Journal of Researches in Islamic Architecture

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Cultural disconnection and non – local Factors injection to the stracture of Islamic – Iranian cities in the recent decades refer to the absence of open progress, development pattern and a determined route. After the Islamic revolution in Iran, returning to the Islamic basics, caring about human dignity and relying on Iranian innovation and thought have attracted attention once again. The necessity of forming Islamic cultural and civilized works, is the presence of a perfect Islamic thought in all elements of framework, architecture, urbanism and structures which organized an urban society; in a way that the differences of its framework and its used meaning be clear and touchable either in communication symbol or in literal symbol with the other civilizations. It also illustrates a perfect living different from religious nature in the city. Prerequisite of this issue is, crating a coherent Islamic culture so gradually the effects of this culture will be appeared in exterior and surface relations.

 The determination of the plan of Iranian – Islamic development pattern by the supreme leader has made the religious life and the design of a unique Islamic culture tobe the agenda of the experts in various fields including city planning. in this end,the most important case is how to practice a Islamic culture management proportionate with that field as well as determining a practical model to practice the programs and the general policies of the dominant value stracture, in a way that to be able to provide a th eoretical as weii as operational pattern of the Iranian-Islamic city proportionate with the cultural engineering of the goals of the Islamic Revolution.This research is both fundamental(development of knowledge and basics) and practical(development of procedures and solutions). In this research,using a theoretical and operational technique along with a qualitative, descriptive and anaiytical approach and by a logical wyplanation based on the Qoran and the Innocent Imams Sayings as well as mental logic, an operational and contextual model of the practical basics of Islamic city is provided which a practical cultural approach explaning cultural connection and cultural engineering pattern dominant of Islamic citys structure and also the suggested pattern of Islamic city considering the cultural and value structure is being explancd. According to the explanations, the cultural-residential technique has been provided as the operational model of Islamic – cuitural approach relying on two basics of cultural engineering and cultural connection. This model is a cross – section of the practical basics of Islamic city in the level of cultural approaches whth a systemic identification which leads the two internal (approach basics)and external (approach structure) poles of the cultural layes of Islamic city to the formation of Islamic city through providing apractical and contextual solution.Finally, the operational modeling has been done based on the theoretical basics and the explanations provided by nthe centeral structure of the modern Islamic city with a the culyural – residential approach(cultural network structure) of the Islamic city.

Now the presenting model for creating a coherent religious culture is applying a cultural engineering structure and guideline with cultural connecting in different fields such as Islamic urbanism. In each field the style and method of creating cultural managing system should be appropriated with the specific language system of that field or model. In this study executive model of Islamic cultural system is determined with two basic roles; the cultural engineering and the cultural connecting in Islamic city.

In this study executive method of Islamic city’s cultural action and works are the designing process or meaningful and contextual solutions and works in designing. Meaningful and contextual solutions are the basis and infrastructure for the next used solutions. The appropriate meaningful solutions with the issue of Islamic city element with its systematic nature will define the identificational and basic aspects ( political, social, cultural and economical) in the layers of cultural solutions and finally with offering useful and useable solution and works in Islamic culture will define the framed system of Islamic city.

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Murals are the main, media of human culture and civilization and the place and its long history in Iranian art is clear. There are specific forms of mural paintings in some Iranian architecture that are different from other usual wall paintings in materials, methods as well as implementation techniques. Unfortunately, these mural paintings are not studied certainly until now. Therefore, further investigation is needed due to the importance of this issue.

In the scientific literature, different definitions of this kind of murals which provided examples of them pointed out: Canvas murals, Oil-on-canvas mural, Marouflage wall painting,  Marouflaged canvasmural, Oil painting on canvas onto walls, Marouflaged Canvas, Textile wall hangings, Canvas painting adhered to the wall surface, The painting had been adhered to the ceiling by Marouflage, Mural painting on canvas, Used a canvas set in to the wall, Oil on maroufle canvas for mural painting, Fabric-based murals, Ceiling canvases, Painting Hung on the wall, Wall Cover, Oil on Canvas attach on wall, Oil on Canvas mounted on wall.

In Europe during the 17^th century there was a movement away from painting on solid supports towards more portable painting techniques, giving rise to the easel painting tradition. Particularly in France, traditional fresco painting techniques were replaced by mural painting techniques similar to those used in easel painting. This new mural painting technique involved the use of textile supports that the artist could work on in their studio instead of on high scaffolding in large public places1. Marouflage is the term often used to describe this mural painting process, which involves attaching a large-scale painting on canvas to a solid substrate. The solid substrate is often architectural, such as a wall or ceiling. The complete canvas murals were often hung by specialized mural hangers, not the artist themselves. Experienced hangers developed techniques with adhesive properties that were able to bond, two materials which have widely varying properties, such as degree of expansion and contraction, porosity, etc. Ideally a marouflage adhesive needs the following characteristics: a viscous paste that is easy to apply, a slow to medium setting time, high initial tack and bond strength. Using a thick paste prevents dripping and unwanted mess during application. A high initial tack prevents the mural from falling during installation and slower setting times allow substantial working time so that the large murals can be properly positioned.

Regarding to importance of necessity of art understanding before conservation, it is obvious that common conservation procedures on these relics (without appropriate understanding) have an inappropriate results on authenticity and integrity of the relics. Unfortunately, there is not adequate research about technology and conservation of these relics and related fields.  The aim of this research is the identification of history of development, and used materials and techniques in these historic paintings by field and literature investigations. Technological understanding of this kind of murals during the time by application of literature review and data explanation. Due to low information in Persian, European Marouflaged canvasmural has been studied more than Iranian relics. The research subject and case studies are studied in a qualitative and descriptive research method and the subject is considered with ten historical and theoretical aspects. These paintings are executed on the layer of cloth (canvas) and then installed on the wall that is known as a part of the architecture arrays. This research at the first library study is conducted and then according to the results, the field studies are carried out and finally, the data are analyzed. Knowing the number of Marouflage according to literature review, the identification of constituent layers of Marouflage according to field studies, and Understanding the differences between a common wall Paintings and Textile Marouflage in Iran, are the results of this paper. In architectural conservation in Iran there is a perspective called Iranian-Islamic whose meaning is the influence of Islamic belief and thought upon tradition of conservation architectural works during Islamic era of Iran.

In this paper, the process of formation of this type of wall painting in Iran was studied and present examples of this method in Iranian architecture are introduced and explained. Some of the architectural interior surfaces are decorated by the textile painting by Marouflaged in Ilkhanid, Safavid and Quajarperiod; funerary monuments with polygonal plan have the most decorative surfaces such as Soltanieh Dome, Sheykh Safi mausoleum, Maryam church, Golestan palace and etc. According to studies, there was technical change in manufacturing process of large wall paintings and ceiling paintings at Renaissance period. It resulted to production of new kind of murals which known as Marouflaged canvasmural. The research obtained appropriate results about production, manufacturing, historical samples and effect of technological problems on conservation of Marouflaged canvasmural.

