The Role of Architecture in Improving Life Quality of Residential Complexes in Ilam City with a Focus on Environmental Psychology

The construction of residential complexes to provide urban housing is inevitable due to the growing population. However, how to build these complexes and coordinate them with the psyche, emotions, and identity of individuals, and consequently, ensuring life quality are more important factors that have not received much attention from relevant authorities. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the role of architecture in improving the quality of life with an emphasis on environmental psychology in residential complexes by descriptive-survey method. The statistical population of the study consists of residents of residential complexes in Ilam, of which 383 people are selected by cluster random sampling. It should be noted that sample size is determined using the Cochran's formula. The research questionnaire has been confirmed through content validity and Cronbach's alpha reliability of higher than 0.7. Data analysis is performed using one-sample t-test, correlation and multiple regression in SPSS software. Findings indicate that the level of life quality in residential complexes is moderate (3.38) and the architecture of these residential complexes does not meet the standards (2.32). There is also a significant relationship between demographic variables (gender, age, marital status, education and income) with the quality of life of residential complexes. In addition, there exists a significant relationship between the components of standard architecture (location, land, built area, design, and construction technology) and improving the quality of life of residential complexes. Finally, it is found that the components of construction technology, education and marital status explain 44% of changes in the dependent variable.