Identifying the Principles of Identity Building in Tabatabai and Boroujerdi Houses

As a result of acculturation and confusion in contemporary Persian architecture, houses constructed during this period do not conform to the social and cultural requirements of the local community. Hence, identifying identity-forming elements and concepts in the architecture of Kashan plays a key role in the process of constructing houses possessing an identity and responding to the cultural and social requirements of the local community. In order to identify and explain identity-forming elements and concepts, the qualitative method and the content analysis approach were employed to study two historical houses in Kashan. Based on the results, the identity-forming elements were divided into the natural and physical categories. In addition, identity-forming concepts and principles were determined, some of which confirmed the views of the scholars while others were consistent with such views to some extent. The identity-forming elements in the architecture of the houses of Kashan were divided into two parts of the natural elements and physical elements. The natural elements are water, wind, light, and plants. Physical elements are linking vestibules, Hashti, room, veranda, central courtyard, alcove, hall, wind catcher, and Howz-khāneh. The concepts and principles affecting the formation of housing in Kashan include introversion (i.e., the quality of being inward-looking), centralism, the relationship of architecture with nature, the application of geometric principles in the formation of spaces and visuals, attention to hierarchy and the prioritization of space, space flexibility, proportion and balance in the relationship of architecture to natural elements, and harmony with the climate of the region. Some characteristics and concepts were determined to be “relative” identity-forming features of houses in Kashan. These characteristics and concepts are as follows: Self-sufficiency (i.e., the use of local materials in the construction of the house) and humanized architecture (i.e., the practice of giving a human character to the construction), transparency, and continuity