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One of the valuable arts in the Iranian Islamic architecture was Girih which has showcased the beauty of the Iranian art by relying on a unique and unprecedented geometry. The generative nature of such an art coupled with granting style to the woodworks through taking advantage of elegant colorful glass and the use of geometrical carvings has been perfected during the course of history.

Girih are lines (strap work) which decorate the tiles. The tiles are used to form Girih patterns, from the Persian word, meaning "knot". In most cases, only the Girih (and other minor decorations like flowers) are visible rather than the boundaries of the tiles themselves. Girih are elaborate interlacing patterns formed of five standardized shapes. The style is used in Persian Islamic architecture and also in decorative woodwork, it could be applied either as lattice frames, left plain or inset with panels such as of colored glass; or as mosaic panels used to decorate walls and ceilings, whether sacred or secular. In architecture, Girih forms decorative interlaced strap work surfaces from the 15th century to the 20th century. Most designs are based on a partially hidden geometric grid which provides a regular array of points While there are various materials regarding the aesthetic aspects and the incorporeal and theosophical origin of such art as Girih but it seems that the climatic dimensions has been less dealt with. In the present study, there is proposed this presumption that the Girih is not merely an ornamental furnishing art and that it is in a functional interaction with day lighting meanwhile avoiding vanity and uselessness in its architecture and also that it takes advantage of masonry proportionate to the regional climate through its adoption of a vernacular approach. Thus, it looks necessary to find an answer to the question that “whether the Girih used in the buildings constructed based on the Islamic architecture designs can be defined in fields with climatic functions?”

Another question which can be set forth here is that “whether the Iranian architect has been successful in taking advantage of Girih works in realizing and deploying masonries, and making use of the daylight and natural ventilation?” To answer the mentioned questions, there is made use of the qualitative research strategies and the subjective information and data have been categorized in terms of the content they bear through exploiting rational reasoning via performing library studies in order to be able to extract the effective functional factors related to the Girih work from the background literature and then, in the next step, select the main target samples encompassing the residential homes from Qajar era (1-Forugh-Al molk, 2-Asadollah Shojaat Asad, 3-Akbar Javanmardi, 4-Parviz Amooee, 5-Jalal Sahebolamr, 6-Habibi Pishehvari, 7-Hossein Ali Tasmim Haghighi, 8-Dabagh Manesh, 9-Seyyed Mahmood Fateminejad, 10-Aliakbar Asgharzadeh).

In order to be able to evaluate and assess the case samples and finally the Girih application frequency in the case samples and the type of their application can be obtained through making use of various sampling methods.

Related to case studies and comparing them to documents wood and glass is the most useful materials in Girih structure.

After finding documents about quantity of Girih in each case study authors started to explore the Girih area into façade area which showcased by “f”. As authors mentioned “f” is made by dividing Girih area (Ag) multiplied by Girih numbers (Ng) in each façade side into window area (Aw) multiplied numbers of each window (Nw).

The study findings indicated that there exists a significant difference between the Girih frequency distribution rates along the western side in respect to the other fronts which concomitantly accompanied by the use of a pier’s vertical parasol the same as a similar configuration in the modern climatic radiation protection system provide for the unfavorable western side light effective control.

The absence of the Girih along the southern side is due to the need for making complete use of the sun light and radiation in this front because the interior spaces situated along this side of the house were used during the winters. The use of the vernacular or the regional climate-compliant masonries in Girih provides for the walls’ thermal control and the non-accumulation of the thermal and heat load along the western side.

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Arts in their Dialogues borrow some words from each other and give them a new meaning in their art form. One of the best examples of this Dialogue is the link of Decorative elements in architecture and Iranian painting .Iranian painting ( Miniature ) is conversation scene of arts such as painting, poetry, calligraphy and architecture which has run its evolutionary path in different schools of Islamic period, especially from the Ilkhani to early Safavid era. Iranian painting based on subjective and non-visible world and, therefore, its architectural and decorative elements are based on certain spiritual and conceptual principles. Inscription is one of the decorative arts in Islamic architecture which the use of it in addition to the actual architectural buildings is visible in some painted spaces of the Iranian painting. Inscriptions as conceptual and decorative elements in Islamic Architecture are important tools for the representation of religious ideas and policies. In this paper, On the one hand, the importance and different functions of inscription in Islamic architecture are analyzed and On the other hand, characteristics and artistic value of the paintings of Harat School, as well as the inscriptions on the architectural space of a number of Behzad’s works are examined. Also it will be shown that appearance of painted inscriptions in the space of Iranian paintings has what impact on the understanding of the subject and Specific spirituality of the miniatures. Muslim artist inspired by his belief and religious principles has tried to create a calm and spiritual atmosphere in his paintings by use of Inscription decorations. He has designed physical space of the painted buildings by engrave the geometric designs, motifs and arabesques, and Islamic epigraph. The decorations in addition to having formal aesthetic and value represent the cultural and religious mysteries are hidden in themselves and give a special lightness and transparency to the painted background in the space of the painting. These inscriptions in terms of content and their impact are matched with the samples used in contemporary buildings in Iran and Harat, in Timurid period. A comparative study of the contents of the inscriptions is a new way in understanding of religious art and the impact of the religion to the epigraphy at different periods of the history of Islamic-Iranian art. Methods used in this research are analytical, interpretive, and historical and the approach to data has been done through library studying. The results of the research show that using of religious inscription in addition to enhancing the beauty and the visual value of Miniatures, are influencing to transfer of the concepts of the painted story, and show a kind of spiritual realism in the works of artists from the Timurid period, especially Behzad. These inscriptions, in shape and their structure, reflects spiritual realities and meanings that the Knowledge of them had been possible to a person during the present in that space by passing the formal universe to the divine world. These meanings reflected from the divine world, and manifest the concepts such as the presence of God, resurrection, release from Nether world and ascension into the celestial world, twinkle of divine light, transcendental unity, meditation and inner purification. These concepts are very close to prayer and ritual activities. Comparison of these elements with inscription decorations of their contemporary buildings also emphasis to the adaptation, and Structural and Conceptual link of them. These inscriptions, historically, and from the kind of font and text, and in their written contents, are match with inscriptions of buildings such as Goharshad mosque in Mashhad, Harat Mosque, Mosque of Yazd and Shiraz mosque belonging to Timurid period. A painter such as Behzad, in choosing the theme of his Nonreligious inscriptions, on one hand, is affected by the apparent form of the inscriptions and their expression in architecture monuments and, on the other hand, according to his artistic tastes and purposes used them. So that, he has been introducing the founder of visual work as a founder of architectural work or building in the number of his miniatures the outcome of the research shows that architectural inscriptions can be used as original decorations in order to create the Islamic atmosphere and image in today's miniature.

