Space as a promenade; A Critique of Spatial Quality in Fluid Architecture of Contemporary Iranian Commercial Centers (Case Study: Four Commercial Buildings, Tehran)

The openness of space, visibility and legibility of interior spaces are the most important conditions for the design of commercial buildings, and in this regard, the fluid design of form and space in contemporary architecture is more in line with such use. From the beginning of the twentieth century, the continuity and visual and physical continuity of space occurred in the idea of "promenade architecture" and gradually, with the advancement of technology, it took the path of excellence. Research Question: Research questions about the quality of fluid space in these four buildings are designed and lead to measures of the quality of interior space in the structure of contemporary commercial buildings: What physical elements and spatial structures did each of the four commercial buildings under study use, and how did they use them to create the fluidity of space? What are the differences and similarities between the promenade architecture in these four buildings?

Relying on the importance of addressing this feature in the interaction and shopping functions, the purpose of this study is to assess how this feature appears in the physical elements and structure of contemporary commercial spaces in Iran and in this way emphasizes the factors involved in the promenade architecture idea.

Based on this, the present study investigates the issue in four contemporary commercial centers of Tehran (Arg Tajrish, Charso, Sam Pasdaran and Ava) and compares and critiques the spatial quality in the realization of this principle. It has used the space syntax technique to advance the analysis and drawing and interpreting diagrams and UCL Depthmap and Agraph software. Four promenade architectural features were inferred through a descriptive analytical method by reviewing the research literature. the analysis process after reviewing and selecting the relevant indicators in the space syntax theory, was followed by comparative and logical reasoning. Thus, using the output of indicators such as integration, relative symmetry, depth and connection, Axial analysis and Isovist, the subject of Promenade architecture in four subgroups: "dynamics-continuity-integrity", "axis-end-sequence", "staging-Chain-integrity" and "fluidity-openness-totality" were evaluated in the study buildings.

The results showed that various measures are effective in creating formal / spatial fluidity and words representing the promenade architecture. How these words are expressed in the study buildings reveals differences and similarities that recognizing their positive and negative results will help to correct the function and space design of contemporary designs.