An introduction to the effects of secularism foundations on contemporary architecture and urbanism of Iran

Secularism is one of the most important components of west contemporary civilization. The role of this system of thought, which emerged as a reaction against the function of religious institutions in the West, especially the church in the Middle Ages, is so prominent in contemporary civilization that its effects on political, social, cultural conditions and relationships can be clearly identified, and the geography of Iran is no exception. After a brief introduction and brief explanation of the foundations of secularism, this paper focuses on the issue of the effects of secularism on contemporary architecture and urban planning, and in particular the physical-spatial transformations of Iranian contemporary cities. A composite method is used: archival research for data collection and qualitative content analysis for data analysis. Our findings indicate that since architecture, urban planning and relevant issues (including spatial and physical transformations) are influenced by different social and cultural relations, Iranian contemporary architecture and urbanism are affected by secularism and its foundations. In order to prove this issue, objective examples and evidence are presented as part of analytical discussions.