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So far, insufficiency of fluency non-native patterns in urban planning system and reliance on imported versions in our urban planning, which has imposed heavy consequences on our organization city. Superficial imitation of the patterns and lack of inclusion of indigenous socio-cultural foundations, not only failed due to an intolerance to adapt with Iranian-Islamic identity of the city but also but sometimes incomplete or improper implementation of them, has created double dilemma. Glorious history of Islamic civilization is full of strong evidence to show that always Muslims with intelligence and interaction with other cultures can use positive approaches of the others, Of course, in this way the main source was the Qoran and the Prophet (PBUH) and the Ahlul Bayt method. Therefore, localization and using benefit of the positive achievements, in particular the successful experiences, it can be catalyst and facilitator to achieve a model of their own culture. In this context and to respond to the significant challenges of development and conservation issues in the context of historical Islamic cities ,in this study scrutinizes, integrated urban regeneration policy and according to the contextually logic and its components, introduced native model of integrated urban regeneration in the context of historical Islamic cities. Obviously this issue is possible, after becoming today›s one-dimensional man and as a result imbalances in the structure of the city caused cultural gap and injection of indigenous component, only through recognition of the Islamic identity of the city and its components based on Islamic thought. Qualitative methods of this study, with descriptive-analytic approach, gathers information through using documentary. The main sources are the urban regeneration literature and the Book of God, Imams traditions, legacy of Islamic cities.Every religion can be clearly reflected in the construction of the physical, economic, social, cultural and geographical spaces which can be observed under the realm of religion. Islam binds importance and value of city to scale of its spirituality of the people. Therefore, Islamism of city depends on can present the principles and values that Word of God has defined to the Muslim community. A Islamic city is Islamic if  its physical aspect is manifestation and expression of Islamic values for human life and the basis of the attributes of divine action; Absolutely in such this structure, unison of material and spiritual components to unity, in totality-unity in diversity- must be fulfilled; Such that human virtues such as justice, moral virtues for example honesty, safety and security and in general all religious good nesses are plentiful in the Islamic utopia and of course, in considering to  physical aspect will not  never neglect the virtues and somehow is going to be built in such spaces that have virtue and reminder for human. Meanwhile the urban context, both historical and new, is objective space as constituents of the Islamic city in association with intellectual and practical space follow the realization of a goal. According to Islamic teachings, the ultimate goal of human is perfection and excellence that will not be possible unless we pay attention to God, therefore, in the Islamic urban planning all components must be noted and used to improve human. The deteriorated texture problems in the structure of our modern cities, not new and not fully solved and so far main part of this problem goes to the logic of policies that have been adopted. Nowadays, decision-makers face trouble because of lack of the pattern which adaptive to social, economic, and geographical attributes of country and rely on imported patterns. More patterns arising from the capitalist system that except their own interests, and not pursuing another target. It is clear that the adoption and use of global patterns not only is not required and pre assigned version for all cultures and nations, but also is not in many cases definitive. So it seems to achieve Islamic-Iranian model of progress, first, it should recognized basic principles of common pattern in all aspects of decision-making in solving problem and then be recognized main assumptions underlying them and adapted to the culture and conditions. Therefore, understanding the process of change and protection of them is key to integrated urban regeneration. In this study, Based on theoretical principles of Islamic city, model for integrated urban regeneration process in historical context are explained and localized, from this perspective lack of comprehensive theoretical mechanism for dealing with the deteriorated historical context in modern cities of our country will solved.

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In the history of architecture, since the architects sought to enter the light inside and as a result, its relationship with external conditions, the concept of transparency has been studied. Therefore, elements such as glass have been used to create transparency and entering the light. But because of lack of technical knowledge to achieve that goal, the less successes have been achieved. By the beginning of Modern architecture in the world, some new words come into the literature of architecture such as the theory of transparency in architecture. Actually transparency is an expression of the thoughts and ideals of Modern architecture in the shape of own self.
 On the other hand, deployment of transparency in the form of glassy architecture, created the base of criticism for its widespread use by critics of modernism. Colin Rowe and Robert Slutsky in the article “The Literal and the phenomenal transparency” presented an integral definition of transparency that could help Postmodern view about transparency. At the first, they classify the Literal transparency as the perceptual or spectacular one, and phenomenal transparency as the conceptual or readable one. Literal transparency actually refers to light permeability of materials and Interference indoor and outdoor spaces. A concept that could be considered as influenced by cubist painting techniques and aesthetics of Modern architecture.
The other statement of transparency, which is often used in the architecture of most of the world, is traction and appeal to create a sequence of spaces inside and outside the building. Which we can see the appearance of a perfect sample of it in Iranian architecture. In Iranian Islamic architecture that the valuable and exalted heritage of our ancients was the concepts of light and its different forms of that in wisdom, philosophy and art, not only before Islam but also after that.
The question is that how was transparency in Iranian Islamic architecture and what are conceptual differences between modern and postmodern architecture with Iranian Islamic architectural transparency. Transparency is among most important architectural issues that are rarely addressed. This importance is because of the comparison of some viewpoints about concept of transparency in the eras of Modern, Post-modern architecture and Iranian Islamic architecture to achieving principles of the formation of the concept and its types with aim to precise definition of structural concepts of objective and subjective.
The Article based on analyzing texts and collected data through librarian search and some documentaries. To narrow the scope of work, the evolution of transparency in the modern and post-modern movement. At first express types of transparency in modern architecture, postmodern and Iran›s Islamic architecture then study Comparative Comparison them and finally, explain and evaluate the transparency of Iran›s Islamic architecture.
This article expresses some kinds of transparency and divides it to Three Categories: Literal transparency, Phenomenal transparency and Semantic transparency and then analyses the philosophical and aesthetic based on architecture of modern, postmodern and Iranian Islamic architects. In this paper, we try to describe the features of transparency by considering of this parameter in modern architecture. After all, transparency in Iranian Islamic architecture is based on the concepts explained. With this method, the use of transparency in each of these eras has been explained and then used in a timeline, and finally examined the evolution of this application.
About achievement of this study to previous examples can be cited to this point what›s that Spatial transparency in the evolution of Iranian architecture introduced by Hadi Mirmiran, which means increased space and reduced material is on properties of Literal transparency more and based on the theory of modernism and is similar to Bruno Zevi,s view.
While results of this study, in addition to the above, in Iranian Islamic architecture, phenomenal transparency and semantic transparency are more and existence of major mental clarity (not objective). In the Iranian Islamic architecture and contrary to the last ones, we can give a hint, that the explanation of Iranian architecture with the modern architecture’s language instead of its Islamic and Iranian language is so wrong. Actually we ignore and connive at some parameters by this viewing. In fact, with dealing like visual material these concepts, a lot of deep cultural concepts in Islamic architecture will be ignored.
 

