Exploring the Concept of Solitude as a Common Theme in Rumi's Poetry and Architecture (Elements and Decorations)

Understanding fundamental concepts in architecture is not possible without considering the cultural and social values of humans. Since humans are social beings, they require four types of relationships for interaction: "God," "Self," "World," and "Fellow Beings". The nature of these interactions shapes the relationship with others. In this context, solitude, as one of the fundamental concepts related to the existential dimensions of human beings and one of the most important qualitative features of the environment, can provide a suitable ground for these interactions. This research has been conducted to examine the concept of solitude in Rumi's thought and answer the question, “What are the instances of solitude in Rumi's architectural elements and decorations”?

The present study is fundamental and qualitative research, utilizing meta-analysis and comparative analysis methods. In addition to investigating documents, the data collection method involves exploring theories and viewpoints, interviews, and open-ended questionnaires. For the analysis of qualitative data, coding, and examining the frequency of codes extracted from the interviews, the NVivo software is used.

Based on the theoretical model of the concept of solitude in Rumi's poetry and the logical reasoning strategy derived from the research findings, the fourfold interaction in Rumi's thought emphasizes four states of solitude: "solitude with oneself," "solitude with God," "solitude with a confidant," and "solitude in the company".

Based on the results of this research, the common concepts of solitude in the thought of Rumi and architectural elements and decorations include components such as "imagination," "the coexistence of light and darkness," "void" and "empty space," "the vertical axis of the universe," and "the property of reflection" as concepts related to "solitude with God," and the components of "inner and outer" and "loneliness" in relation to "solitude with oneself" and "intimacy" in relation to solitude with others and the community.