The Evolution of Housing Spatial Organization Based on the Social Status of Women (A Comparative Analogy of Iranian and European Housing)

Problem Statement: 

There has always been an interaction between the spatial structure of the house and social and cultural factors. Women and their new positions at home and in society have been influential factors in house structure changes in the last few centuries. As a place that plays a crucial role in identifying and reproducing social values, the house has always changed to express and harmonize with the residents’ beliefs. Since today the trend of changes in women’s roles and social identity is changing rapidly, examining the developments in the past few centuries, identifying the influential factors, strategies applied, and the results of these changes can be an excellent way to predict and present patterns suitable for the house in the future.

The purpose of this article is to compare the spatial structure between the houses of the 17th to 21st century in Europe with the houses of Iran from the Qajar period until now by focusing on the social status of women. For this purpose, the evolution of spatial organization in Iran and Europe was examined separately then the differences and similarities between them in the same period were scrutinized.

This study employed the interpretive-historical method, logical reasoning, and comparative analogy to investigate the relationship and the two-way effects of the spatial structure of the house and the social position of women by using the longitudinal and transverse analogy.

The results show that there is a direct relationship between women’s social status improvement and the composition of the gender domains of the home. With the improvement of this position, the spatial quality of feminine territories has increased, and many gender valuations of spaces and functions have been eliminated, which has finally led to the balancing of gender roles in the home.