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Islamic ethics as the controlling system of behaviors has defined the rights of an individual and society and Fiqh (jurisprudence) explains behavioral patterns in accordance with Shari›a (law). Given that each space is shaped according to behavioral pattern of its residents, the mechanism of interpretation and implementation of Islamic Shari›a is reflected in architecture and urban planning process of traditional cities and their environment is actually considered as an interaction between these sciences and planning and implementation process. Islamic ethics as one of the infrastructures of the Iranian Islamic civilization has played a strategic role. Purifying the conscience, providing mental and physical health, and removing human faults are the functions of ethics; however, social life is managed by law. Justice, according to many philosophers, and is regarded as the main basis of law. That is, the legislator must follow the rules of justice. Numerous violations in Iranian urbanism and agriculture along with changing the gardens and farms into residential, commercial, etc. usage result from the wrong infrastructure which has been developed by the decisions of High Council of Urbanism and Architecture and Artcile5 Commission. To improve general culture and to respect the laws and regulations associated with urbanism and architecture, first of all this framework and its forming factors which have legalized the purchase and sale of violations must be amended.
 

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Man has always been from the beginning of creation, with the Elimination of the name of the shelter challenge was to hand. Humans have always had a place and environment need to protect themselves from the invaders and the conditions in the harbor. Early human, from the beginning, a kind of natural caves that meet this need, were chosen. With the passage of time and the more familiar with different aspects of the human surroundings and his innate needs, sought to find the answer to this need. After the historical epochs, one of the tools and features found in natural, long step in to resolve their needs. He was able to remove this human place, making renewable way. In order to solve this crisis, due to being interdisciplinary research, beginning with the heuristic method and citation study, understanding the factors influencing the culture as well as religious influences on space›s body home. Then with the examination and investigation of a few examples of the Qajar era homes in the city of Ardabil, the understanding of the cultural values of the Islamic world view that the architectural pattern (figure House) leads.
Continue to mention the cultural values of the Islamic world view of influencing the housing and manifestation of these values in the space of a home had reviewed in this research were discussed, which is as follows: Veil-cooperation-cleanliness-contentment-pivot and obey God-humility. Veil, had split the housing in the form of directions (vestibule), the definition of communication spaces, using distinct entrance door, observe the hierarchy of public space and access to a private, defined and limited communication with the external environment as well as easy access to spaces at will. Cooperation, in a book review about homes had space devoted to communicating with neighbors and devote the best space (from the King) has been flashed to the guests.
The purity of the two means physical and mental form, with the placement service is out of the House, the embedded space for shoes, Ken (entrance porch), the presence of flowers and plants and the proper utilization of light and air as well as the presence of water in the chart space dock. Contentment with regard to the dimensions of the external body proportions (thumb), pay attention to the dimensions of the Interior proportions, simplicity of form and the correct investment of mass to reduce energy consumption in buildings is reviewed on the form. Pivot and obey God in the House had reviewed, with addressing abstract decorations (induce spiritual sense) in the atmosphere inside the building, and pay attention to the apparent manifestation of worship, space allocation. Humility also according to abstain from panache and align with the environment by machines (abstain from physical personhood) appeared. Finally, with the cultural values of the referenced in the measurement of the House in the town of Ardabil, Qajari results showing acceptable adherence to these principles and values of homes of Islamic culture. In the end, with the understanding of these factors and values can be used to regenerate the rich architecture and culture from the past of this land.
 

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The knowledge of environmental design process describes and explains the fundations of self-conscious design of the man-made environment and is always rooted in polemical theories. Hence, theoretical foundations play a pivotal role with a strong and generalizable support in design, in order to be able to recognize the borders required in the creation process. The purpose of this research is to present an applied model of the design process taking into account the ontological approach in Islamic philosophy. The methodology of this paper is comparative and argumentative. In this regard, a series of similar and equal orders in the basics of Islamic ontology (perceptions and types of essence of perception and essence levels) and phenomenology, in proportion to the process of creating and visualizing an artistic product, in order to establish a functional model in The architecture design process is compared and explained. The research approach is a five-dimensional model of "Tarif, Tabiin, Tasvir, Tadvin and Talif" in the process of architectural design in accordance with the varieties of substance and human perception. In the Tarif step, in accordance with the design theme, the principles and aspirations of the architect designer are determined by the various life-worlds, and can be received. In this step, the designer, with intellectual freedom and in various ways, expresses his conceptual and idealistic concepts of his hypothetical architecture. The second step is the Tabiin of the relative state and is interpreted and adjusted in time and field. The Tabiin step, in addition to identifying the project's nature, leads to analyze and the establishment of various diagrams of spatial relationships, functional, physical planning, and so on. In the third step, Tasvir, imagery and the role of creativity are significant and the layout of the project is created. The Tadvin step in the design process means arranging and arranging components and evaluations after the creation of the form. At this stage, the form is arranged in relation to the creation of space, and the focus is removed from the mass of architecture and the relation between mass and space is transmitted. At the step of Talif, the architectural work is of soul and life and as a living phenomenon with a distinct identity in conjunction with other phenomena in the system of the universe. The use of this proposed model in the design process, due to the experimental nature as well as the content connectivity with the principles of Islamic ontology, paves the way for a tangible understanding of the complex design path and, on the other hand, gives rise to freedom of action for designers and architects.

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Islam has perfectly organized all notions involved in human excellence through its material and spiritual guidance; settlement and housing are no exception. Therefore, real Islamic housing can be of concern to architecture researchers in Islamic Republic of Iran. On the other hand, the severe shortage of residential units, low quality of construction, short life span of buildings and low financial ability of home buyers are other challenges facing architects in Iran. According to the experts, industrial construction is an appropriate solution for these challenges. In this paper, the uncertainty and dissatisfaction with industrialized construction are discussed in terms of identity issues such as Islamic housing. Since the Iranian society theoretically seeks Islamic architecture for its houses and on the other hand, construction necessitates the application of industrialized building methods, the relationship between these two realms must be investigated and their facts should be analyzed to achieve a reasonable approach to the problem. Hence the research questions are about how these architectural realms interact with each other and which requirements of industrialization divert the residential architecture from its Islamic aspects. These questions seem novel because they have not been addressed in any research. It appears that many industrialization parameters are not opposed to Islamic features of residential architecture, but totally coincident with them. In this study, the data is collected through library research and some indexes are derived by reasoning and represented in corresponding tables to be surveyed by the experts of both realms. It is an applied research based on a descriptive-analytical methodology. The data collection is accomplished through field research using interviews and questionnaires. The data is analyzed using an inferential analysis which has the most coordination with the descriptive-analytical methodology. The analysis is performed through a parametric paired samples t-test using an AHP model. Statistical data is analyzed in Excel, the information obtained in the discussion and conclusion section is conceptually analyzed and the final results are presented. The results of research show that the set of industrialization components agrees with jurisprudential and physical principles of Islamic housing by 63%, which indicates an acceptable consistency. The set is compatible with semantic principles of Islamic housing by 17%, which indicates a contradiction between industrialization and semantic principles of Islamic housing. Thus it can be concluded that the relationship between industrialization and Islamic housing is a consistent and positive relation with contradictions just in ​​“design constraints”. Therefore, industrialized construction can be an optimal solution to the current and future problems of housing in Iran, after elimination of its slight contradictions.

