نشریه مطالعات معماری ایران
سال دهم شماره 20 (پاییز و زمستان 1400)

This paper examines cuerda seca tomb tiles from the late sixteenth to the early nineteenth century in the two shrines of Sultan ‘Ata-bakhsh and Sultan Mir Ahmad in Kashan. The first example belongs to a late sixteenth-century tomb, painted in two shades of cobalt blue against a white background. From the seventeenth century, at least four tombstones remain that are decorated with vegetal motifs on a yellow background, some of which interestingly lack any text. Early eighteenth-century examples include a number of tomb tablets consisting of four mud-brick tiles with a mihrabi frame. The few surviving works from the Qajar period are either made of blue and white tiles or of cuerda seca tiles with floral patterns. The main question in this research is documenting the formation and evolution of cuerda seca tomb tiles of Kashan and their difference in form and content from lustre tombstones of the early Safavid period. In terms of content, attention to Persian elegies can be seen as so significant that they replaced Arabic phrases used in previous periods. Regarding form, the investigated examples show more emphasis on decorative motifs, in contrast to text, as was used in lustre tiles.

In Behbahan historical houses, two types of stone and brick architecture with different structural and decorative patterns can be seen. In brick buildings, which are less old and often date to the late Qajar and Pahlavi periods, bricks have been used in both structural and decorative components. The decorative role of brick was recognized from its early usage, and it has been used as the main ornamentation in Behbahan’s architecture works in different parts of buildings and in different manners. However, few studies have been done on brick decorations, except for brief reports composed during the introduction of some historical monuments; hence, further research is required to introduce such ornamentation. The purpose of this study is to investigate and document the brick decorations of historical houses in Behbahan in order to provide design patterns for use in future studies. Therefore, based on available documents and references, brick ornaments in Iranian architecture were studied first. Next, using field surveys and an analytical-descriptive method, the decorative patterns in the research samples were categorized and the types of bricks used, types of patterns, methods of execution, place of application, and style of decoration were then examined. For this purpose, 28 historical houses and more than 50 frontispieces were studied and 47 patterns were extracted. The results show that brick decorations have often been used for the interior walls of courtyards (exterior walls were not decorated except for the frontispiece, i.e., the entrance). Brick patterns were executed using ornamentation techniques such as khavun-chini, rag-chin (course), gol-andaz, lattice form, and gereh; and various forms of brick cutting were also used especially in edging, framing, and string courses in combination with gol-andaz and rag-chin traceries. The traceries are mainly the result of the repetition of basic patterns. Basic patterns are observed in the form of chevron, five-row flowers, seven-row flowers, nine-row flowers, and eleven-row flowers (simple and combined). The style of decorations is geometric, based on the principle of symmetry in line with the continuity of Iranian brickwork tradition.

Jame‘ mosques were one of the most important institutions in Iranian cities. Their functions changed along with historical developments of the city. It is expected to have been the same in Kerman. The Mozaffari Jame‘ Mosque was constructed in the eighth century AH and is well known today. This building is located in the eastern part of the old city, holding in it Friday prayers since its foundation date. There is no clear information about the mosque before the current century. The purpose of this study is to investigate the background and position of Jame‘ mosques in Kerman in relation to architecture and city in different periods. The research pursues the following question: what was the background of the Jame‘ mosque institution in Kerman and what was its position in the city? Since the subject of this research is about the past and it describes and analyzes historical data and searches for related evidence, the historical-interpretive method is used. Although the post-Islamic history of Kerman has been written in historical sources such as local histories, little is available about Jame‘ mosques in the city. The result of this research shows that four Jame‘ mosques were built in Kerman in the period between the first to the mid-eighth century AH: Nokhostin Jame‘ Mosque, Malek Jame‘ Mosque, Darb-e-No Jame‘ Mosque, and Mozaffari Jame‘ Mosque. These buildings did not function simultaneously, as each new mosque replaced the older one. In terms of location, each of the mosques was built in a new district of the city, and not in place of .older ones

Thermal comfort is one of the most important issues in architecture. Although studies in this field began in the early twentieth century yielding significant achievements, one of today’s architectural challenges is to provide thermal comfort with the least dependence on fossil fuels for the inhabitants of buildings. At the same time, it seems that vernacular architecture, which is tested through centuries of experience, has had significant success in creating climate-responsive strategies that can still be utilized to design passive and sustainable architecture in different climates. Vernacular architecture of the region of Sistan is an example that has been able to make indoor climatic conditions often acceptable for residents. Therefore, through a case study, this paper investigates the performance of these strategies and their roles in providing thermal comfort in indoor spaces in Sistan during the warm period of the year. For this purpose, a vernacular building was selected, and through qualitative and quantitative analysis, the performance of dorchah, kolak, and kharkhona strategies that help provide thermal comfort in the warm period of the year was investigated. Their impact on indoor air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and thermal comfort have been analyzed. The results show that although in the warm period of the year, the indoor environmental parameters of spaces are not in the range of classic thermal comfort temperatures (23-27 °C), the use of climatic strategies has a significant effect on improving these parameters at different times of the day. In addition, indoor environmental parameters with the application of kharkhona were in a good range during hot times of the day, while dorchah and kolak can make indoors tolerable when the outdoor environment is cooler.

A fundamental look at the habitats and environment-friendly spaces of the past confirms that climatic sustainability was one of the main features of traditional houses. In the past, humans learned to adopt different strategies to improve the thermal performance of their living spaces, i.e., by creating intermediate spaces between open and closed spaces they were able to control indoor temperatures. The main function of verandas was climatic, which by means of shading play an important role in controlling indoor temperatures and creating thermal comfort. One of the main objectives of this paper is to study the climatic data and thermal performance of verandas with respect to their physical proportions. Three traditional buildings having verandas were selected at different geographical locations. The field climate data was collected using measuring instruments such as a thermo-pyrometer and a thermo-hygrometer and then validated using Envi-met and Bio-met simulation software to measure the PET thermal comfort index. The climatic data was weighted using correlation coefficients. Despite all correlating physical aspects of the courtyards, such as area, vegetation, pond, wall height and materials, it was observed that the reduction of the average radiant temperature in the courtyards and verandas improved thermal performances. There was a strong correlation observed between the average radiant temperature and the thermal comfort index in the three houses. Increase of the width of the veranda, increase of their facade opening area, increase of their elevation from the courtyard level, and increase in shading of the courtyard areas are the most effective factors improving the PET index and consequently reducing thermal stress. The resulting guidelines from this research will open a new window to retrieve the concepts of ancient patterns to help solve urban climatic problems.

Creativity is a key matter in architectural literature and education. Creative teaching in architecture, on the other hand, could boost creativity in students. Ned Herrmann, who researched thinking and creative thinking models, associates the brain with four quadrants of intellectual desires, each with a distinct combination of individual thinking abilities. Hermann defines people with the dominant quadrant A as realistic and analytic; the dominant quadrant B as mostly organized and obedient to a program; the dominant quadrant C as emotional, flexible, and non-competitive; and the dominant quadrant D as most innovative and creative.This article investigates the relationship between creativity and the academic performance of 121 students of architecture at the University of Tehran during the academic calendar 2014-2017 in terms of the four-quadrant brain dominance model of Ned Herrmann. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution tables and proportional graphs were used to analyze the research results. For inferential statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, Chi-square analysis, and analysis of variance were used.The results of this study suggest that:Although the students are interested in their education, they do not feel very successful.Most students had B quadrant dominance.There was no significant relationship between academic performance and creative thinking of students (brain quadrants dominance).The existence of a significant relationship between the grades of students in the main courses of architectural design with the dominance of the D quarter shows that the instructors have more emphasis on divergent and intuitive thinking in their programs.The outcome of this research should assist the educational planning of architecture programs in the country.

Studying historical dams and embankments, determining their construction date, and investigating the type of technology and creativity used in their design are of particular importance, yet few studies have addressed these so far. The historical Kurit Dam is located at the edge of the Central Desert of Iran, about 56 km away from Tabas in the province of South Khorasan. This study uses field and library research methods and laboratory experiments. The exact dimensions and drawings of the current situation of the dam structure were surveyed for the first time, and the lifespan and different phases of construction were determined by taking samples from different parts of the dam body. Moreover, the technology used to construct this structure was investigated. The results reveal that this masonry arch dam which was constructed without a diversion tunnel in the river serves as a historical record in terms of technology, phased construction, and installation of all necessary elements of a dam. Results of thermoluminescence dating show this dam is more than 700 years old and is constructed in several phases at different time intervals. After the end of the useful life of the dam when the reservoir was filled with sediments, the dam height was increased and its final height from the riverbed reaches 54.4 m. The first part of the dam body with the height of 16.8 m from the riverbed was constructed in 685 AS. The second, third, and fourth parts, with the intervals of about 50, 350, and 100 years from the previous stage, increased the height of the initial structure by 19.2, 9, and 9.4 m, respectively. This dam was constructed of irregular and regular stone material as well as bricks and was employed by the locals for about seven centuries.

Energy consumption of buildings and the resulting environmental pollution are affected by city morphology. Most studies conducted on urban planning and energy efficiency have investigated urban energy consumption in micro-(construction) and macro-scales (transportation, network, and infrastructure management). Focusing on the gap between these two scales, i.e., the mid-scale (urban texture), and considering it in the design process of residential complexes and urban textures can greatly help improve the energy efficiency of the construction sector. In this study, Birjand, which is located in a desert region with a high summer temperature intensity and low-temperature extremes in winter, was selected for the case study. Because this study investigates energy consumption and urban morphology, each with its special method of study, the mixed method was used for this research. In the urban morphology section, the typo-morphology approach was used wherein aerial images were examined to identify the times and places of transformation in the city texture. In the energy section, 100×100 m2 study units were selected from the urban texture and their energy consumption was simulated by Honeybee software. Finally, the descriptive-analytical method was used to measure their relationship. According to the findings, the morphology of the newer textures demonstrates better energy efficiency compared to that of the older textures. In addition, the optimal form of buildings in terms of energy demand is that with the lowest surface-to-volume ratio and an optimal orientation and length-to-depth ratio.

Nature is a key source of inspiration in environment-friendly design. In the bionic approach, humans can create spaces and elements adaptive to the environment and enhance their living conditions. Meanwhile, a comparative comparison of man-made and natural structures helps us to better understand this matter. This study conducts a comparative comparison of two natural and anthropogenic structure patterns by analyzing termite nests and the Ouee underground complex. First, through field studies and local surveys, the Ouee underground complex was investigated and analyzed. Then, termites and termite nests were investigated by documentary methods and library studies. Comparative criteria for the two samples were derived by examining different sources in three categories of form and structure, climatic solutions, and security techniques. The two samples were analyzed by the logical reasoning method. Finally, after a comparative review and analysis of the construction criteria and principles for each sample collection, it can be said that the Ouee complex and termite nests are very similar in structure. Similar techniques and solutions can be observed in the formation of troglodytes and natural complexes. Modeling of nature can be said to be an instinctive human behavior throughout history, as can be seen in the form of bionic architecture today or in the discussion of imitation of nature in the past.

Cultural economics considers heritage as a form of cultural capital which generates public revenue and creates economic cycle. However, in our country, this issue has been neglected so far and its consequence is the increasing burden of conservation practices for the government and the passivity of the local community to historical monuments. The purpose of this article is to identify potential factors of cultural heritage in improving local economies. After reviewing international documents and well-known theories in this field using the interpretive-qualitative approach and content analysis, five factors are introduced: urban regeneration, investment opportunities, creative and cultural industries, tourism, and job creation. Each of these factors has components that show the strategies of utilizing cultural heritage for sustainable economic development. The introduced factors would be adjusted to any built heritage and its surrounding areas according to the fundamental principles of conservation. This research shows that the sensitive integration of cultural heritage in development strategies and actions is a suitable way for the multifarious utilization of heritage. In this way, the conservation of cultural heritage is not considered an elitist act, but rather a leading contributor to and a driver of sustainable economic development. The proposed framework will be beneficial for policymakers and stakeholders in the cultural heritage arena.

Management and prioritization of architectural heritage conservation in Iran is one of the main challenges of this field due to lack of financial resources. Since the enactment of the Preservation of National Monuments and Antiquities law (1309 AS), architectural heritage has never been evaluated or graded methodically, i.e., within a codified framework and with a conservation approach based on significance. This has led to the lack of comprehensive principles for integrated management, coordinated decision-making, and prioritization for conservation purposes, while most developed or developing countries have developed such a logical framework. One of the tools for conservation management of architectural heritage in Europe is classification. The main purpose of this research is to identify the classification system proposed in European policies in order to outline an operational and generalizable model at the national level. Aims and objectives affecting the European architectural heritage classification system is the main question of this research. To find it through document research and library studies, the available data including laws, policies, and experiences were collected and analyzed through a descriptive-interpretive and comparative method using the qualitative approach. According to the research findings, the main purpose of classification has been to reach a management mechanism based on an hierarchical system that improves policies for the protection of heritage resources and the use of authorities in architectural heritage conservation. For this, architectural heritage is classified into three levels: national, regional, and local. The approach and decision-making methods for classification are determined based on consultation with experts and authorities and according to relevant criteria and components, including uniqueness; significance; qualification for protection; ownership; and historical, architectural, artistic, scientific, aesthetic, and social qualities. The classification system in Europe is considered an important factor of economic development and improvement of living conditions.

Nowadays, urban living is necessarily associated with neighboring groups of people. The historical experience of human habitation in different parts of the world is a testament to the above-mentioned. Accordingly, the study of the Neighbor Law in general and the laws of social relationships in residential environments, in particular, becomes necessary and relevant. The main purpose of the present article is to explain the influence of the physical environment on social relationships in a neighborhood, which is a matter of concern for residential planners and designers. For this purpose, the variables affecting neighbor relationships were identified and categorized by reviewing research sources, and next, the impact of these variables on each other and neighborhood relationships was determined by logical reasoning. The findings suggest that neighbor social relationships are primarily affected by individual and socio-economic characteristics of residents, such as personality traits, marital status, gender, length of residence, home ownership, ethnicity, and race. The physical characteristics of the environment can also facilitate or deter the formation and continuation of neighbor social relationships. The three main variables affecting neighbor social relationships are as follows: Totality of the Physical Environment (residential density and appearance); Public Space (size, shape, enclosure, floor and edge characteristics, and characteristics of local service facilities); and Residential Blocks (housing type, accessibility to and visibility of public space from residential blocks). On the other hand, since "meaning" is the mechanism of any individual’s relationship with the environment, people interact with each other according to the meaning of particular activities and physical characteristics of the environment. Accordingly, the impact of the characteristics of the environment (independent variables) on the neighbor social relationships (dependent variables) can be explained through meaning-related variables (mediating variables). Consequently, it is worth mentioning that the "cognitive qualities of the physical environment" impact the "structural and interactional aspects of neighboring" through "neighborhood attachment." Variable relationships are presented in a theoretical model which can be used by researchers studying neighbor social relationships in various socio-cultural contexts.