The Interrelationship of Lifestyle Patterns and Spatial Organization of HousesCase Study: Rasht Residential Buildings (from the Qajar Period to the Present)

Monotonous housing constructions neglecting the cultural-behavioral patterns of residents in many cities of Iran have gradually affected their behavior and reduced their satisfaction with their living environments. In addition to its function as a shelter, housing is a place for human comfort. Coordination of housing design with the lifestyle of people creates a sense of belonging for them. This research examines the interrelationships of physical changes in residential design and lifestyle in houses of Rasht from the Qajar period to the present day. A combined method was used to achieve the research goal. A total number of 38 cases were selected dating from the Qajar period to the present and studied using qualitative methods including surveys and semi-structured interviews with the residents of these houses, which helped identify the housing models and influential components of lifestyle. The results show that over time, open and semi-open spaces of the houses, such as the yard and the porch, lost their functions and so they were transferred to the interior. Until the Pahlavi period, physical and lifestyle changes were almost insignificant, but they have changed a lot since. As a result, the physical model of houses has changed slowly under the influence of the knowledge of the time besides cultural, social, and other living conditions, but there is not necessarily such a change regarding biological activities.