Journal of Researches in Islamic Architecture

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Introduction: The plaster altars of Ilkhanid period, as one of the most glorious decorative representations of architecture of this period, are a unique collection of motifs and different inscriptions that has a great diversity in construction dimensions and forms. These reliefs that are included in almost all parts of plaster altars, including frontal, margins, columns, capitals, arches, etc. have different plant (arabesque and khataei) and geometric reliefs most of them are integrated with existing Kufic scripts. In this article, the researcher tries to introduce different geometric motifs used in plaster altars of Ilkhanid period and evaluate the variety, constancy or frequency and application of each of these nodes in different parts of altars, in terms of the extent of assigned area and the used position.

In this research that is done with a focus on the stuccoed altars attributed to the Ilkhanid period 12 stuccoed altars are selected from 5 provinces and the researcher tries to answer the following questions: what are the mostly used nodes in the stuccoed altars of the Ilkhanid period? Where are these nodes used in different parts of the altar and what is their relation with the plant designs or lines used in the altars? Regarding the fact that needle decorations are identified as the common geometric designs in the plaster works of Seljuq and Ilkhanid periods, the researcher does not consider them in this research and just focuses on the node designs. Since it is very important to deal with the plaster arrays that have geometric motifs and there is not any rule to detect and distinguish the altars of Ilkhanid period from the samples that were made before, this research can be considered as an introduction for understanding the visual styles of the ornaments during the Ilkhanid period which have been ignored in the literature so far.

Methodology: Data collection has been made based on field research (taking photos, linear analysis of pictures) and written references that has analyzed the collected data from the samples through historical- comparative method based on geometric patterns. First, each altar and its motifs (especially the geometric ones) are described and then, they are classified and analyzed using the tables, diagrams and investigating some samples of the geometric motifs and the places they were used and also integrating them with other motifs and scrolls. The data was collected using documentary resources, field researches, observations made by the authors, images of the geometric motifs of the altars and drawing different types of nodes with Matrix 7.0.

Conclusion: The results obtained from 12 dated plaster altars of Ilkhanid period shows that the role of these Knots in these altars is very important most of them are based on the numbers 6 and 8. These Knots are mostly on the side walls, in front of arch and the edges of the plaster altars and in the most studied samples, the Knots are integrated with plant motifs (flowers, leaves, etc.) and simple geometric figures (circle, triangle, oval, etc.). Among the studied stuccoed altars, the only one in which nodes have been used widely, is the arcade of the altar in the central Mosque of Orumieh (Urmia) because this kind of node has not been used in any of the other plastered altars of Ilkhanid period. Oljeitu altar is the only example in which there is the unique node of reversed top that has been combined with Kufic inscriptions.

Generally, it is possible to classify the nodes in the stuccoed altars of Ilkhanid period in terms of patterns and designs into the following groups: the function of simple nodes alone in the narrow borders; the integration of simple and complex nodes with the plant designs (flower and leaf); using node on background of plants designs such a way that these two forms of design are not related meaningfully; the integration of node with the Kufic inscriptions. The spaces in the altars that are assigned to the nodes are the inner surface of arcades, front or side wall of the arcades, spandrels and half columns and because these sections are so important in the altars, the function of nodes in the stuccoed altars cannot be ignored or considered as subsidiary. But what is important here is that almost in all the samples that were studied (except some nodes that were used in the narrow borders and columns), the nodes have been integrated with the plant elements (arabesques and khataei) or exist beside them simultaneously and this is one of the significant features of geometric motifs in the stuccoed altars of Ilkhanid period.

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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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Central parts of the cities regardless of their role and function, embrace more people than their own inhabitants heading for meeting their needs. This is more significant in city centers having ultra-city impacts ditto holy places. One of the main centers in pilgrimage cities is the Holy shrines’ surroundings which attract considerable population of non-inhabitants in addition to their own inhabitants. To retain the validity of this principal area, the population’s requirements should be provided at this very zone.

Thus urban planning should predict and provide all types of required services in these areas.

To reach this specific goal utilizing the methods and technics of urban service planning is essential. Despite using various and efficient methods for estimating and planning the services of inhabitants, lack of written procedures for evaluation of such services and considering requirements of fluid and non-inhabitants population are of the most problematic issues in planning of land use and services at the pilgrimage cores.

 This paper is based on the authors’ experience in the field of planning services needed by pilgrims in the pilgrimage cities of MASHHAD and QOM. Due to the uncertainties and questions in this regard, this paper presents principles and methods for planning the needs of this group. In a way that it can be used for planning the developments of religious spaces and major or local urban plans.

To achieve this purpose, two methods of service planning have been used. One of them is based on functionally physical divisions of these areas and finally calculating the required infrastructure activities. And the other is based on utilizing common procedures of urbanism in Iran, the estimation of the fluid population in these areas and their corresponding needs and finally the calculation of their requirements based on per square meter.

