architecture and urban planning fields. Therefore, the paper initially took a brief introduction to the theory fundamentals and core idea. It starts with Bill Hillier and Julianne Hanson (1984), the social logic of space and then proceed to Space is the Machine (1996). Then, recent publication and papers which has had a huge impact on the theory were cited wherever it was necessary. One of the main theories here is the theory of natural movement which supports the ‘configurational’ paradigm for through movement. In other words, the theory focuses on the fact that a primary property of the form of urban grid is to privilege certain spaces over others. Patterns of movement are generated from the configuration of urban grids, and then land uses locate to take advantage of the locational privileges. Movement patterns are correlated with space syntax through measure of ‘integration’. Finally, it has clear implications for urban design and architecture suggesting that a well-established architecture and urban design can perform well through its configurational relations to the larger urban systems. Space syntax has raised a common objection that a non-uniform line representation of space that reduces space in to a topological graph has the potential to analyze space by measures or not. The critics that has challenged the theory and technique, is another point of discussion. The theory credibility is under a big question mark, while it ignores too much geometric and metric details of an architecture or urban area. Furthermore, it is argued that space syntax theories focus on nonlocal and extrinsic properties of space which shape movement dynamics. These properties are those which are defined by the relation of elements to all other elements in a system. The method is definitely a strong method of urban analysis because of the fact that cities have powerful nonlocal characteristics along with local ones. Although the axial and convex analysis were developed before computer and quantitative techniques, emerging technologies and computers analytical powers has a great influence on its further developments. The case study that will be presented in detail served as a proto-type for space syntax analysis to understand whether axial lines and convex maps could demonstrate the morphological changes that had apparently happened in the design of traditional houses in a small city in Iran. Borojerdiha Mansion, Kashan has been selected as a case study to introduce these concepts and developments in space syntax theory and methods. The reason to select the Mansion was firstly, its prestigious role in Iranian architecture, Qajar era in one hand, complexity and multi-use spaces in its plan, which makes it a suitable case study for analysis, on the other hand. The outcomes of simulations provide a ground for detailed discussion on the recent features and techniques in Depth Map software.