Mehdi Haghighat Bin, Mojtaba Ansari, Clemens Steenbergen, Ali Akbar Taghvaee,
Volume 22, Issue 2 (December 2012)
Abstract
Respect and reverence for water and trees are institutionalised in many ancient civilisations due to socio-cultural traditions,
values and beliefs. In Iranian societies, respect for trees and water, separately and in composite form as gardens, is a well-known
cultural value both before and after Islam. Therefore, the first part of this paper explains the value and importance of plants and
gardens according to the religious and socio-cultural beliefs of the Iranian people in various historical periods. The paper
continues by focussing on the history of the Persian garden city during the Timurid and Safavid dynasties. The straight streets,
long-lasting gardens and the water supply of the three capitals of Samarqand, Herat and Isfahan are explained individually
according to their historical references. Furthermore, it explained the special idea that has had direct relation with religious
believes. In Safavid period designers often used the gardens as parables of Heaven. This idea influenced on urban design and
was important in selection of green spaces as composing elements in urban fabrics. Finally, the paper classifies the features of
Charbagh Street as an axis of the city of Isfahan, and compares these features with the features of the axes in the cities of
Samarqand and Herat. The results of the study compare the design innovations, features and origins of the Charbagh axis of
Isfahan, the Safavid garden city, with earlier garden cities of the Timurid period.
Mahmood Feizabadi, Mohammadreza Bemanian, Mahmood Golabchi, Mojtaba Ansari, S. M. Mirhosseini,
Volume 22, Issue 2 (December 2012)
Abstract
This research aimed at identifying natural organisms and their properties in the technological samples of contemporary
architecture. The main questionswere: "Which properties of natural organisms are effective on the technological works of
contemporary architecture?" and "How much do they affect?"This descriptive-analytic research was conducted using archival
method to access the theoretical literature, and surveying method for collecting the data required. Case studies were selected and
analyzed from theinternationally famous technological works made from the sixties (Hi-Tech style) till now. The case studies were
divided into two periods, 20th and 21st centuries 8 works each period. The results indicated that properties such asunity, balance,
proportion, hierarchy and efficiency have had most used between properties of natural organisms in technological works of
contemporary architecture, and properties such as restorability, reproducibility and developability have been neglected.