 Using of each method has some requirements stated after knowing each confine and determination of management needs. And each one of them has its own features and limitations addressed upon.

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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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A rising demand for housing has persuaded governments to provide more housing units, significantly for the less privileged classes of the society, and several methods have been tried. Mehr Housing Program is the latest effort in the recent years for mass housing production in Iran. The immense impacts of implementation of this program has had wide spread effects on the cities of the country. Studying this wide-spread project requires proper mechanism and measures. And without a doubt referring to the endemic architectural and urban planning methods would provide the proper basis, on which one can make valid criticism. Accordingly, the present study is an effort to explain and classify these methods and values, which have been neglected throughout Mehr Housing Program.
The research method in this study is based on comparison. In this paper, the authors have first reviewed the publication by the experts in this area to extract these endemic measures, and based on this theoretical framework the endemic and organically grown urban fabric of the seaport of Khameer is studies and compared with the Mehr Housing project implemented in its vicinity.
The findings of this research show that the implemented housing project can be criticized by the measures of Locality, urban planning process, the meaningful relationship that it has with the context, economical equilibrium, development competitiveness, urban identity, architectural and urban landscape aspects and the social coherence. For these shortcomings in the project there are certain solution in the endemic urban logic, and the negligence of these solutions have contributed to the current state.

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Urban renovation is a strategic issue in Iran urban development, and it is considered in many urban documents. The deteriorated areas of cities may cause to a variety of social and economic problems for their inhabitants. Living in such areas, may deprive residents from opportunities (such as access to educational space, access to health services, and sense of belonging to a good neighborhood), and so, distort their human dignity. For this reason, urban planners should try to define goals and strategies for renovating urban deteriorated areas. In Tehran, the comprehensive plan (approved in 2007) has identified strategies for the renovation of urban deteriorated areas. In terms of economics, the comprehensive plan of Tehran proposes a "No Cost" renovation strategy which means the renovation process should be realized with the municipal incomes from inside of deteriorated areas (without other incomes of municipality which are gained from rich areas of the city). Is such a strategy based on human dignity? This is the question of this research. In other words, is it consistent with the concept of human dignity to provide the budget required to support renovation in deteriorated areas through the taxes of from the place of renovation?
Since human dignity is a relatively complex concept, and there may not be a complete consensus on the definition and criteria for its measurements, this paper focuses on the views of one of the major thinkers in this area. Sayyid Musa al-Sadr can be a good reference for defining the concept of human dignity, because he has books, speeches and even certain social attempts to address the concept of human dignity. According to the humanitarian and Islamic context of his ideas, this paper, by explaining the views of Sayyid Musa al-Sadr, has tried to present a theoretical framework for measuring human dignity in urban development programs. Then, based on this framework, this article evaluates the economic strategy of Tehran's renovation. In order to evaluate the urban renewal strategy in Tehran's comprehensive plan, this research has conducted a semi-structured interview with two groups of experts: First, the experts of the Tehran Center for Urban Studies and Planning (as the conductor of Tehran Comprehensive Plan), and the second, the experts of the Tehran Renovation Organization (as the responsible organization for urban renewal). The interviews proceeded to a theoretical saturation (a total of 15 interviews).
Research findings show that human dignity can be measured by seven criteria: "maintaining and promoting unity in society", "creating opportunities for progress for all human beings", "considering people equal, except for superiority in piety, endeavor and science", "dealing with people's affairs", "responsiveness of all people to each other", "the responsibility of all citizens towards each other ","human freedoms" and "institutionalizing the empowerment of the disadvantaged". According to these criteria, this paper shows that the economic strategy of "No Cost Urban Renewal", which has been emphasized by the comprehensive plan of Tehran, cannot be based on human dignity.

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Historical context as a dynamic and live system needs to change and transform during the time. Among the key drivers of changes, economic and political dimensions are effective on determining the type, nature and implications of transformation. On the other hand, the needs of residents in such contexts is also constantly changing. Socio-physical assets in the context of historical contexts due to non-recurring values in them, than other urban contexts are important. Urban development documents act as the tools of the quality and identify control in historical contexts. Review of previous interventions indicated that any large-scale intervention in addition to the social impact of architecture, have interactive impact on the type and severity of subsequent changes and the whole of old city. The purpose of this description and analysis of large-scale interventions and mega structure projects in four neighborhoods of the old city of Najaf as a negative catalyst and urban design principles of the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali redevelopment projects as a positive catalyst for the future transformation as a guide. The study also examined the context of the old city of Najaf and examples of the development plan of the holy shrine as a positive catalyst and interventions in the commercial and residential areas as negative catalysts. This study reviews the documents and apply the comparative research method and using the deductive techniques and case study research method for examine of large-scale interventions. Using the case study method allows analysis of the cases. