نشریه معماری و شهرسازی ایران
پیاپی 23 (بهار و تابستان 1401)

There are multiple challenges in teaching and learning the basic architectural design studio, since students are at their novice skill level, and they are unfamiliar with the nature of the design knowledge and the interaction with their teachers. The most important activity in these studios, which leads to developing the students’ novice design skills, is the “teacher-student interactions” during the student’s progress. “Donald Schon”, a philosopher and researcher in the field of design education, has described one of the main theories in teaching the design studios. The results of Schon’s research show that “action with reflection” is the main knowledge-making factor in the studio. According to Schon’s theory, different levels of reflection take place in the context of teacher-student interaction. For this reason, it is necessary to analyze these interactions to improve and facilitate education in basic design studios. Understanding the different aspects of these interactions as well as their effective components can be operative in improving the training of novice designers.

Linkography method is the latest and most accurate method to analyze the designer’s way of thinking when faced with a design problem by analyzing design sessions. Linkography is a structural-applied method for examining and analyzing the production of design ideas as a communication network. This method was first studied and introduced by Goldschmidt (1990) to study the design protocols and then accepted by other researchers. A linkograph illustrates the design movements and the relationship between the designs. In this method, what has happened audibly between the teacher and the student during the design critique session is written and the resulting text is coded (FBS). In 1990, Jane Jero introduced the FBS encoding method, which is compatible with the linkography method. In FBS coding, codes are design issues, and their relationship defines design processes. Linkography is a method that transforms the conceptual connection between codes into illustrated representations and thus allows the analysis and identification of the designers’ thinking. In this research, linkography method is applied to scrutinize and analyze the interactions between novice students and their teachers in the basic architectural design studio.

The results show that establishing positive and constructive interactions between the teacher and students improves the students’ design skills and facilitates their brainstorming. The context in which the “dialogue” between the teacher and the novice students takes place can provide the conditions for this type of interaction. In general, the teacher takes the lead in the studio in three roles: friend, coach, and commander. As a friend, the teacher always encourages the student’s performance positively, and this leads to a permanent agreement between the two. However, this type of communication rarely improves the design ability of the novice student and is more effective in expanding the social and emotional connections. As a commander, the teacher treats the students based on competence and power. In this case, the students try to fulfill the teacher’s wishes without hesitation to attract attention or avoid reprimand. As a result, their design skills do not improve, and if a positive result is achieved in the design process, this result belongs to the teacher and not the student. As a coach, the main teacher’s task is to guide, advise and facilitate. By having sufficient experience and knowledge, the teacher anticipates the problem situation and guides the student to face these situations. At the same time, there is a space for conversation, and the students can explain their ideas and opinions. Placing the teacher and the student in such a situation creates positive interactions, and the process of reflection in practice is realized in a context of positive interactions.

Providing the context for establishing positive and constructive interactions in the basic architectural design studio depends on the emergence of individual and behavioral components of the teacher’s and the student’s behavior. The results of the present study have identified and introduced these components. For the students, components such as: culture, background, knowledge, experience, visual and spatial perception, gender, and values are effective in interactions. For the teachers, components such as: culture, knowledge, experience, and values are influential. The behavioral components of the teacher and the student are also different. Based on Schon’s text analysis and the results of the analysis of the session, the “good student” has behavioral characteristics such as: Trusting the teacher, Having practical attention and listening to the teacher, Discounting their previous ideas, Showing reflective imitation of the teacher’s performance, Admiring the teacher (not for attention or the fear of reprimand, but because of merits), Recognizing the teacher as a source of knowledge and competence, Showing mutual respect.The teacher also has different behavioral components and plans in the studio. As mentioned in the previous section, the effective teacher’s role in establishing fruitful interactions is the “coaching role”. The teacher’s presence as a guide in the studios leads to a dialogue between the teacher and the novice students. The conversation about the progress of the design project is an important part of the interaction between the teacher and the student. Hence,  the behavioral components of the “coaching role” are:Guidance and supervision, facilitation, Creating a safe ambiance for the student to explain their opinions and ideas, Not using the monophonic instruments of power, Avoiding hierarchy, Predicting possible future situations in the design process, Creating equal opportunities in conversation, Reflecting on student practice, Not giving explicit expression of positions and desires (because the subconscious leads to imitation of a novice student without reflection).

Today, due to the wide range of variables affecting architectural design, the computer is used as a tool in interaction with the design process to find optimal and high-performance solutions. It is necessary to investigate these methods due to their limitations and the complexity of space planning regarding the effective number of parameters. Improving the design quality and construction of architectural works is a common concern in developing countries, a step that can promote contemporary Iranian architecture. Furthermore, one of the design and construction characteristics in these developing countries is the tendency to improve the quality of architecture by using new technologies.

Space planning in architecture is one of the most practical and complex issues in architectural design and is considered one of the most challenging issues in recent research. The use of new technology-dependent methods in design, especially with an emphasis on using evolutionary algorithms as a solution, has been considered in the present research. Therefore, this study investigates the application and use of these algorithms as a solution for design optimization. The research questions of this study are:- Concerning the application of optimization algorithms in space planning design, which algorithms have been used as basic or complementary algorithms? How frequently have the Swarm Intelligence Algorithms, especially particle swarm optimization algorithms, been used in this regard? - What are the possibilities and limitations in spatial organization design in architecture using genetic algorithms compared to the particle swarm optimization algorithm as the two main evolutionary algorithms?- What is the implementation process and application of the particle swarm optimization algorithm in spatial organization design in architecture?In order to answer the research questions, 35 types of research that have used optimization algorithms in architectural spatial planning design are collected. Then, the content analysis method was used to extract all the variables used in architectural plan optimization. In the same way, the basic algorithm and the complementary algorithms, if any, were extracted.Based on the study of specific sources regarding the evolutionary optimization algorithm from the available bibliographic resources and the analysis of planning requirements and architectural space design, the genetic algorithm and swarm particle optimization algorithm were explained in designing the architectural spatial organization. The speed and quality of these two algorithms in investigating the research problem have been scrutinized based on software capacities in algorithm implementation and possibilities and limitations in using analytical methods for designing architectural plans. After explaining the objectives and numerical criteria, the particle swarm optimization algorithm using Microsoft Visual Studio programming software and .NET programming platform in C #, with WinodowsForm graphical user interface, was used to monitor the algorithm developing process and its results further.

This research introduces the features of metaheuristic algorithms and presents various optimization algorithms, including deterministic, heuristic, and metaheuristic algorithms. Also, the application of optimization algorithms in architecture is explained. The background of the evolutionary optimization algorithms and swarm particle optimization in the architectural plan design were also examined. After comparing the performance of the genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization algorithm in optimizing the spatial organization, the swarm optimization algorithm structure was introduced. Finally, the application of this algorithm in plan design was studied and explained. Accordingly, plan design algorithms were classified into three stages: In the first stage, the goals, criteria, and constraints affecting the architectural spatial organization were determined, and they were classified into (1) The primary criteria and constraints, (2) The designers’ criteria and constraints, and (3) The contacts’ (client and users) criteria and constraints. In the numeric stage, the criteria of land boundary, list of spaces, permissible aspect ratios, permissible dimensions, total area, space interference, space adjacency, daylighting, and verification of the spaces were quantified. Then, the algorithm is determined based on the particle swarm optimization algorithm in two steps. Finally, the implementation platform of the algorithm is determined.

The difficulty of working with programming languages, software skills, and the software complexity due to inadequacy to combine various scientific fields has made using programming languages uncommon for designers to control the design parameters. This study compared the performance of two genetic algorithms and particle swarm optimization as the representatives of the two main groups of evolutionary algorithms in a base problem. It was shown that the particle swarm optimization algorithm converges faster and has a higher quality to optimize the plan regarding the parameters affecting the plan design. Implementation of an operational solution to optimize the spatial organization of the plan with emphasis on the affecting parameters in the formation of architectural plans was proposed in a three-step process using this algorithm. The problem objectives were examined in three related areas. The quantification process and the final model implementation were completed based on the particle swarm optimization algorithm in the .NET programming platform, along with a graphical interface as user interfaces for architects to understand the implementation process better. In addition to achieving optimal plans, future research interests in this field were also introduced. Regarding the specific entity of architecture, the existing computer software is insufficient for implementing the algorithm, providing visual and operational efficiency, and needs to be developed and customized for broader application in various fields of design.

The Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) conservation approach is well known as a popular regeneration approach. This approach has developed the historic conservation beyond the immovable heritage area (single buildings and complexes) to all historical and cultural values that may emerge in the historic urban landscape. Landscape color is one of the substantial elements of historical patterns in urban areas, reflecting the local culture in the place’s body. Therefore, it is considered a significant component of the HUL conservation approach. Here, the problem is that the unconscious use of color is neglected in the urban regeneration of historical textures. In addition, the development of the neighboring areas may distort the urban landscape and threaten the character of these unique textures. The historic urban landscape, influenced by the inherent color orders of the local materials, was shaped in compatibility with climatic conditions. However, the HULs are now subject to visual and perceptual damage due to using materials incompatible with natural history. As such, investigating the color studies in different parts of the world and at different scales has been performed considering the specific historical characteristics to decrease these inconsistencies. In recent years, with the development of technology in harvesting, classifying, and preparing, its color palette has also been changed. Regarding the importance of these patterns, as well as the creation of incompatible structures with the local color order, the central question of the current research is how today’s tools can be employed instead of manual and old methods to record and analyze landscape color information, concerning the economic feasibility and reliability in terms of results. Accordingly, this paper aims to introduce a method to prepare the color palette of the place and identify the dominant color codes in the historic urban areas. For this purpose, given the outstanding features of the Jolfa neighborhood in Isfahan, it is chosen as a case study. Located in the historical patterns of Isfahan, having a particular culture, and the existence of unique color patterns, this neighborhood is still considered one of the dynamic neighborhoods in the tourism structure of Isfahan. This neighborhood is different from other parts of Isfahan’s historical textures due to its formed historical characteristics. Even in terms of appropriate samples and patterns of “color orders” and color themes employed in its landscape, it has some noticeable differences from other parts of the historical texture. 

This paper is conducted using a mixed-methods technique, which follows the systemic approach in terms of research strategies due to the multifaceted nature of the color element in the topics of “psychology,” “culture,” and “visual ecology.” The color system used in the study is the CIELab system. The Lab (i.e., L * a * b) model is the most compatible with the range of human color vision among all color systems. The color space L * a * b or CIELab is a global standard to measure the color, adopted in 1967 by the International Commission on Illumination. The process steps include preparing the color samples, extracting the color codes using SPSS and MATLAB software, and classifying them using the Quick Cluster Analysis Model (k-means).

According to the findings, five main color categories were achieved based on all color codes. Ultimately, the color codes of the centers of these clusters were obtained as base colors in the color palette of the Jolfa neighborhood. Therefore, the obtained results indicate that this study contains the potential to be widely utilized for analyzing the landscape color and preparing the proposed palette for historic urban texture to accomplish the aims of the (HUL) approach. Furthermore, it can offer the range of color spectrums and their frequencies for comparing the color landscape of historical textures in different samples and periods.

These studies can go beyond the research format and be available as software for those organizations involved in urban management to analyze any new construction compatible with the existing background color. Moreover, identifying and investigating other significant factors in shaping the historic urban landscape can complete the components of this research. These factors can be studied in resources such as studies related to the structure of the components that shape the landscape, the intuitive landscape of the place, the effect of natural context and climate on the urban landscape, etc.

Facades can significantly affect the visual quality of buildings. The initial impression that a building has on a viewer occurs via its facade. A building facade can be the most important element of its design. Considering that the facade of a building is the first visual component of that building and the first component that connects the building to the surrounding environment, it plays a significant role in the viewer’s evaluation. Perception of the meaning of facades has been mainly explored in urban planning, but architectural experts have paid little attention to this subject from the architectural point of view. Residential buildings were selected among the different types of buildings since paying attention to different components, and their meaning is more important than the function in designing residential environments. Nowadays, residential land uses constitute a large portion of urban land uses. Almost all members of a society are in direct contact with them and look at different facades on a daily basis. Therefore, this study attempted to identify the components of the meaning of residential apartments in Ardabil from the perspective of the citizens. The main question of this study is as follows: What are the semantic components of the facades in residential apartments from the perspective of the citizens?

This research had a mixed-method approach. The qualitative section was conducted using the grounded theory, while the quantitative section was performed using structural equation modeling (SEM). In the qualitative part, the required data were collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews with citizens of Ardabil City. Since the researcher’s deep understanding of the subject and the possibility of conducting in-depth interviews are major factors in any qualitative study, the main criterion for selecting the sample was the possibility of the author’s continuous presence in the area and interviewing the citizens. A total number of 25 residential apartments in Ardabil City were selected as the sample in this study. The southern and southwestern sections of Ardabil have a relatively new urban fabric. Most apartments in these sections have 3 to 6 stories. In terms of socio-cultural and economic status, these areas have a high, medium, medium-to-low, and medium-to-high status. Therefore, they were suitable for in-depth study and would provide generalizable results. For this reason, the geographical expanse consisting of the south and southwest of Ardabil City was selected as the study area. MAXQDA software and constant comparisons during the three stages of open, axial, and selective coding were used to analyze the collected data. After the interviews were transcribed, the collected data were scrutinized via the coding method and classified via open, axial, and selective coding. Each interview was perused several times, and the basic concepts were extracted via content analysis. In the second coding stage, one of the categories was selected as the core concept, which was then studied as the pivotal phenomenon in the explained process. The relationships of the other categories with the core concept were then determined and expressed in the form of a paradigm model. Selective coding was the last stage of the coding procedure in which the core category was selected, and its links to other categories were identified. The author designed a questionnaire in the quantitative section, and its validity and reliability were examined. SEM and SmartPLS software were used in this section of the research. The questionnaire consisted of 31 items designed in a structured manner based on the Likert 5-point scale and developed according to the conceptual model of the research. Four items directly inquired about the meaning of facades. Using targeted cluster sampling, the authors distributed the questionnaires among individuals who were familiar with the samples. Analysis of the collected data via SEM in SmartPLS confirmed the significance of the relationships and the identified components.

The components and details of building facades have meaningful integrity. Identifying the meanings of facades helps determine their constituent factors. In this study, the context and intervening factors, in some cases, have affected the meaning of the selected facades. The analysis showed that nine components affect the meaning of building facades: socio-cultural factors, lifestyle, economic factors, environmental factors, urban laws, visual quality, mental history, media, and construction quality.

The results showed that different factors affect how participants describe their residential apartment appearance. The participants used terms such as regular, expensive, identity, etc., when describing the appearance of residential apartments. The meanings of facades are affected by various factors. These meanings are formed in the context of structural factors (facade components, physical characteristics, stylistic features, and apartment properties), context factors, and intervening factors. Based on the achieved results, certain solutions have been proposed to improve the semantic status of the facades of residential apartments. By determining the components affecting the facade meaning, one can identify the physical properties and other influential underlying factors that would lead to desired visual quality, thereby helping the patterns and designs of the facade. Understanding these components helps architects comprehend people’s mental perceptions of the façade, while not preoccupying with their personal perceptions.

Media has always been a platform for activities related to the human intellect. It has become an integral part of human life in various forms and contexts by the supporting role of technology. On the other hand, many thinkers and theorists have introduced architecture as a physical media that can be perceived and analyzed at different theoretical levels. Despite these interpretations that recognize buildings with intrinsic mediating factors, a clear theoretical framework of such relationships and the interaction between architecture and media has not yet been identified. This study seeks to answer two main questions: what indicators affect the procedure in which architecture turns into a media? And, how can a model of the affecting factors and categories be identified to explain the connection between architecture and media clearly? Therefore, this study aims to identify and prioritize the effective factors for mediating the quality of architecture. Finally, it tries to present a model for recognizing architecture as media based on a case study, the historical building of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at Tabriz Islamic Art University, as an example of adaptive reuse in historic buildings.

This research is fundamental-experimental in terms of purpose, and descriptive survey in terms of entity and method, using a case study. According to the related literature, 12 faculty members of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at Tabriz Islamic Art University constituted the Delphi panel of experts. All the panel members were among the recognized experts in specific fields of architecture. In the first round of Delphi, indicators and brainstorming were conceptualized through semi-structured interviews with panel members in person and virtually. After analyzing the content of the interviews, by combining the factors obtained from the literature and the achieved indicators from experts’ opinions, 34 indicators effective in improving the mediating quality of architecture were extracted in four categories. In the second round of Delphi, the validity and reliability of the research tools were approved by the faculty members and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Then, the experts scored the factors in close-ended questionnaires and 5-point Likert scale, and the data were analyzed using TOPSIS technique. Kendall’s coefficient of concordance was used to assess the consensus among the experts, and the prioritized factors were also introduced along with the descriptive statistics components such as the average indices presented in tables and plots. Finally, by comparing the results of the TOPSIS technique with the results extracted from the descriptive statistics, the accuracy of the results and their validity were ensured.

The ratings and findings obtained from the average index differed slightly from the results extracted from the TOPSIS technique. The reason can be stated in the higher accuracy of this technique in prioritizing and presenting rankings and closeness indeces of each factor in the research. The factors of “Indicator of the art of technology and crafting in time” with the closeness index of 0.610652, “Reflector of the culture of people in the society” with the closeness index of 0.579874, “Creator of new sensory perceptions” with the closeness index of 0.561471, “Being a benchmark in the city context” with the closeness index of 0.560705, and “Represents the evolution of history” with the closeness index of 0.558936 were among the highest priorities in the factors affecting the mediating quality in architecture. Also, the factors of “A communicator” with the closeness index of 0.436028, and “The presence of a power in creating the message” with the closeness index of 0.457395 were recognized as the minor priorities. By calculating the averages of closeness indeces in each category, the most effective categories in improving the mediating quality in architecture are “Factors relating to the application of media”, “Factors relating to the impacts of media”, “Factors relating to the message”, and “Factors relating to the intrinsic characteristics of media”, that were introduced with the mean averages of 0.544508, 0.503928, 0.495541 and 0.491413, respectively.

The final model of architecture as a media and factors affecting the enhancement of mediating quality were presented as the research conclusion. Hence, if architecture is not considered a  physical media and does not have a mediating role, it can no longer be called architecture and will no longer differentiate its nature from a structure. Architecture continuously transmits its character, ideas, thoughts, mindsets, approaches, history, time, and specifically its message to the future and performs as a meta-media concept. Also, the body and audience of architecture change its media nature, and its mediating quality causes various spatial reproductions in the minds of the people and a wide range of users.

A continuous and comprehensive learning process depends on the proper teaching method in every pioneer education system. The evaluation process of architectural designs is meant to judge the designs. It measures the ratio of variable criteria in the design from the desired aspect and then evaluates it. Due to the pivotal role of judgment in the architecture curriculum, if the evaluation process is unclear and no productive criticism ambiance is provided, personal interpretations or unrelated demands to educational goals may distort the judgment process and prevent the flourishment of the students’ development and talents. If the judgment criteria are known, the students’ gradual quantitative and qualitative progression will be achieved, increasing their scope of the understanding of the architectural education system and its representation method. The present research was conducted to recognize the indicators and criteria affecting the evaluation of university architectural designs as a part of the student’s learning process to provide a better evaluation method that is more accurate and objective. The comprehensive education process in teaching is investigated in learning and assessment. In the current study, the role of the architectural design evaluation in learning and improving students’ scientific knowledge is investigated.

This research uses a mixed-method (qualitative-quantitative), and it is considered applied research. The statistical population comprises 15 faculty members at Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran University, Iran University of Science and Technology, and Shahid Chamran University of Ahwaz. A systematic, non-random sampling method was applied, and the samples were selected according to the educational fields due to the importance of scoring and its direct effect on the research results. Bearing in mind that students are one of the most important factors in the evaluation process, the students’ opinions were considered in the architectural design evaluation. Therefore, the master’s students of Architectural Design (3) of Islamic Azad University, Ahwaz Branch, were selected as the statistical population. Data was collected using a Likert scale questionnaire. In order to assess the research model, the results were analyzed using SPSS software and applying the Spearman Correlation Test, and in order to assess its validity, the Friedman test was used to prioritize the variables. Experts’ grading was considered in the final assessment of the architectural design projects. The results obtained from the questionnaires effectively provide proposed strategies and score the criteria and judgment rules of the architectural design projecects.

The research findings showed a significant difference between 4 components affecting the final product. The impact ratio of each one on the final product is different. The results showed that studies and technical knowledge, with a correlation coefficient of 0.535 and a significance level of 0.04, have the highest impact on the final product. This component has been the most important and effective factor in the final product. The other effective factors are design skills, design process development, and initial knowledge. The initial knowledge component has the least impact on the final product compared to other components. The results of Friedman’s ranking test showed that the sub-component in the analysis and interpretation of final results, presentation technique, and replica has the highest average rank. These sub-components have been the most important sub-component affecting the judgment of university projects. Then there is the design idea, creativity and form of the building, the subject, and the ability to analyze and present. The results show that these sub-components have the highest impact on the final judgment of the designs compared to other sub-components. And the sub-components of the impact ratio of planning and functional design and oral presentation have the least impact on the final judgment of the designs. The weighted index of 5 main components affecting the judgment of final designs based on the ranking of sub-component tests is the final product, study and technical knowledge, design skill, design process development, and primary knowledge, respectively.

According to the conducted studies, evaluation seems to have an important and valuable place in the learning process. If students are dissatisfied with this process, it will have a devastating effect on their learning. In this regard, holding “learner-centered” sessions was suggested to evaluate the design process during the semester and increase students’ learning. Since the highest scores were given to learning in classroom evaluation, specialization, and roundtable discussion, it is recommended that the professors collaboratively hold their design classes and invite professional architects as experts to make students more familiar with the market in the initial sessions. The students should be able to choose their professor among the studio professors to reduce the student’s confusion after the initial class sessions and the student’s familiarity with the professors’ viewpoints. It is better to hold classroom evaluation sessions in a participatory and roundtable manner, and students of various levels attend the classrooms. This research suggests strategies for professors and decision-makers for architectural design judgment, reducing students’ stress and worries and increasing their self-confidence in the architecture design studio. Suggestions for architectural evaluation and policy making are made to promote the level of architecture education and ultimately train students and competent architects.

This study aims to investigate the capacities of the culture-led regeneration components in the historical context of Urmia and present a strategy to enhance the identity and tourism development in this area. This article provides a framework for a culture-led regeneration in the historical context of Urmia with an emphasis on urban tourism. Theoretical literature has mentioned the cultural tourism approach as a reliable catalyst in culture-led regeneration programs. Successful experiences have shown that this approach can be used to boost the local economy while preserving the artistic and cultural heritage. Also, different religions and ethnicities have the potential to provide a special environment. As in the historical review of Bast in Britain, it was concluded that the social role of culture and art in improving cohesion and social interaction plays an important role in preserving the cultural customs and traditions of societies living in the old context.

This study is considered applied research using a descriptive-analytical method. A bibliographic study of documents and field-survey methods have been used by means of questionnaires and observation tools to collect data. According to Cochran’s formula, the statistical population in the historical neighborhoods of Urmia and the size of the statistical sample is equal to 379 people. After explaining the conceptual model of culture-led regeneration, a questionnaire was developed and qualitatively evaluated by Likert evaluation and the Friedman test. The correlation test was statistically analyzed by the data obtained from the questionnaire.

According to the conceptual model and based on the components derived from the literature on culture-led regeneration, the main components of the research can be divided into three categories: design-oriented, creativity-oriented, and community-oriented. According to the results, the most effective urban regeneration components in the study area are 1- community-oriented, 2- creativity-oriented, and 3- design-oriented, respectively. Also, the effectiveness of urban regeneration indicators in the study area can be prioritized as 1- culture, 2- social, 3- physical, 4- participatory management, 5- visual perception, 6- economic, 7- functional, 8- motivational space, and 9- environmental. Also, the correlation test result shows a significant relationship between the perceptual index and managerial and social indicators, with a coefficient of 0.9, 10. With more and more efforts of officials and citizens to preserve the originality and identity of the area and by transferring the values to future generations, more social activities will be observed. The correlation coefficient between the physical and social indexes is equal to 0.15, indicating a relationship between these two indicators. In other words, by creating open spaces, we will increase socialization and social capital. We also see a significant relationship between cultural and environmental indicators with a confidence of 0.99. Suitable social environments can be created by preserving the environment and producing green spaces or complexes with different trees and urban agriculture. Also, garden museums can be created to envisage these two indicators due to a strong historical context. Also, there was a significant relationship between the social and management indexes. Obviously, by informing the residents about the regulations and creating cultural neighborhood centers and recreational environments, more people will be actively present in the neighborhood, which will increase vitality, safety, and security in the community. The results indicate that the historical context of Urmia has a high potential in terms of the social development of cultural tourism, including cultural resources, events, and historical sites. Still, at the same time, as Chiardi and Hanigan believe, the deterioration of the context, separation from urban centers, and the existence of abandoned and defenseless spaces, are the obstacles to developing this type of tourism that slow down the regeneration process. 

Providing Three main paths are proposed as strategic goals to achieve the desired regeneration:• Creating identifying, memorable, and green historical complexes (design-oriented).• Creating participatory and competitive spaces based on creative industries (creativity-oriented).• Providing development based on participation, creating interactive spaces representing residents’ culture (community-based).According to the results, historical contexts in Iran, including the historical context of Urmia, offer unique opportunities in terms of physical and architectural attractions and cultural diversity due to the existence of different religions, ethnicities, and traditions. However, the biggest obstacles to using their potential are severe shortages of tourism infrastructure and limited transient visions of urban managers. Therefore, it seems that the framework for tourism development in historical contexts is to offer long-term and step-by-step programs without hasty decisions, provide infrastructure, and change the short-term visions of urban management. Accordingly, four steps are presented to better achieve the desired goals in culture-led regeneration since the common processes are inefficient for tourism development and mobilizing culture-led regeneration programs. A coherent, pragmatic, step-by-step program should be designed and implemented on the basis of the local culture and art and the involvement of residents. At the same time, preserving the memory and identity of the original values of the context should not be overlooked.

The present study is based upon the theory of “madinat alfadilah” (virtuous city) to help develop the theoretical foundations related to the concept of the “Islamic city”. This theory is one of the complete theories about the characteristics of the ideal city that “Farabi” has been able to systematize into a “scientific treatise”. “Farabi” is a wise scholar among Muslim thinkers whose theories can still be the solution to today’s problems, due to his scientific comprehensiveness,  intellectual order, and independence of thought from the conditions of his time.  The freshness of his thought  is due to his indebtedness to Islamic sciences and knowledge. In this study, the main research questions are:1. What are the key concepts of Farabi’s “madinat alfadilah” theory?2. How will these concepts play a role in explaining the theoretical foundations and defining the concept of “Islamic city”?There are two approaches in the studies about “urbanization” and “civilization” in Farabi’s view: The first can be considered as “extracting individual concepts from Farabi’s works”, which includes studies that introduce single useful concepts for today’s society according to Farabi’s theories. The second can be called “extracting common concepts from the comparative study of Farabi’s works and other thinkers”, which includes studies that have compared his views with other thinkers who have provided theories in the field of society and the ideal city. The present study fills the gap between these two approaches. It is not merely looking at single concepts, nor is it merely comparing Farabi’s works with other thinkers, based on the view that Farabi’s comprehensive theory can be a comprehensive and all-encompassing basis to define the “concept of the Islamic city”.

This research is a descriptive-analytical study in terms of attitude and addressing the research issue. Bibliographic study tools (with emphasis on referring to primary sources) have been used to review and refine the texts and content of the materials. The research results have been obtained using the qualitative analysis method. According to the research process (based on the research canvas model (Latham 2016)), the first step was to state the problem, explain the goals, and formulate the research questions. The next stage determined the research position by reviewing previous research. Eventually, the theoretical literature was reviewed using an initial theoretical framework. In the analysis and findings section, using the approach of logical analysis, the concepts extracted from Farabi’s idea were presented in three sectors. Also, these concepts were briefly explained, and their relationship with the “concept of the Islamic city” was stated. Finally, secondary concepts were obtained from the basic concepts to form the “theoretical foundation” of the “Islamic city” concept. The relations between all the mentioned concepts with the idea of the utopia were depicted in a diagram. The secondary concepts were extracted by logical analysis and rational inference.

The theory of the “madinat alfadilah”, which is a solid basis for the concept of “Islamic city”, emerges in Hakim Farabi’s thought from a complete and, at the same time, complex process. He deduces this process from the general system of the created world. The starting point of this process is the “monotheism” and greatness of God Almighty. Explaining the hierarchy of beings, from the world of “Meaning” to the world of “Matter”, leads to the turning point of “Man”. The human soul has certain components. Some concepts such as “Wisdom, Will, and Authority” are defined for human beings. Human “bliss” is another turning point in the process. Man needs a “social life” to achieve bliss. Thereby, the concept of the “madinat alfadilah” is born as the background for the formation of social life. After reviewing the sources and analyzing the results, the key concepts of Farabi’s theory include: “bliss”, “comprehensiveness”, “anthropocentric”, “justice”, “global model”, “politics”, “social system”, “management” and “education”. These concepts were systematized in three sectors: “transcendent ideal, path and operational tools”, and their relationships were analyzed.

Based on the logical analysis of the above concepts in order to find their connection with the urban science literature through rational inference, the concepts of “purpose, approach, mechanism, form, context, organization and content” can be explained according to the “Islamic city” concept. The concepts defining the Islamic city can be organized as follows:The transcendent ideal• The “purpose” of the Islamic city is human excellence and his “bliss”.path•The “mechanism” for achieving this goal is “politics”.•The “form” of the Islamic city is to have a defined and specific “social system”.•The “basis” and context of the formation and development of the Islamic city is “a global model”.•The general method or “approach” of the Islamic city is “comprehensiveness, anthropocentric and justice”.Operational tools•The “organization” of the Islamic city can be explained by defining the concept of “management”.•The limits of “education” will determine the “content” of this template.The process of emergence of the concept of “madinat alfadilah”, and the formation process of the theoretical basis of the “Islamic city” concept using key concepts of the theory are shown in a diagram.

Due to modernization, traditional bazaars in Iran have undergone many changes following the pace of changes and developments in contemporary economic activities. This issue has led to a change in the spatial organization of bazaars, which in most cases, has been in line with the spatial organization heterogeneity and inconsistency. This research hypothesizes that contemporary economic activities have had a tremendous impact on the spatial organization of Tabriz Grand Bazaar. This research aims to investigate the relationship between contemporary economic activities and the spatial organization of this bazaar.

This research is based on the bibliographic study of documents and direct observations. It is conducted by the retroductive research strategy and qualitative approaches to discover the impact of contemporary economic activities on the spatial organization in Tabriz Grand Bazaar and to control some of its economic, social, and physical consequences.

Although Iran has had no inherent economic and social changes since the late Qajar period, the factories and machine products have replaced traditional and local goods and services. The investors owned the majority of possessions and production tools. Expanding the deals in this system has led the small outputs not to be accountable. And as a result, this caused the small craft productions to transform into factory productions. Therefore, this period is the era in which the products are constantly altered. In the following, some of the contemporary economic factors are mentioned. Some examples include the expansion of markets and free contests, increase in the manufacturing and factory productions, enhancement of the social imbalance with high differences, increase in ownership of possessions and manufacturing tools by investors, and incentive for high-interest rates (domination of production in sales), the consumers’ supremacy, the focus of workforce, paying particular attention to creating the value-added, the expansion of transportations and commodity exchanges and also the domination of capitalism. The studies represent that from the late Qajar period, Tabriz bazaar witnessed the entry and presence of mass production and imported goods. Modern urban planning emerged in Tabriz bazaar by the change in the type and method of new economic activities and physical growth due to population growth and migration. Therefore, the spatial organization of the bazaar could not respond to this volume of goods and services. This production and supply volume split the bazaar space and debilitated the trade with the region and city. The old structure of the bazaar also underwent serious changes due to new needs, which led to the abandonment of some spaces and the addition of heterogeneous spaces. In some cases, this issue led to the disappearance of the hierarchy and patterns of activity and physicality in the bazaar and led to the creation of inconsistent spaces. The research reveals that spatial organization characteristics, such as centrality, patterns and index elements, structure, and hierarchy of the grand bazaar have been influenced by contemporary economic activities in different ways. The establishment of new commercial places in the Bazzar neighborhood, especially the commercial complexes and specialized markets built in the post-revolution period, attracted lots of people. As a result, the function of the bazaar as the sales center changed. The hierarchical organization of the bazaar has also changed due to adherence to the new road networks and innovations, yet it maintained its physical entirety.

The results reveal that providing centrality, like economic activities in bazaar neighborhoods, and reawakening the prosperous and currency-flow-boosting jobs with a focus on increasing the output of exportable products such as shoes and carpets, can improve the physical and technical infrastructures. In addition, systematic renovation and restoration, holding production and supply exhibitions to induce social gatherings of different genders and ages nearby the relevant  Rasteh (series of shops), would be beneficial for strengthening the place of the bazaar in the city. In terms of patterns and index elements, the specific construction and protective criteria for the bazaar spaces and environment are recommended to prevent physical depreciation and disappearance of existing patterns in the bazaar. Using the aggregation patterns in under-construction units, strengthening the bazaar axes, and highlighting the index elements can be reasonable approaches. In terms of physical structures, paying attention to the activities which prevent the monuments in the bazaar context to demolish, benefiting from their physical and functional values, attracting private investments, and providing enough parking spaces can be reasonable aims to be achieved. Human resources and project management are important in the subject of activity in organizing technology and innovations. Eventually, in the case of hierarchy, considering the structure and hierarchy of the neighborhood and inside flows of the bazaar, taking into account the organization of arrangements and sequences in the placement of spaces, activities, views, and movements would be the appropriate approach in upgrading and maintaining the hierarchy of the bazaar. Therefore, in addition to a comprehensive knowledge of the bazaar and spatial communication with the surrounding environment, technology and innovation management, human resource management, and finally, project management or common urban planning projects such as reviving the historical context can be a good strategy to maintain and improve the spatial organization of bazaar.

Language or linguistic system is one of the most fundamental principles in twentieth-century philosophical studies and postmodern philosophy. The twentieth-century scholars considered “language” as the basis of thought - not its tool. According to them, truth, i.e., objective reality and whatever it is, is formed in language. Thus, the revival of thought in the form of language has changed the issues of cultural criticism of postmodernism. The linguistic theory has simultaneously paid attention to meaning and symbolism in architecture. The way of conveying meaning in language and applying linguistic knowledge through linguistic similarities with architecture was studied through paradigms such as semiotics. The founders of semiotics, Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) and Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914), considered language as a system of signs with structural (syntactic) and semantic aspects. Rhetorical devices are one of the tools used to form and recognize meaning. Most contemporary semiologists consider studying these techniques, or at least some of their features, in the realm of semiotics. The verbal language of postmodernism uses rhetorical devices to form meaning. Previous studies have not addressed the role of metonymy and its interaction with metaphor in the formation and expression of meaning in the language of postmodern architecture. Therefore, the research question is: “How do rhetorical devices influence the expression of meaning in language and architecture?” So, the present study aims “to study how rhetorical devices are formed and how they operate in forming and transferring meaning, as well as decoding and reproducing it in postmodern architecture.” This study is significant because in societies such as Iran, which are influenced by Western thoughts, knowing the opportunities and threats of applying these thoughts enhances architects’ and designers’ creativity and minimizes cultural damages caused by accepting such thought currents.

To answer the research question and reach the research goal, the semiotics of Saussure and Peirce, as well as Barthes’s mythology, were studied in linguistics, and the data obtained from them were compared with architecture. Then, the rhetorical devices of metonymy, metaphor, amphibology, and irony were defined in verbal language and semiotics. Their formation and functions were compared with postmodern architecture in two paradigmatic and syntagmatic axes. The analyses were performed using Charles Jencks’ (1939-2019) definition of postmodern architecture as well as his interpretation of the New State Gallery (Neue Staatsgalerie (1977-1983) in German) in Stuttgart, Germany. Then, the results were examined in several other buildings. So, the present study was qualitative-applied research. Data were collected by library study. Then, they were analyzed descriptively and comparatively using a semiotic approach and case studies.

According to Saussure’s linguistics, architecture is a language without the intrinsic and natural relationship between its signifier (body) and signified (meaning). What is perceived as the architectural meaning is the outcome of conventions between the architect and audiences. While, according to Pierce’s semiotics and the referral system of its signs, architecture is a language in which rhetorical devices, especially metaphor and its interaction with metonymy, play a crucial role in its “genesis” and “function.” Metaphor is formed on the paradigmatic axis and metonymy on the syntagmatic axis. The interaction of metaphor and metonymy also forms other rhetorical devices in architecture, such as irony and amphibology. The body of architecture changes and transforms with the formation of metaphor and its meaning with the metonymy formation. From this point of view, for some reasons, the architecture language, especially postmodern architecture, can be considered to have a metaphorical and rhetorical pattern. These reasons are:a) The referential system of this language,b) The proliferation, multiplicity, difference, and suspense of meaning follow this system in this language, andc) Changes in the architecture’s body and the meaning follow metaphor and metonymy and the interaction of the two.On the other hand, the combination of the Saussurean and Peircean models indicates that postmodern architecture has a movement toward a single meaning. However, the totality of this meaning is suspended in its language’s metaphorical and rhetorical system. Postmodern architecture reproduces and develops concepts such as pluralism, contradiction, pleasure, and complexity through its postmodern signs and rhetorical devices. In contrast, comparing its features with the concept of “myth” defined by Barthes showed that postmodern architecture uses the architectural elements of the prior contexts and impoverishes their meanings without suppressing them by making fundamental changes in their layers and codes. Then, using rhetorical devices, combining the explicit and implicit meanings of the elements and “making them its own,” it imposes itself on the cultures as the ideology while shaping the facts.

Just as architecture can develop, multiply and enrich linguistic symbols, meanings and concepts, language also has the power to encode or “give meaning” to architectural signs. Thus, understanding the function of rhetorical devices, especially the metonymy and metaphor interaction, makes it possible to decode and reproduce the meaning of any complex rhetorical architecture through semiotic analysis. In addition, using these devices to express thought in the architectural design makes the semantic richness of the resulting architecture possible.

Astonishing architectural spaces have been created worldwide. As a morphogenic generator, Telepresence is changing the system of contemporary architecture system. The organizational composition of this action links the object to the subject. In this case, elements are perceived as in-between space (space between human and system). This study aims to recall the human-nature relationship as a determinant connection to fertilize this generation of architecture systems. This study also tends to evaluate the quality and various aspects of this relationship. This study aims to examine the quantity and quality of sense of presence in the digital nature at two HMD and sense of virtual place levels. The new mechanisms can be entered into these interactions to enable the modern human to experience another real framework within new architecture loops.

The extant research was conducted based on two methods. In the first part, some criteria were determined to measure the sense of presence in virtual nature (virtual reality tool assessment). This part of the study was carried out based on bibliographic research by reviewing the associated studies collected from documentary resources. In the next step, some indicators were recommended to propose a model for this sense in architecture. In the second part, the parameters determined for the sense of presence and proposed indicators were evaluated and ranked by participants. The statistical population and sample of the study comprised Adrenaline Station in Tehran, Iran. A questionnaire was used as the research means in this study. To measure the sense of presence and immersion tendencies of participants, PQ and ITQ were employed. The researcher-made questionnaire of preferences of agents of virtual nature’s sense of place was used to evaluate the design indicators. Finally, data analysis was done through SPSS software to achieve a solution.

According to the obtained findings, criteria of sense of presence in the virtual environment included control factors, sensory factors, distraction factors, realism factors, sound, and haptic. Subsequently, creative indicators of architecture consisted of virtual spatial factors, virtual activities, and virtual semantic links. According to evaluations, data analyses, and PQ tests, the sense of presence in nature via virtual reality tools is normal. In this collaboration, haptic sense has been ranked as the most significant factor, followed by the other factors. Moreover, the test of sense of virtual place of nature indicated that digital behaviors of this kind of architecture system obtained a reasonable score. According to participants’ opinions, virtual spatial factors had the highest effect on this structure. Comparative results and findings of the ITQ test indicated that the sense of presence-sense of place in the virtual environment and the immersive tendency of individuals were at a normal level in both methods. Hence, these two subjects are interconnected. Another report indicated the higher intensity of this correlation through the sense of virtual place compared to presence through HMD tools. In terms of demographic findings of participants in this study, there was a similar gender distribution. On the other hand, the tendency of participants in the age range of 25-30 was higher than that of others.

The present study confronted new experiences. This study was conducted to evaluate the mental stress of the studied topic on another side of the coin (knowledge of sense of presence in virtual nature). Accordingly, a set of virtual components were introduced as factors creating digital nature’s sense of place to form a structure consistent with the demands of modern humans. Although humans see the real nature as a constant agent that is an alternative to the same and similar experience far from their expectations, interactive levels in the contemporary world consider the digital nature as the operator of another aspect of presence to retrieve it besides that event. The obtained results confirmed the designed hypotheses. Accordingly, the participants achieved a normal evaluation of a sense of presence in virtual nature throughout HMD and a sense of virtual place. According to different evidence, results and observations obtained from the HMD system introduced the average quality of instruments collection and normality of immersion traits of participants as two factors that influence each other. Furthermore, the same feedback was found in the test line of sense of virtual place and individuals’ tendencies. These achievements indicated that both of the introduced methods could be effective in human-nature interaction. Nevertheless, some explanations can be provided based on the obtained findings. Firstly, change in new communicational strategies can serve as solutions in the future since there might be changes in nature and relevant issues. Secondly, the sense of a digital place of nature can serve as an alternative to the architectural body. Since the variables mentioned above affect each other, they will create a strong social relationship between humans and nature. Thirdly, the questionable point is what other experiences can be incorporated in this context regarding the changing natures towards industrialization and digitalization of relationships in the architectural loops.

Residential environments are subject to a variety of factors, most notably the “lifestyle” that depends on the culture. The main purpose of dwelling is to create an environment that fits the people’s lifestyle. The lifestyle structure can be studied through its explicit components such as activities and its environmental aspects such as the temporality and spatiality of activities, the temporal and spatial sequence of activities, and other obvious aspects. Activities also have hidden and meaningful aspects in addition to their explicit aspects, which can reveal the mental aspects of the lifestyle. 

In this study, due to the nature of the problem and the theoretical framework of the research, the “qualitative research” method has been used based on “basic theory” and “logical reasoning”. This study focuses on a case study in rural housing (Qazmzari village in the west Fars Province). The reason for selecting the case study of rural housing was cultural integration and the possibility of necessary answers in a relatively small and accessible environment. However, this research methodology can be generalized to other research in different residential environments. The process of obtaining the hidden components of lifestyle as well as meaning factors is time-consuming. It has been made possible by recording the spatial planning maps, providing behavioral arrangement diagrams, conducting semi-structured interviews, and coding the categories using grounded theory. The study in different residential environments gives different meanings; therefore, the titles expressed as the levels of meaning factors, the research findings, and summaries are based on the researcher’s study, and most of the research is based on logical reasoning.

The “mental components of lifestyle” include the “levels of meaning factors” that influence the “explicit components of the lifestyle” and the “features of the dwelling environment”. The “levels of meaning factors” affecting the spatial and temporal organization of behavioral events and the physical features of dwellings, such as elements, distances, and spatial directions, harmonize the dwelling environment with hidden and obvious lifestyle components. The study of mental components affecting living environments shows that according to the importance of mental components, “two levels of meaning factors” can be identified in proportion to the lower and middle levels of Rapoport’s classification. The “Middle level of meaning factors” are hidden components of the collective lifestyle that affect the features of the residential environment as well as obvious behavioral events. The “low level of meaning factors” are less collective than the middle level and are more observed in family lifestyle. They directly affect the obvious components of lifestyle and physical features of the dwelling environment. The middle level of meaning factors that create living environments stems from the mental components of collective living methods such as ”social status, privacy, identity, kinship, security, and livelihood”. They are considered as hidden aspects of lifestyle. The second category of mental factors that make up living environments is the “low level of meaning factors”. These meaning factors directly affect the obvious components of lifestyle and physical features of the dwelling environment. They shape the dwelling environment together with the middle level of meaning factors.

The concept of “lifestyle” leads to quality of life, activities, and the ways of doing activities related to environmental qualities in housing. Therefore, the lifestyle structure can be studied through its obvious components such as activities and environmental aspects such as the temporal and spatial sequence of activities and other obvious aspects. These obvious aspects can include “ activity type, temporality and spatiality of activity, the temporal sequence of activities, and spatial sequence of activities.” According to the study’s theoretical framework studying the components of lifestyle structure, activities can have hidden and meaningful aspects in addition to the obvious aspects, which can reveal the mental aspects of lifestyle. The mental components in lifestyle and the “levels of meaning factors” create the dwelling environment by “determining the spatial and temporal features of behavioral events”, through the consequences such as the segregation and integration of behavioral settings, the temporal and spatial sequences of behavioral settings, and determining the quantitative and qualitative features of spatial elements. Although the middle and lower level of semantic factors is simultaneously referred to, responding to the “middle level of meaning factors” is prioritized. Considering the effect of hidden and obvious lifestyle components on the dwelling environment features, the mechanism of the effect of mental lifestyle components on the organization of the dwelling environment in this study has been investigated and presented. The “levels of meaning factors” create the dwelling environment by “determining the spatial and temporal features of behavioral events”, through the consequences such as the segregation and integration of behavioral settings, the temporal and spatial sequences of behavioral settings, and determining the quantitative and qualitative features of spatial elements.

Historic sites and museums have drawn individuals’ attention due to their ability to make a connection between the audience and the past. In addition, visiting the historical sites is more significant for the audience as they are at the heart of the artwork and its field of creation. However, the managers’ intellectual concern is the necessity of preserving tangible and intangible heritage, such as natural or historical heritage, while trying to keep the area alive. Therefore, it is essential to answer the two following questions to achieve the research goal (efforts to explain the needs and suitable spatial components for public presence in historic sites in the form of an archeological park). The research questions are: what are the requirements for creating an archeological park on a historic site? What are the main components of creating an archeological park? 

This investigation has been conducted based on a qualitative approach and historical interpretation strategy, according to studying and researching national and international theories and charters about museums, historical sites, and archeological parks and explaining the features of each one. Then the effective factors, backgrounds for creation and goals of the relevant organizations (UNESCO, ICOM, ICROM, and ICOMOS), and the theorists’ views on museums and archeological parks with logical reasoning strategy about basic topics have been codified. Based on the coded items, the components for transforming a historic site into an archeological park have been introduced and extracted. This research assesses the capacity of the historic sites for transforming them into archeological parks according to the components or the necessary potential for creating them in the vicinity of some historical sites. It also explains the effects of the archaeological park on the sustainable development of the historic site and the local communities associated with it.

Historical site capacity must be assessed by the components required for making an archeological park according to their location, their adjacency to the residential areas, the access routes, and the availability of infrastructure to local communities. In this research, these components are categorized into two groups: main components and developmental components. These components have been extracted from the relevant organizations’ objectives and the theorists’ views on museums and archaeological parks. The main components are the components for creating an archeological park, including the tangible heritage (historical and natural) and intangible heritage. In contrast, the development components are components that provide the conditions for the survival of an archaeological park. These components include facilities and equipment from the road to energy and their tools and means of transportation. Service refers to all activities that allow people to continue to attend. The existence of efficient staff is another necessity for the survival of the archeological park. The social component indicates the need for the participation of local communities in the area. Finally, security and safety are also basic and influential components in this issue, which considers both tangible and intangible effects on clients, audiences, and employees. 

Historic sites are one of the most important sources for transmitting information from the past until now. They have extraordinary values that require comprehensive protection to transmit these values to the future. The experience of attending historical sites for professionals and the public has a very influential role in recognizing the history and cultural identity of the region. At the moment, the experiences in open museums and museum sites show that archeological parks can strengthen the sense of belonging of the local community and sustainable development of the region by coordinating and integrating management and resolving the needs of researchers and visitors. They can also offer comprehensive and sustainable scientific protection of the heritage of the historical site in the main location instead of transferring the museums to other places. In order to achieve this goal and prevent damages from uncontrolled tourism to historical sites, we need to check the capacity assessment and the conformity or non-conformity of historical sites and their surrounding environment to become an archeological park. As a result, if a historical site has the necessary conditions and components to become an archaeological park in the region, it can provide sustainable protection of the historical site and sustainable development of local communities in the region by integrated management in the form of the archaeological park. It requires two groups of components, including the main components that an archeological park must have (tangible, intangible, and natural heritage), and development components that provide the conditions for its survival (facilities and equipment, services, staff, social participation, security, and safety).

Nowadays, one of the main concerns of architects and urban designers is environmental crises and high energy consumption in buildings, especially in metropolitan areas (specifically in Tehran city). According to other research conducted on all land uses, residential buildings have higher energy consumption than other building types, which indicates the importance of efficiency and management of energy consumption in residential buildings and shows the significance of providing solutions for this concern. Therefore, academic education in sustainable architecture strategies and principles requires a revision for implementation of these strategies by architects and designers. Since environmental crises are still a marginal field in academic architecture courses, the issue of sustainability has been included in the curriculum as a single course. Regarding the abovementioned issues, this study aims to investigate the position of university education in sustainable architecture in universities and higher education institutions, as well as the effectiveness of residential buildings designed in Tehran city based on sustainability principles.

This research is a kind of applied research. In terms of methodology, it combines descriptive-analytical research and survey research methods. In this research, the researcher describes the real and regular objective characteristics of the study. This research is comprised of two main parts: qualitative and quantitative parts. In the first part, the qualitative part, the theoretical foundations of the research are studied. In order to obtain the desired results in this research, the information is collected through bibliographic studies. Questionnaires were given to twenty students and professors of architecture. In the questionnaire, the position and role of sustainable architecture education in universities were investigated based on three main components (quality of indoor environment, innovation in design, and community). Smartpls2 software was used to determine the validity of the questionnaire, and the Friedman test in Spss software was used to prioritize the data. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was also used to determine the normality or abnormality of the data.

The priority of the variable components regarding the position of academic education in sustainable architecture was reported in order of importance using the Friedman test. Based on the findings, the order of importance for the component variables is “community”, “design innovation”, and the “indoor quality” components, respectively. Regarding the “community” component, the items of “increasing awareness for young architects and graduates to implement sustainable architectural solutions” and “providing incentive policies by officials and superiors (providing financial facilities)” were the most and least important items. Then, amongst the items of “design innovation” components, “using heating and cooling systems with the least energy consumption” was ranked as the most important item. Finally, regarding the “indoor quality” component, “thermal, visual, psychological, and health comfort” items received the highest scores.

Based on the research results, it can be acknowledged that academic education in the field of sustainable architecture has been effective to some extent for the students. The sustainable architecture course introduces the environmental crises and explains the need to use sustainable architecture solutions in buildings. Therefore, effective measures have been taken to use materials compatible with the climate and heating and cooling systems with low energy consumption in the building. However, residential building design and implementing active solutions to reduce energy consumption remain the primary concern. Relying on active solutions for reducing energy consumption in sustainable architecture, such as using revolving windows, photovoltaic panels, etc., must be accentuated. Finally, the quality of the interior environment in the design of residential buildings, which is one of the important criteria of sustainable architecture, was the least considered item in designing sustainable residential buildings. In order to improve the effectiveness of this criterion in residential building design, higher authorities can provide incentive policies and special financial facilities to architects and urban planners to improve the quality of the building environment based on sustainable architectural approaches.

Today, the use of solar energy as a cheap and renewable source in the construction industry has become one of the major concerns worldwide. One way to harness solar power is to use a solar chimney in the building. The solar chimney acts as a passive natural ventilation system or as a thermal insulator based on pressure displacement caused by air pressure fluctuations inside the chimney shaft. This chimney usually consists of glass, duct, and absorber surface. The air in the chimney is heated by solar energy and moves upwards due to the chimney effect, which can increase the natural ventilation in the adjacent spaces. In hot and semi-humid climate buildings, windows are usually closed to prevent direct sunlight. Therefore, solar chimneys can establish airflow and supply fresh air indoors. The ventilation process in buildings of Ahvaz city, due to particular climatic conditions (hot and semi-humid), is essential. Also, air conditioning is costly, consuming a great amount of energy. Therefore, this study aims to find appropriate criteria for the effective design and implementation of solar chimneys in houses in Ahvaz to establish an effective flow inside the air duct in seasons requiring thermal comfort conditions and to create effective ventilation inside the interior spaces through stack effect. This study aims to find a suitable model for designing solar chimneys for the southern (equator-facing) rooms of houses in Ahvaz city (hot and semi-humid climate) to improve the thermal comfort of residents by using solar energy effectively and reducing energy consumption significantly.

This research combines different methods due to its interdisciplinary nature. Research variables and models were identified in the first stage using an experimental strategy. The physical structure of the room and the solar chimney were studied as independent variables and the room interior temperature as a dependent variable in this study. A digital thermometer was used for experimental thermometry tests in the case sample. The statistical population selected in this study includes southern rooms in apartments in Ahvaz. The statistical population is a small room as a random case sample. In the next step, solar chimneys were modeled in Ecotect software, and a simulation method was used to analyze the data and intervene in the architecture. The simulations were performed using Energy Plus software version 8.7.0 and the existing weather data (regarding the literature). Also, the simulations were calculated linearly and thermodynamically by TARP thermal model method prepared by Walton (1983) in the software. The Fangar comfort model, PMV index, and PPD were used in the next step of data analysis. Finally, the experimental data were compared to the simulated data to investigate research validity and reliability. Thus, the research method is a combination of experimental strategies, simulation, and a case study. Bibliographic studies, field observations, field measurements, and simulations were used as research tools.

In this study, four different models of solar chimneys on a specific day were studied to investigate the effect of geometry on the model discharge. Also, the thermal comfort (of the first model) was studied on a specific day of the year. (The reason for choosing this model is to investigate the chimney effect on the whole space). The simulation data of the first model with dimensions of 1 × 1.16 × 11.60 showed that the thermal comfort level in this type of solar chimney is close to the allowable limit in March, April, May, June, October, and, November, December. According to the diagrams, using this type of chimney is unsuitable in July, August, and September, so this model is not approved. On May 1st, the effect of the number of floors on the thermal performance of the first model was investigated. The results showed that the solar chimney discharge does not always lead to acceptable thermal comfort conditions. Also, four specific geometries were compared regarding the effect of geometry on the solar chimney discharge. According to findings, the solar chimney height was more effective in determining the maximum and average solar chimney flow than its width. According to the results, the third model has a more powerful airflow but drops to zero at certain hours and has no night ventilation. So, having a chimney with a maximum flow is not necessarily appropriate. The best model, according to the comparative method, is the second model with dimensions (2 × 1.16 × 11.60), and then the third model with dimensions (1 × 1.16 × 23.20), with strong airflow powers.

By examining the airflow and thermal comfort conditions in solar chimneys, it was determined that the airflow could create suitable comfort conditions in the building annually. Therefore, the solar chimney with dimensions of 2 × 1.16 × 11.60 (model 2) is suitable for equator-facing rooms with dimensions of 3.5 × 5.9 meters in Ahvaz and can provide comfort levels in the mentioned months. According to the results, this system is needed all year round. When there are no comfort conditions, it is recommended to benefit from mechanical systems, ventilation and air conditioning, green space, and natural ventilation systems for comfort conditions.

Thermal comfort is one of the comfort aspects in current architectural design and can be changed by various components. Researchers emphasize that early thermal comfort studies relying on climate and environmental aspects can only justify a  part of the results. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the effect of other components. Effective components could be found in physical, physiological, psychological, social, environmental, and economic aspects. So, thermal comfort can be influenced by inner and outer factors. Regarding the research literature and the variety of effective components in thermal comfort, there is a lack of research on this subject. In addition, researchers believe many relations between these components should be considered in thermal comfort studies. Therefore, as a part of a larger study, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of personal, environmental, and social components on thermal comfort. This study aims to clarify the individual and social components affecting the perception of thermal comfort to provide solutions to improve the design of office spaces. So, there are two questions: First, what are the personal and social factors affecting the perception of thermal comfort? And second, which scale is better for predicting thermal comfort based on these components?

In this regard, a field study (including questionnaire, observation, and on-site measurement for recording climatic data using thermal sensors) was conducted in winter in a main administrative office building of Shiraz University. Questionnaires were designed to gather some of the personal components (such as age, gender, height, weight, and adaptive behaviors); social components (including education and degree level, the field of study, and position); and thermal scales (thermal sensation, thermal comfort, thermal satisfaction, thermal preference, thermal acceptability, and overall thermal comfort). Blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature as the personal components were measured using a related standard device. Clothing and activity types were recorded and then changed into a quantitative scale. The data loggers also record the indoor air temperature and relative humidity. The field study was conducted in January 2019 for four consecutive days from 8 am to 12 pm. In total, there were 110 measurement subjects. Finally, 108 were identified as useful in the analysis by eliminating incomplete questionnaires. The main administrative building is located on the northern side of Shiraz, Iran (52.52°N, 29.63°E). The 138920 m2 building is oriented in the northwest and southeast in two blocks (with seven and ten stores). The two building blocks have some differences in constructional details and interior design. There was no compulsion to participate, and oral and short-form written consent was considered with no restrictions on participants to have freedom of their usual work day.

The collected data were imported into SPSS software. A total of 22 statistical analyses were performed, including descriptive and inferential statistics (linear and multiple linear regression, Univariate ANOVA). This study selected the correlation coefficients based on the variables scale. So, Spearman, Pearson, and Eta correlation have been used to show the strength of the relations. In this study, 108 subjects participated, including 41 women and 66 men (one person did not mention gender). The age group varies from 24 to 60 years. Most of the age group is in the 31-45 range. These individuals weigh between 50 and 120 kg and have a height of 1.55 to 1.86 meters. The average body temperature was 36°C, the mean blood pressure was 126 with a minimum of 87 and a maximum of 183, and the heart rate was also in the range of 49 to 98. The average indoor air temperature during the four days of study was 23.67°C, and the average relative humidity was 24.86%. The indoor globe temperature was very close to the air temperature (23.50°C). The average outdoor temperature was 15.2°C, and the average relative humidity was 34.9%. The thermal response was considered with nine different thermal scales on the 3,5, and 7-point Likert scale. The average of each response was as follows: Thermal sensation vote (TSV)= -0.4; Thermal comfort=6; Thermal pleasure= 4.78; Temperature preferences= 0.3’ Humidity preferences= -0.18; Velocity preferences= -0.35; Radiation preferences=-0.32; Thermal acceptance= 0.85; & overall thermal comfort= 4.94.

The results show that the impact of social components is negligible. However, participants in double and multiple office rooms had better thermal comfort status than in single office rooms. So, if these criteria are considered during the design process, it can help to improve the indoor environmental quality. Regarding the personal components, body mass index and clothing value are the two most influential factors. It is very important to make different thermal adaptation strategies for the occupants to have a right to choose any of them. Therefore, appropriate strategies should be considered for the components needed to provide comfortable conditions in both human resource management and architectural design. In this study, the thermal preference is an appropriate scale for predicting occupants’ thermal needs based on environmental and personal components. The thermal comfort range was calculated based on Griffith’s methods and was 21-26°C. It is very important to know that people feel neutral based on the thermal sensation vote in most office buildings. Still, they usually need temperature, humidity, air velocity, and radiation changes. So in architecture or mechanical engineering, we should not merely rely on thermal sensation vote to decide on heating or cooling setpoints. So, if the setpoint of the studied office building changes from 25°C to 23.6°C, we can anticipate at least a 10 percent reduction in energy consumption. People can adapt to different situations, making them flexible and resilient. But designers should be aware that this adaptation process needs more effort and, of course, more mental, psychological, and physical energy that can reduce occupant’s productivity.

Traditionally, the public has used Ab-Anbars (water reservoirs) in hot and dry areas and also in cold regions of Iran. One of the main elements of Ab-Anbar is the reservoir coverage (reservoir lining), which is made of various brick vaults such as barrel and colombo vaults with different rises and forms. Due to the dry weather in most parts of Iran and insufficient rainfall in more than six months of the year in most places, which has resulted in the seasonality of rivers and the lack of access to water, various arrangements have been established for freshwater supply in dry seasons. The construction of the Ab-Anbar (water reservoir and cistern) is one of the innovative ways to supply drinking water. In this regard, the Ab-Anbar, as its name implies, is used to store water in rainy seasons to be used for the rest of the year. The main structure of the Ab-Anbar consists of an underground storage tank and a dome to cover it. In some areas in Iran, a wind catcher is added to this structure to keep the water cool in summer. The construction material used for Ab-Anbars was a special mortar called Sarooj, which was made of sand, clay, lime, goat hair, egg whites, and ash in specific proportions, depending on the location and climate of the place. Some Ab-Anbars had rectangular storage tanks, and some tanks had a cylindrical shape. This study aims to determine the amount of solar radiation received on the surfaces and heat flow inside the Ab-Anbar domes of Qazvin, which leads to recognizing the most optimal form of reservoir coverage for Ab-Anbars among the studied samples. 

The data, including dry and humid temperature, air, radiation, and current radiation situation of Qazvin city weather station, were prepared over a ten-year period (1996-2006). The library documents also provided the map of the Ab-Anbar domes. In order to conduct the research, four samples of Ab-Anbars with different dome structures in Qazvin city were selected. After that, the domes were modeled in Revit 2016, and the amount of solar radiation received by the domes on the hottest day of the year, at 14, 16, and 18 o’clock, were determined using honeybee & ladybug plugins with Energy plus Engine. COMSOL software, and the CFD airflow analysis, were performed for validation in high-rise and low-rise domes. 

The results of the analyses showed that low-rise domes with large surface contact receive more heat than high-rise domes with a small surface contact, and the area of the domes is effective in receiving the sun radiation. Sardar Kouchak (Little Commander) dome, a low-rise dome, is approximately exposed to its total surfaces and solar heat by 84.3% at 14 o’clock. In comparison, the high-rise dome next to the Grand Mosque is exposed by 52.5% at 14 o’clock. The low-rise dome is exposed by 74.7%, while the high-rise dome is exposed by 53.5% at 16 o’clock. Finally, the low-rise dome is exposed by 62.4%, and the high-rise dome is exposed by 43.2% at 18 o’clock. Therefore, low-rise domes in the cold climate are more efficient in receiving solar radiation than high-rise ones.

The airflow inside the domes was graphically performed for validation using CFD analysis on a hot day. The results are consistent with the outputs from honeybee & ladybug plugins. Low-rise domes can retain more heat than high-rise domes, and the vortex of hot air created in low-rise domes is less than in high-rise domes, which leads to more heat gain inside the dome. Therefore, the most suitable dome for Ab-Anbar in the cold climate of Qazvin are low-rise domes.

Architecture education has always been associated with two different and complementary processes: creative thinking and linear/technical thinking. Today, the process of training an architect in an academic environment is usually based on design studios, which is complemented by formal training in theoretical and technical topics. This system is based on the idea that it will enable students to develop creative and appropriate solutions. However, this teaching method might cause hidden problems that, in some cases, can hinder students’ learning progress and cause their full potential skills not to be identified and exploited. Ateliers (workshops) in architecture schools are the main teaching tools in which students are exposed to solving many design problems. Since burnout causes the learning process to decline, its reduction is of interest to many academic settings. Burnout is one of the educational system problems at all educational levels, which leads to a waste of power and expenses and can have a devastating effect on personal and academic life. In addition, new and various educational methods, including gamification, have been reviewed, improved, and used over the years. For various purposes, educational non-entertainment games (serious games) are designed to achieve academic goals and values and to develop skills.

Games are fun ways to learn and provide a safe and secure environment in a simulated environment for learners to make decisions and even make mistakes without fear of real-world consequences. The player can confront a variety of challenges in the games that conform to the latest proven principles of learning effectiveness. Learning through educational games is unconscious, indirect, and effective. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of architecture design education at the undergraduate level in reducing students’ academic burnout and thus improving the learning process of design. This method aims to maximize students’ capacity to acquire information and skills. Their creative and technical competencies have been integrated to improve the effectiveness of architectural education and increase future architects’ work quality. This study was conducted experimentally using a pretest-posttest design with control and intervention groups. The statistical population of this study was the students of Parand Branch Azad University, who were randomly selected to participate in this research. They are equally divided into two intervention and control groups. MBI-GS (S) standard burnout questionnaire was used to collect data, and SPSS.22 software was used for statistical data analysis. The games were designed under the chapter to achieve the research objectives and performed in the intervention group’s studio.

Student feedback was recorded at each level of the games and at the end of the semester, with very interesting results in student design quality, increased motivation, and interest. Hence, the design learning promotion was achieved. Statistical results show that there is a big difference between the three conceptual sections of academic burnout, including exhaustion (feeling tired because of study requirements), cynicism (having a pessimistic and apathetic attitude towards homework), and professional efficacy (feeling incompetent as a student). There were intervention and control groups among the students after completing the training sessions and holding a post-test. Therefore, the study of academic burnout and effective strategies in reducing exhaustion to achieve educational goals and improve the design learning process was the criterion of this study, in contrast to other previous studies that examined the result of gamification in the product of architecture and design, or studied the purely psychological effects of burnout. The design learning process was examined, considering the concepts of gamification education and academic burnout. Finally, the gamification method in architectural design education was tested in line with reducing students’ academic burnout.

Based on the study findings, it can be concluded that gamification education in architectural design effectively reduces academic burnout, increases interest and motivation, and increases student participation in practical activities of the studio. Therefore, it is recommended to use this new educational method to reduce academic burnout and improve architectural design learning.

Finding a phenomenon’s origin and initial formation process has always been one of the basic questions raised in all science branches, and urban morphology is a branch based on this motivation. Research on the origin of an unplanned urban area is not as easy as planned ones. Before the establishment of modern urbanism in Iran, most residential tissues had been formed during unplanned processes. Due to the lack of a comprehensive real estate registration system, there is no precise information about the division of urban lands and the construction of passages and buildings in residential alleys. In simpler terms, the origin of its formation is unknown. In the present study, a part of the intermediate urban form of Gorgan city is selected to identify the origin of a spontaneous residential tissue. It is attempted to discover all the events affecting its urban morphology from 1921 to 1974. Since this intermediate urban form is located between the historic tissue and the contemporary urban tissue, in terms of time, it is located between two different generations from the date of formation of the city (1921 to 1971). Consequently, it is cognate with the historic tissue patterns based on traditional society and its gradual development. Likewise, historically, it is more closely related to the research time, and it is easier to follow the developments and transformations in the samples than in the historical tissue. Thus, it facilitates receiving collective awareness of the formation process. Like any other urban tissue, the physical elements forming urban morphology in the intermediate urban form include roads, lots, and buildings. Nonetheless, the combination of these elements creates a comparatively discrete identity from the planned tissues. In the intermediate urban form, which is typically spontaneous, there are intertwined relationships between roads, lots, and buildings; as such, to separate these elements from each other is not as easy as a contemporary planned tissue. Accordingly, the present study aims to study the factors affecting the formation and deformation of each urban morphology element and their combination with each other to explain the entity and complexity of urban morphology in spontaneous tissues.

The research method of this paper is based on a qualitative approach. It is a combination of grounded theory reading (Systematic) and a comparative diachronical morphology. Hence, the data were extracted both from structured interviews and with the help of morphological development analysis techniques to compensate for the lack of written data by deriving oral data from the knowledge of the early residents of the tissue.

The city of Astarabad, now known as Gorgan, could be a good case for sampling in this study because Gorgan has never been the center of a caliphate or monarchy despite its long history of habitation. Thus, unlike a typical capital city, it did not face fast and unexpected transformations due to the establishment of military and administrative centers or large-scale migrations and maintained its natural growth rate over the years. Since the beginning of the present century, the city has been a regional-scale nucleus and has played an economic role in surrounding micro-settlements. The findings reveal that urban morphology factors act as a matrix pattern, and their effectiveness does not correspond to a linear process. The components of this matrix consist of three areas: actors, action/interaction, and conditions, each of which includes a set of influential categories and has its types and dimensions. Individuals, families, and the local community are considered the most effective actors. Regarding action/interaction, property rights to land division, the agreement between the rights holders and the legal system are recognized as the most effective factors. The most important underlying conditions are climate, land economy, and household, respectively.

As a result, the urban form is shaped by conscious individual/family choices, social interactions, and the legal system; That is, the will and ownership choice in the formation and development of the urban fabric has played a more prominent role than laws and regulations. So that from the micro-level (individual) to the macro-level (legal system), the degree of effectiveness is gradually reduced and, in turn, prevents the formation of a top-down linear pattern. Moreover, the existing terrain, in an artificial or a natural form, plays a key role in urban morphology. Generalizing the results of this paper requires adopting a phenomenological approach to the analysis of each category obtained at the level of dimensions and characteristics, which requires another study. However, the generalizability of the results to other cities in Iran requires more comparative research, so there is a need to study more and more diverse examples from different cities along with this research.

Today, the use of virtual reality in various fields is expanding rapidly. Although there is a lot of research on virtual reality technology in design and architecture education, the research on virtual reality (VR) technology in the architectural analysis as a tool in research methods is scarce. Due to the rapid growth of urbanization, cities around the world are becoming concrete jungles. Worldwide, the total urban population has surpassed the rural population. Rapid population growth and urbanization, coupled with limited biological resources, have been the cause of numerous environmental problems. Some solutions have been suggested to address urban environmental issues. The contribution of roof surfaces to environmental problems cannot be overlooked in this discussion because they cover many cities. Green roofs have been offered as an effective strategy for tackling these problems. Green roofs are very popular in many countries due to their sustainable benefits. Green roofs can help reduce the negative impacts of urbanization. This overview discusses green roofs and their effect on the energy consumption of buildings and living environments (aesthetic, ecological, and climate aspects), health, and quality of life — optimal parameters of green roofs.

In the present work, we pursued two aims. According to the literature review, the first aim of this research was to identify and describe the effective factors of adopting green roofs for residential buildings. The following factors were observed: economic, environmental, and social benefit, type of plant, type of irrigation, and extensive green roof type. The second aim was to study the impact of VR technology on green roof adoption. Virtual reality (VR) has become a valuable tool to study. We conducted a VR experiment with a total of 374 participants. The research findings based on SmartPLS support that selected factors positively influence the adoption of green roofs in residential buildings. In examining the impact of factors on the adoption of green roofs for residential buildings, the advantage of this methodology is that researchers can observe actual behavior.

Regardless of the type, green roofs have many advantages in urban environments, including aesthetic, ecological, climate-related, and health benefits, as well as improved quality of life. Furthermore, given that about 40% of global energy consumption is related to building construction and maintenance, green roofs can play a part in reducing the energy consumed for heating and cooling buildings. Moreover, while green roofs may use more energy for maintenance, there is evidence that their overall energy consumption is less than that of white roofs. Green roofs insulate buildings against the wind and sunlight, and the combination of the added insulation and evaporative cooling could decrease the cooling requirements inside the building. They also reduce the surface temperature of roofs, which can help ameliorate the UHI effect in cities. In addition, green roofs can help with stormwater management by reducing and slowing runoff and may help to reduce the pollutants that enter the surface water. Green roofs can also reduce lead concentrations in runoff and increase air quality, provide wildlife habitats for animal species, create beautiful city views, serve as cultivation spaces for food production, and reduce noise pollution from traffic. Urban green spaces can also have important benefits for social, mental, and physical health. People living in environments with more green spaces have better physical health and higher self-esteem and experience less stress, anxiety, and depression; as a result, they have better social and mental health than those with very few green spaces. Green spaces also provide opportunities to interact with nature and other people and can serve as recreational spaces. Finally, they can improve city residents’ well-being by reducing air pollution and facilitating physical exercise.

Finally, it was concluded that the mentioned factors played a significant role in adopting green roofs. Also, the results show that VR has many positive effects on the results of green roof adoption in residential buildings by creating a sense of presence in a virtual reality experience.

Before the prevalence of the modern architectural conservation approach, undoubtedly, every region had its principles and characteristics in this field. Architectural conservation thought was developed in the 17th and 18th centuries in the West. It was represented to the world in the 20th century by the Athens and Venice charters and the UNESCO Convention of World Heritage. Still, Some eastern countries found the charters opposed to some of their architectural conservation traditions to some extent. In fact, the conservation thoughts in the early charters, such as the Athens and Venice charters and even the UNESCO World Heritage Convention of 1972, were based on a western approach. However, the concern about the eastern approach developed afterward in the 1980s. Therefore, it was a cause to challenge conventional thinking in the conservation field and the formation of the Nara authenticity document, which emphasized cultural diversity and cultural context. Now the question is: what are the characteristics and contradictions of conservation traditions in the eastern countries? And what aspects of the eastern approach are included in the traditional conservation of Iran as an eastern country? Since the cultural context concerns have been emphasized greatly, the acknowledgment of eastern approach characteristics would help recognize the Iranian cultural context as a component of the whole. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to recognize the traditional approach characteristics in eastern countries to recognize the Iranian cultural context as a component of the whole. This recognition is significant in the decision-making and preparation of national principles based on the cultural context of an eastern country.

This study is based on inductive reasoning and a qualitative approach. One part of the study is a review study, and the second part (concerning Iran) is carried out using the grounded theory method.

The restorations studied here for recognition of the Iranian approach are those executed before the Venice charter in 1962 and before the arrival of ISMEO in Iran; since it is believed that the restorations before the 1960s are regarded as “traditional restorations”. Consequently, the “scientific restoration” process started with the arrival of ISMEO and the establishment of the Iranian National Organization of Heritage Conservation. Sampling is also theoretical in this research and based on data related to the research question. Finally, the study concludes that the East compared to the West, in terms of conservation, is mostly based on intangibles and spiritualties, while the western architectural conservation thought is based on materialistic ideas. Concepts and beliefs such as impermanence had a key role in attitudes towards tangible heritage. Among eastern countries, the Indian charter of INTACH is so considerable. Despite the emphasis on its traditional and cultural context, it has presented some differences with principles such as patina preservation and restoration and considers them incompatible with Indian traditions. As an eastern country, Iran had some aspects of the eastern approach in its conservation traditions, focusing on traditional completing and aesthetic value as unique characteristics. Some codes and concepts were taken from the study of Iranian restoration cases in five groups of physical reconstruction, ornamentation, replacement, and inscription restorations, whose findings have been presented in four main categories as follows: ornamentation and aesthetical value of the work, the authenticity of traditional art rather than the physical substance, the necessity of completing a historical building traditionally, and also the emphasis on traditional proficiency.

Therefore, the four keywords of beauty, completeness, traditional art, and proficiency are the main emphasis of the traditional Iranian approach, based on the cases studied in this research. The two latter keywords, namely traditional art and proficiency, are regarded as the source of authenticity judgment. And also, it had some contradictions with some principles of the Venice charter 1964, so the readability of restoration and reconstruction, based on sufficient evidence, was not considerably emphasized. Also, some similarities with other eastern countries have been observed, mostly with some principles of the Indian INTACH charter rather than East Asia. Some characteristics of the Iranian approach also have been unique, such as ornamenting of a historic building or traditional completion of a historic building, emphasis on the rejection of such modern principles as the readability of restoration and the contemporary stamp.

As a residence place, housing indicates a relationship between man and the environment. On the one hand, modernists have created a meaningless environment without a specific identity by ignoring the relationship between man and nature. The economic view that outweighs housing, poor-quality new buildings, neglected urban landscape, and the climatic, social, cultural, and environmental issues have intensified human beings’ physical, spiritual, and perceptual needs, on the other hand. Besides, the failure to address indigenous patterns in traditional Iranian cities has led to low-quality urban complexes that have sometimes been met with little public acceptance. Another important point is the lack of a design framework and guidelines for professionals and designers in the urban fabric, which has exacerbated the resulting confusion in the urban appearance. In light of the above, this study mainly aims to identify the effective indigenous patterns in forming residential spaces in the historical texture of Ardabil.

In this research, surveying 23 houses with the help of measurements, photography, and reviewing archives of the Cultural Heritage Office, the researchers collected essential and basic information and identified the variables with a descriptive-analytical method. The collected results are qualitative and quantitative. The theoretical findings of this research were analyzed using the logical reasoning method. The frequency and percentage of each variable following the existing situation(s) are presented in tables and graphs showing spatial elements. In the second step, the Chi-square test and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to examine the relationship between some variables. The data were entered into SPSS software, and the required results were extracted using the mentioned tests to evaluate several variables and their relationships in real conditions and describe the analysis of the relationship between independent variables and dependent variables.

The study of the aforementioned cases in the old houses of Ardabil and the typology analysis based on their physical, structural, and decorative features reveal various manifestations of indigenous values and other beliefs governing the architecture of the time. Likewise, it can be acknowledged that the buildings left in the old texture of Ardabil belong mostly to the affluent or middle-class people of the city, and the houses of the low-income groups have been destroyed more quickly due to their insignificance. Consequently, despite other components, two factors of social status and economic status have influenced the construction of house spaces (especially their entrances). Based on the analysis, the valuable historical houses often date back to the Zandieh period and the late Reza Shahi era (first Pahlavi). Most of them belong to the Qajar period. In these houses, with the increase of the court area, the number of entrances to the house also increases. Also, the north equator-facing facade and the front facade, the porches -the Sash windows-  are the most important and prominent parts. In addition, a summer hall and cross-shaped halls with (+) signs have been observed in old houses in this area. Characteristics such as using the basement, rectangular porches, halls, cross-shaped patterns, and using specific numbers are frequently observed.

The results of studying the statistical population’s form and structure show that the combination of open and covered spaces is one of the spatial tendencies for activities and functions in the old context. Consequently, the use of different forms, rectangular proportions, and stable concepts are the main factors in creating a sense of belonging, security, and satisfaction, which can create a dynamic environment by creating interactions and vitality and meeting needs (for educational and cultural activities). So, indigenous culture requires indigenous models to meet social needs. Thus, reviving mental, nostalgic, and historical mindsets, creating traditional physical forms and familiar spaces with the possibility of monitoring events can create a sense of belonging in the elements of the residential complex.

Schools are among the most important buildings in Iranian art and architecture history. Studying and researching the design of the schools of the Islamic period, as prominent examples, is an effective step toward recognizing their identity. So far, various studies have been conducted in the field of typology of these schools. Still, evaluating cases from two specific areas of historical geography in a comparative study is the distinctive point of this research. Historical geography, along with other factors such as construction methods and architectural achievements of different periods, is one of the important components of historic buildings that need to be considered to identify their architecture. Less attention has been paid to the history of Iranian architecture. The term historical geography used in this article does not refer to specific climatic geography but to a territorial area that has been an unwritten alliance over centuries of trade, cultural, economic, ethnic, linguistic, and common interests. It has created spontaneity in the policy and style of civilization. The approach of historical geography includes in itself the factor of history and the issues within it (such as historical events, dynasties of government, and social life), as well as geography as an important factor in determining the place of residence and influence in socio-political life. Therefore, the study of schools and their typologies from this perspective takes a deeper look at approaches that address these goals only from a specific aspect (for example, government dynasties or a specific location). This article aims to discuss the typology of schools located in two areas of the historical geography of Greater Khorasan and Isfahan. The question here is whether schools located in a specific geographical area follow a specific pattern in architectural design.

The research method in the present study is descriptive-analytical and case study and is presented in the form of the content of qualitative research. At the same time, for better accuracy and validity of the results, some quantitative analyses in matching and categorizing the findings were used. In this regard, after explaining the concept of historical geography, description of the historical geography of Khorasan and Isfahan, and also the reason for their selection, schools in each of the two areas were identified. Then the samples were selected by purposive sampling method. The samples were first described and then analyzed by bibliographic study of the documents, resources, and field studies. Finally, the common features between the schools and the existing model between them, if any, are introduced. capability).

Knowledge of historical geography is one of the most important scientific fields and current topics in the world. In this science, human spatial relations are introduced in the form of the past to better understand today’s geographical issues. Topics include the impact of geographical environments on historical events, the evolution of states and border changes, and the history of geographical and scientific discoveries. It helps us better understand the current situation by reconstructing geographical phenomena that do not exist. New world systems and structures can also be based on cultural and social domains by explaining and recognizing places from a comprehensive geographical-historical perspective. Given the rich potential of Iran’s historical geography, this knowledge can be used in architectural research in Iran. Therefore, this approach has been used to study schools. Among the various territorial areas of Iran, we can mention the historical geography of Greater Khorasan and Isfahan. The name Greater Khorasan in the early Middle Ages generally referred to all the Islamic states located from the eastern part of the Lut Desert to the mountains of India. According to today’s maps, the scope of research in the Greater Khorasan Basin includes the provinces of Khorasan Razavi, North and South Khorasan, as well as major parts of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The scope of research in the province of Isfahan includes the current provinces of Isfahan, Kashan, Qazvin, Qom, Arak, and parts of Tehran. After identifying areas, schools were each identified. Selected cases from the Greater Khorasan Basin include the schools of Gur Amir, Dodar, Balasar, Gowharshad, Ghiasieh Khargerd, Ulugh-beg Samarkand, Shirdor, Soltan Hossein Bayqara, Mir Arab, Ulugh-beg Ghojdiwan, Ulugh-beg Bukhara and the school in front of it. Schools in Isfahan also include Nouri, Jeddah Bozorg, Jeddah Kuchak, Nim-Avard, Kase garan, Araban, Marvi, Sardar, Agha Bozorg, Salehieh, Memarbashi and Soltani in Kashan. The research findings show that due to the many common features between the schools of the historical geography of Greater Khorasan, a clear pattern can be found: they all have yards in the form of hasht-o-nimhasht or squares. The number of porches is two or four. Most cases have two or four minerates in the outer corner of the facade. There are always halls on both sides of the entrance, which are often larger than the teaching zones in size and proportions. The entrance is usually slightly in front of the entrance. Stairs are located in the corners of the yard. Some examples may have a specific element that other schools do not. If present, this element is always located on the main axis and on the front. Regarding the schools in Isfahan, it should be said that due to the variety in number, location, and even the shape of architectural elements and components, a specific pattern is not seen.

The knowledge of historical geography is a pure and deep context for studying the history of Irani-an architecture, especially the typology of historical buildings. From this perspective, only buildings with historical and geographical commonalities can be categorized in a group. The studies of this research show a specific pattern in architectural design among the schools of Greater Khorasan. In contrast, this is not the case among schools in Isfahan.

William M. Pena described his Matrix theory, or the network information table, in 1987 in his book entitled “problem seeking”. This theory presented a mechanism for architectural programming. On the other hand, the parametric paradigm has massively addressed various aspects of architecture and criticism in the past four decades. Parametric paradigm developed from formal parametric to parametric BIM in the initial dozens and ultimately to parametric automation. Parametric automation encompasses an extensive and undeniable level in the process of architectural design and criticism. This research tries to expand the William M. Pena matrix based on the parametric paradigm and develop a parametric mechanism for complex data analysis on a very large scale to help designers and critics. In other words, this research is trying to expand Pena’s theory in the context of the parametric paradigm by defining variables and facilities today so that it can serve as a model to guide the design process and criticism to architects and designers.

With the help of triple coding, Strauss’ and Corbin’s grounded theory has provided the research platform. In the following, graph theory has been used as a parametric analysis mechanism under the Gephi-version 0.9.2. The research steps are 1- Selection of the Pena Matrix and its expansion. 2- Completing content related to each cell of Matrix base and one-way communication of cells. 3- Referring the information to the team of experts for review 4- Achieving theoretical saturation measure. 5. Transfering information to Gephi software. 6-Preparation of required outputs using multiple software filters. 7- Analysis of outputs in line with the answer to the research question.

The output facilities in the Gaffe program are the degree of nodes, the weight of the vectors, the index nodes, and the shortest path between the two specified nodes, which the filters can access in the Gaffe program. On the other hand, two basic data were obtained based on the collected questionnaires. First, the one-way communication of each matrix item and then the weight of each of these communications. In order to obtain the results, the information was transferred to the Gephi program. At first, the edge weight filter, which is one of the filters of the Gephi program, was implemented on the extractive data. (These filters are based on the mathematical theory of graphs for specific outputs and standard graph theory in the program). It is possible to display only the communications of matrix cells located in this range by specifying the desired range Using app filters. As a result, more accurate and quality categorization will be possible even in countless matrix cells altogether. This mechanism also applies to the direction of another filter called grade. The degree in the theory of graphs refers to the number of connections entered and exited to each node. In this stage, the graph can be investigated based on the number of vectors entered on the base matrix cells. Finally, by citing the order of our shortest distance between the two nodes, nodes and their communications can be achieved at this stage. The output will be obtained based on node analysis and communication between them. This is precisely one of the most widely used practices of graph theory. Repeating this command in the program makes it possible to get the shortest route between the first cell in the first row and the fifth cell in all rows.

Based on codings, cells with a greater degree and weight in the defined range and the shortest distance between the two cells and related graphs are drawn. With repetition of this stage, the ability to analyze, including a comparison of frequency and analysis of alternatives, will be possible. The graph drawn in the Gephi software will determine which content exactly defined in the Matrix cells will play a role in connecting the cells of the first columns to the cells of the fifth columns and will determine the shortest communication path between them. In other words, the mechanism designed firstly, like an initial index, will play a role in the collective concept of information, and parametric analysis of unidirectional communication between Matrix cells will be able to analyze communication on a macro scale. These analyzes are available to designers graphically and parametrically. By changing each parameter or basic communication, the ability to analyze and compare changes to the word humanity will be provided. As a result, by reference to the research question, this parametric mechanism based on William M. Pena’s matrix theory with multiple accurately adjustable outputs in the Gephi program will be able to first create a parametric structure and simply observe and compare the changes in the output graphs by changing the basis information. As a guide, it will also determine the path of the required data and communication and open the path to design and criticism.