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Human beings, as a social creature, need others to get their peace of mind and safety. Such needs encourage or force the idea of cooperation and partnership with others, while the formation of interpersonal relations in a society affects people to use a common environment. Today, urban planners and designers, in the form of professional specialists, are trying to engage their users through collaborative design approaches to identify the underlying aspects of the problem, highlighting those aspects, and proposing practical solutions to get public views. Nowadays, it could be said that the designers choose the middle path of independence and its opposite point being conservatism in design; in other words, they knock themselves out of their power position. A good number of studies have demonstrated that the use of user requirements increases the chance of success in the environment as people in the community know more about the needs and requirements of their environment than specialists. Hence, in recent years, popular participation has received considerable attention from theoretical and practical aspects. The present article was aimed at exploring the concept of participation and determining the criteria for attracting participation in the environment by reference to Western and authentic Islamic sources in order to achieve the principles and desirable criteria for participation in the environment while taking into account the shared values, beliefs, and common needs of the ideal society. In this regard, some questions were raised including the differences and the implications of the concept of participation in the environment from the two perspectives of Islamic and Western thoughts. Considering the fundamental-theoretical nature and the qualitative research approach, a collection of data was compiled through an interpretive-analytical method based on documentary studies to answer the question and collecting data and reviewing the literature of the subject. In the first step, the process of participation in Western literature was defined and applied. Then, the application of participation in various areas of environmental design and indicators influencing the participation of individuals in the environment were examined. In the second step, we tried to inspect the concept of participation in the environment from the perspective of Islamic thought. First, issues related to Islamic ethics, ethical principles that are social (not individual), and especially those related to participation in the environment were scrutinized. The available sources of Islamic sciences, especially the Holy Qur'an, hadiths, narrations, and sayings of Islamic scholars were used in this regard. The principles, criteria, and the results were then obtained by studying the verses and hadiths along with the study of the characteristics and manifestations of participation in the environment with a multi-faceted view. In the third step, these principles were determined in a comparative manner to identify commonalities and distinctions by combining the two previously examined categories. The findings indicated that in Western thought, the level of participation in the viewpoint of theorists involves a spectrum of non-participation to spontaneous participation. Besides, many views are formulated in a general way solely with regard to the background of individual mentality and the consideration of the ideals of intellectual and architectural institutions without considering the culture and social beliefs of various societies. Originality aims at the individual dimension and the consent of the parties while individual preferences are prioritized. In Islamic thought, one of the ethical principles of Islam in society for realizing a united nation is participation which has been emphasized abundantly. The principle of participation also has secondary ethics each of which has complementary components in itself that leads to the mixing of the spectra and levels. It could be said that all categorizations and principles were a subset of spontaneous participation and one can achieve the desired participation in the environment by observing them. The results of the adaptation of concepts and manifestations in both Islamic and Western thoughts provided different criteria for participation in the environment. The comparison of the principles pointed out that Western theories differ from the Islamic method in terms of participation of the environment in a fundamental element that is the importance of sensing and reasoning as the sole source of knowledge along with neglecting divine resources as unitary and complete resources. Contrary to the western-oriented view that focuses on individual dimension and satisfaction, the Islamic perspective emphasizes components such as cooperation, endowment spirit, jihad, and charity as high levels of participation. Numerous references to the symbolic crystallization of Islamic values in the physical form of the recommended architecture testify to the claim that the Islamic viewpoints lay down the basis of all works in the reverence of God and in the spiritual dimension of man. This clearly shows that religious and cultural values are preferable to all minor or short-term needs and ideals and norms derived from Islamic values are beyond individual and group needs and preferences.

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Understanding Islamic architecture requires perception and receiving space, and the space of Islamic architecture contains meanings that can not be understood only by the senses. Space, as the most basic concept of architecture, is always conceived in a specific definite, which is received through sensory perception, so it has a certain limit, and finite. On the other hand, mosques are the most important building of the Islamic era, where Muslims gather together for prayer and contain symbols and meanings. Which must be discovered through rational perception and through revelation. In this way, the concept of space in Islamic architecture, especially the architecture of mosques, is a fundamental issue. understanding and obtaining the meaning of space is the result of the twofold confrontation between perception. In order to explain such a challenge, this article is devoted to explaining the finite and infinite of the spatial structure of Iranian mosques during the Safavid period. Therefore, this study uses a qualitative approach in the form of a case study with field observations and library documents to explain, analyze and obtain the structure of space in Safavid period mosques as one of the golden architectural periods of Iran. Imam Mosque of Isfahan, as an example of mosques with courtyard and porch, and Sheikh Lotfollah mosque, a case of mosques lacking these elements were selected from the Safavid era. The findings of this study indicate that space is received variously in Iran's architectures. So that, space, in terms of perceptual perception, is finite. This finite and the physicalization of space result from the perception of the bound via the five senses. In proportion to the small world, the object surround the space. From this perspective, in addition to focusing on dynamism, the bound contains centering, space breaks, plurality and multi-spacing. But beyond that, in Islamic architecture, there is a rational perception that leads to obtaining the meaning. In this perception, the bound does not constrain Iranian and Muslim people. The bound and space get together, space is unlimited and unlimited. The infinity of space in Islamic architecture is proportional to the great world. In this revelation, the Islamic space means the presence of one and the only divine. In fact, in the rational and intuitive perception, space is unit, discreet, eternal and infinite. But in sensory perception, space is finite, inward, small, and multiplicity.

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Despite its simple appearance, the Islamic city is one of the most challenging concepts studied in scientific disciplines including architecture, urbanism and the history of art.  Besides theories approving or rejecting this concept, much research has been devoted to the study of the nature of the Islamic city and similar concepts such as Middle East city, Arabic-Islamic City, Muslims’ city, Islamdom city, Islamicate city, and such expressions in Persian literature as good-life city, city of God, divine city, usury-free city etc. in order to present a specific definition of it by investigating its characteristics and component parts. The importance of this concept is due to the fact that the viewpoints presented about it have had a considerable role in any attempt for designing, planning, and organizing of cities based on Islamic culture in the contemporary period and the Islamic city has been considered as the key to the explanation of Islamic urbanism. On the other side, because of the history and the reasons for the genesis and circulation of this expression resulted from the opinions of the primary researchers of this concept, the Islamic city has always been influenced by issues that have led to its becoming a stereotype from its very beginning in related studies. Based on this stereotype and the claimed concept the possibility of using it in the contemporary city has been doubted. This study is to Explaining the Characteristics and Components of Islamic City with Situational Analysis. Situational Analysis is an extension of grounded theory, transnationally the most popular form of qualitative analysis in the social sciences and humanities today. The situation of inquiry is to be empirically constructed through the making of three kinds of maps and following through with analytic work and memos of various kinds. situational maps lay out the major human, nonhuman, discursive, and other elements in the research situation of inquiry and provoke analysis of relations among them; social worlds/arenas maps lay out the collective actors and the arena(s) of commitment and discourse within which they are engaged in ongoing negotiations—meso level interpretations of the situation; and  positional maps lay out the major positions taken, and not taken, in the data vis-à-vis particular axes of difference, concern, and controversy around issues in the situation of inquiry. All three kinds of maps are intended as analytic exercises, fresh ways into social science data that are especially well suited to contemporary studies from solely interview-based to multi-sited research projects. They are intended as supplemental to traditional grounded theory analyses that center on action. Instead, these maps center on elucidating the key elements, discourses, structures, and conditions of possibility that characterize the situation of inquiry. Thus, situational analysis can deeply situate research projects individually, collectively, social organizationally/ institutionally, temporally, geographically, materially, discursively, culturally, symbolically, visually, and historically. The results of the study demonstrate that as a situation have different actors’ actants and component including individual human actors, nonhuman actants, collective human actors, implicated actors/actants. Discursive constructions, political elements, symbolic elements, temporal elements, spatial elements, etc. On the other hand this situation have different social worlds and arenas. social worlds are groups with shared commitments to certain activities, sharing resources of many kinds to achieve their goals and building shared ideologies about how to go about their business. They are interactive units, worlds of discourse, bounded not by geography or formal membership but by the limits of effective communication. Social worlds are fundamental building blocks of collective action and the main units of analysis in such studies. In arenas, all the social worlds come together that focus on a given issue and are prepared to act in some way. Ignoring of this Social world and arenas leads to a rigid and limited understanding of Islamic city. Finally there is positional maps. Positional maps analyze the contested discourses in the situation, seeking especially to analyze silences. Positional maps assist analysts in seeing complexity, variation, and heterogeneity in situations where once only binaries and/or longstanding, oversimplified divisions may have appeared. This often enables analysts to see established lines of controversy and division in fresh ways. This positional maps demonstrate that there is different silent actors and untaken position about Islamic City. A comprehensive and inclusive explanation of Islamic City should figuring out this positions.
 

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Introduction: The plant decorations are considered as the most obvious designs that are used elaborately in different works of art. They are also used frequently in architectural decoration, particularly the ones made of stucco. The way these plant ornaments are composed characterizes the period in which they were created though many of these compositions have been repeated frequently over centuries. The goal of this research is to study the typology and classify the significant plant compositions in the stucco decorations from the Islamic period to the fourteenth century. In order to achieve this goal, the following questions should be answered:

• What are the most popular plant compositions in the stucco decorations from the Islamic period to the fourteenth century?
• Which compositions can be considered as the significant features of plant ornaments in a certain period?

Conclusion: The data was collected based upon written sources and field research (photography, linear print of the images) and analyzed through comparative-historical method. The results of this study suggest that the compositions existing in the samples can be classified into 9 groups some of which have been repeated in all historical periods, like the two and three-arabesque compositions in the margins and delicate joint/ stems with snail-shaped arches. But some of these compositions, including multi-layered plant compositions, delicate plant stems in the backgrounds, snail-shaped arches, etc., were evolved in some centuries, i.e. 13th and 14th centuries, or used more frequently. 

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Considering request, need and welfare of children has a long record in West and gets back to 19^th century. The idea of child friendly city was adopted in 1996 to make cities liveable for all and its goal was to put the children on top. This is how countries distant themselves from mere concept and utilize CFC principles today. On the other hand, paying attention to child proper spaces has no long record in Iran. Most children`s spaces are external copies of other countries experiences with no regarding to social and cultural context.The research is decided to compare the way in which a child intercommunicates with city environment from two Islamic(Philosophy, Religion and Gnosticism) and Western perspectives, by deduction in qualitative research, studying Islamic and Western theories toward children and compiling effective environmental factors in child and environment interactions. Comparative study includes similarities and differences in two scales: major (child environments) and minor (environmental factors) both in Western and Islamic documents. In major scale, Islamic instructions focus on the environment as a channel to transfer concepts and religious ethics. In minor scale Islamic instructions emphasize on 4 subjects that can`t be seen in western`s: teaching rituals via playing, limiting girls playing outside, limiting girls playing with boys and preventing children from entering infidelital environments. While CFC of west is summarized in participation, equal right with other citizens, mental and physical health; a proper environment for children in Islamic documents, besides proving children`s rights, relief and health as necessities of child growth, emphasizes on values and norms in functional environment. In addition, it advises that a child ought to grow in a place which her temperament does not get hurt to come to relative perfection. Here, an Islamic-Iranian model named “child preceptor city” takes form. 
The research in theoretical part, using the analytical-descriptive method, has presented a theoretical framework. In the first stage (study of relevant texts and identification of the defining components of research), a comparative method has been used. The methods of collecting information and the subject history in this research, in addition to documentary and library studies, will also include field studies that are used to compile the subject literature review and to find the thematic framework. At this stage, by expressing the perceptual concept, the architectural porosity elements as well as the study of its theories, criteria, rules and components are explained. In the second stage, using the criteria and components obtained in the previous one, the classification of porosity elements, the selection of criteria and the facades' porosity effective variables, as well as structured questionnaires to find the relationship between these variables and their impact on each other and the amount of facades' porosity a quantitative method for obtaining it will be presented. In the third stage and in the case study section, the theoretical framework and the porosity assessment method are carried out in relation to the 30 facades of historical houses of Tabriz city and the research data are analyzed based on descriptive statistics.
Based on the findings of the research, the facades have a special feature called porosity number that is unique to it. The structure of the forming elements and the porosity changes of the facades also follow a particular pattern. The research also shows that the main trait of porosity is openness which the space is inside it. Air circulation, light and the connection of internal and external spaces are the major physical achievements of porosity and its spiritual achievement is the space and the raised meaning in architecture. Empty, in spite of the lack of material has an equal value, and sometimes more than full, and how it is created and placed not only increases the physical and spatial quality but also can have an impact in evaluations. Porosity is one of the basic visual qualities, which over time has found a more significant role in the facade. Porosity has a hidden and mysterious pattern that can be the result of aesthetic feedback from architects, observers/residents, and environmental conditions of the region. A certain evident percentage of porosity and a Specific pattern and alignment of porous space arrangement in this study indicate that, at least in Tabriz's environmental conditions, a specific pattern of porosity is a part of the aesthetic preferences of the architects and the residential-historical architectural users of Tabriz city. This pattern and alignment can at least be considered by contemporary architects in this cultural-climatic area as an aesthetic factor. Of course, the generalization of these features to other cities in Iran and beyond requires more and wider research.

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Today's Islamic Iranian city must be an appropriate place to meet the diverse needs of citizens where relations between citizens together, and with the natural and artificial environment around them is set based on the values and Monotheism teachings of the religion of Islam. In fact, it seems that the ultimate goal of the Islamic Iranian city as a habitat is to pave the way of man towards the divine grace. In the ancient Islamic Iranian city, public spaces have always been a place for the crystallizing the unity of the Islamic Ummah, holding communal religious practices, trading, establishing social interactions, and communicating with the natural environment. Defined public spaces, lively, flexible, thriving, environmentally friendly and with a special meaning, this study refers to them as place, and their creation defines the Islamic Ummah, not merely the accumulation of human beings. The places that need for them in today's Islamic Iranian cities are felt more than ever. Certainly an excellent example of such spaces in the past Islamic Iranian cities has been the space and the courtyard of historical mosques. In fact, the mosques were on the one hand a venue for worship, and on the other hand, the place that organized the social life of the neighborhoods inhabitants and resolved the affairs of the people. Mosques have always played a role in various fields such as strengthening social cohesion, promoting public participation, increasing social security, building functional diversity and enhancing the sense of belonging. Leading the city's path into the courtyard of mosques turned these spaces into urban public spaces. The presence of such spaces in the fabric of cities and urban neighborhoods brings a vitality and social life to the Islamic cities. Therefore, this research seeks to identify the effective factors to make and develop places in the Islamic Iranian cities through the analysis of the physical, semantic and functional characteristics of mosques as the most excellent example of public place in the Islamic Iranian cities. In this regard, two historical mosques in the city of Shiraz (Atiq and Nasir al-Mulk Mosques), which have unique semantic physical characteristics, have been selected as a case study. Atiq Jame' Mosque, as the oldest mosque in Shiraz, has always played a central and pivotal role in the religious, historical, cultural, social and political structure of Shiraz city and with many general and historical areas of Shiraz, such as the bazaar, historical neighborhoods, Shah Cheragh, Now Mosque (the New Mosque), and the city entrance gate have a spatial-physical continuity. The sixth entrance of the mosque, located on the different sides, is a testimony to the unique prosperity and performance of the mosque in the past as a throbbing heart in the old Shiraz fabric, a communication space and a place for gathering and establishing social relations between citizens. On the other hand, many studies refer to the present position of the Nasir al-Mulk historical mosque as a space for communication and social interaction of citizens, a place with unique physical, social, and perceptual characteristics to induce a sense of belonging to citizens and with influential physical attributes to strengthen the sense of spirituality and the imposition of semantic load to the citizens. These signs point to the contemporary role of the courtyard of the mosque as an urban space. Also, the present study uses a descriptive-analytic research method in the field of theoretical framework analysis; and the causal-comparative research method and content analysis and review methods of video documentation and interviews with experts and the Analytic network process (ANP) for ranking the rules and analyzing case examples. Formation of network structure, formation of comparative matrices and compatibility control, binary comparison of the main criteria, binary comparison of internal dependencies of the main criteria, binary comparison of the sub-criteria of each main criteria, the binary comparison of the sub-criteria of internal dependencies, the calculation of the final weight of the sub-criteria, the binary comparison of the preferred options and the choice of the optimal option are the main steps of the network analysis process. The statistical population of this research in interviewing and completing the process of hierarchical analysis was architecture and urban planners of the universities of Iran that among them, based on the snowball sampling method, 25 people with urban and architectural specialties were selected as the sample group of the statistical population. The results of this research show that form component (with indicators: attractive elements of attention, orientation and perception capability through different senses), activity component (with indicators: behavior, body language, and culture sociality), meaning and imagination component (with indicators: memorable, spirituality, Meanings and values and emotion), and ecosystem component (with indicators: tree and plant, water, natural light, and coherence with the climate), affect the formation of the place in the Islamic Iranian city. Also, in this research, along with analysis of case studies, strategies and policies have been presented to make place in the Islamic Iranian city, based on the developed components and key criteria.    

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The need for housing is one of the most basic human needs. According to the principle thirty-one constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran, having adequate housing is the right of every Iranian individual and family. The qualitative indicators of housing has always been the most sensitive instruments are accommodation plan. In other words, Muslims should be chosen home layout, which allows the growth and excellence of the individual, family and society based on Islamic beliefs provide. In this context, the principles of Islam has provided guidance in order to achieve the desired quality of housing.
The research aims is to answer  the basic question that is created: Which factores of quality of traditional architecture can be used due to changes in the conditions of society and the way people live,to lead to Islamic values in contemporary housing. Accordingly, Article is a qualitative study and  For the final evaluation of the Analytic Hierarchy Process data is used. Gathering data on the basis of lists for interview techniques, questionnaires, have been observed. In this way, the documentary and library and map analysis has been used.
Results and findings can be categorized in three parts

• Extraction The Islamic concepts related to housing in the model of islamic optimal housing
• Extraction architectural design patterns of traditional housing fits with this model
• Prioritization patterns based on contemporary Muslim needs

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This article is about value-based foundations of internalizing of geometry in young students of architecture. Training of geometry has long been an important part of architectural education that can be pursued back up to ancient Egypt and Babylon. But in modernity it has passed a radical change from a sacred one to a value-free job. But more precise look will show that this value-free claim has not been of real truth. Here via interpretative-historical analyze it has been shown that four basic values are historically attached to the geometric facts of architecture that all of them have affected architectural education. The four value-giving areas of human life are the transcendental, the individual, the social and the materialistic ones. Putting emphasize on every of the four as canon of value makes a different type of architectural training system of geometry. In this study five types of geometrical approaches towards architecture upon value structures are introduced: 1. the absolute geometry: this approach refers to mathematical view of geometry and could be traced back to Platonic academy. But in its relationship to architecture the absolute geometry is linked to Aristotle’s conception of geometry and its Islamic followers such as Avicenna and Farabi where he considered form as a production of the mind upon given information of the object. He sees form of no value-based content or meaning.  This aspect of form could be realized in contemporary paradigm of parametric design while it has its counterparts in 19th century model of education of architects i.e. the tradition of polytechnics; 2. Geometry as a mirror of the transcendent: it has been the main stream of geometrical thought in Islamic world as well as some other traditional civilizations. But in the contemporary time it was modern movement that put such a heavy value on form a distinct platonic view of le Corbusier. It has its base in enlightment thinking of Ledoux and Bulee. In the field of education this was crystallized in Bauhaus style where Platonic volumes had their transcendental place as highest reference of creation; 3. Geometry as manifestation of the subject: this trend can be linked to Romantic thought. In Romanticism the hidden part of Kantian self was perceived to be emerged in artistic work of hand. So the hand drawings and sketch found a special attention from artistic architects. This view has been extended into current educational content of architecture. But it has its counterparts in primitive architectural analysis. The homology of body, home and the universe that Eliade among others presented is a semi-subjective theory of geometry for vernacular architecture. Presentation of self via hand sketch has a symbolic use in architectural education today; 4. Geometry as the manifestation of nature of the materiality: it is another product of Aristotle’s geometric thought that was manifested in his conception of the term of “form” but in contemporary architecture formalist movement of deconstruction and other critical theories is based on self-referring formal composition of either absolute formal components or synthetic collage. Architectural education of some Avant-grade schools such as AA school of London follows this current of geometric bias; 5. Geometry as united nature of the world: ancient view of Pythagoras about numerical order of the world has been an examplary vision for some traditions of architecture. Molla Sadra’s theory of existence presents a different unity concept between human and nature. In currnt times some other theories claim this role of geometric order that unites world of subject with nature. Christopher Alexander’s view in “Nature of Order” proposes such a vision to geometric value of artifacts that can make them like living beings. In terms of architectural education apart from vernacular tools of cultural transmission could be traced in works of Alexander’s followers.
 

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Islam spread quickly less than half a century on a large scale - from Spain to the borders of China. While, Christianity spread slowly during several centuries. After the spread of Islam in the West of Asia and the evolution of intellectual foundation of the community, the need for creating cities in accordance with Islamic lifestyle through making the least changes to the existing structure, resulted in adopting a new approach like converting churches into mosques in many Muslim cities. This research studies the various aspects of Islamic and Christianity beliefs on the process of converting churches into the mosques. The questions are: How have the formation of spaces in churches and mosques influenced by Islamic and Christian ideological flows? How have the Islamic thoughts embodied in the Christian architecture, during the process of converting churches into the mosques?
The hypothesis of this research is: “the formation of historical process of converting churches into the mosques is because of either existence of parallel aspects in Islamic and Christian theology or flexibility of Islamic thoughts in influencing by aesthetic patterns”. Based on the research questions and to examine the hypothesis, we analyze the process of converting churches into the mosques through using library source and adaptive approach of historical-interpretive method. Findings indicates that the origins of these monumental buildings is the simple form of a house that later developed to magnificent architectural forms in response to historical events. Due to the idea of collective worship in Islam, more diverse range of religious buildings were created in Islamic era than Christian era. The introduction of Islam to the new cities and its political power influenced the architectural aspects of the cities. In spite of the parallel aspects and common roots of the early churches and mosques, it was probable that churches were used for different purpose, but the process of converting churches into the mosque in the newly Muslim regions shows the compatibility of Islam with the culture, ideology and the main purpose (worship of God) of Christianity.
 

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Space as an essential and integral concept of architecture has always included different meanings and understandings, and this reduced its original meaning to general architectural features. In addition, because this concept was created in the modern period, architects’ general understanding of its indicators has unilaterally been led to the concepts such as void, freedom and movement. Therefore, there has not been any true and comprehensive understanding to evaluate the indicators directly related to this concept. On the other hand, in Iranian-Islamic Architecture, space as the main element making form of the buildings has been considered much more than the material aspects, but due to the lack of a specific framework for explaining its physical indicators or modern sense of space, it has not properly been analyzed. The main purpose of this paper was to identify the principal indicators related to the concept of space and examine the relations, and this was achieved through purposeful analysis of basic definitions, Western viewpoints of architectural space, and perspectives of Iranian-Islamic architectural space. The paradigm of this study was qualitative and the methodology was based on documentary and library researches. In order to achieve a conceptual framework for analyzing the essential indicators of space in architectural works they were distinguished from general features and other concepts through analyzing and comparing of important perspectives and organizing existing structure in recognition of space. Finally, based on this model, the overall status of the indicators of space in Iranian-Islamic architecture and important periods of Western architecture were compared. An examination of architectural space indicators based on Western theories revealed three types of viewpoints: 1- According to this view, architecture was considered as the “Art of Space” which has been on the path of historical evolution, and always conformed to “dematerialization” (reducing the effect of the masses) and increasing the role of empty spaces. Clearly, on this view, the indicators were emphasized those which conformed to “total freedom of space”, “exposure”, “permanent expansion”, and “maximum relation”. 2- This thinking was almost the opposite of the first point of view. The theorists criticized the unlimited freedom of the space and looked for defining the new intricate and meaningful structures. It could be said that this view, influenced by phenomenological approaches, conformed to promote the concept of space to “place”, caused to the sense of habitation and settlement, and emphasized the “internalization” and “preservation” as the main characteristics of the space. 3- In this view, the relative balance among the dual indicators of architectural space and their challenges were emphasized. Accordingly, fundamental characteristics of the architectural space in different periods were identified with no specific direction to one side of dual indicators. In fact, the balance between the inside and the outside was necessary. It meant that in order for space to be essentially recognized as real space, at least a part of this separation was needed. On the other hand, the complete separation was not usually correct too. The enclosure and protection of the inner space and the continuity between the inside and the outside both were inherently necessary and appeared differently depending on the period of each architectural work and its context.
Iranian-Islamic views on the space were investigated both in art and architecture. In Iranian-Islamic art theories, two facts were revealed: 1- The emergence of imaginary and mysterious quality through the constant fluctuation between opposing characteristic and creation of dual concepts such as “Hayaa” (modesty). 2- The balance between material and immaterial aspects in art to achieve two main goals: the existence of art and a trace or an echo of God. By reviewing the opinions of some experts in Iranian-Islamic architecture, such as Nader Ardalan, Darab Diba, Seyyed Hadi Mirmiran, Mohammad Reza Haeri, etc., it became clear that the dual indicators of space appeared in two different ways: In the first case, there was simultaneous presence of opposing dualities, such as void-mass, inside-outside, movement-stagnation, continuity-obstruction of vision, etc., and at the same time, the tendency to internal and limiting indicators. In the second, there was simultaneous presence of opposing dualities and the lack of inclination to one side: balance, ambiguity or fluctuation in dual indicators. The results of numerous analyzes indicated that, despite of intricate and extensive theories of architectural space and approaches derived from, they revealed certain forms of relations between the dual indicators in a “spectral” framework. These indicators both at the basic level (fundamental indicators) and at the final model (extension of basic indicators) showed different tendencies, including the overcoming of liberating characteristics, overcoming of limiting characteristics, and the balance or fluctuation between the dualities. In a general comparison, it could be said that the indicators of the space in Iranian-Islamic architecture appeared balanced, vague, or mysterious, which had some similarities with spatial concepts prevailed in Postmodern architecture; and they were completely distinct from those of other periods of Western architecture.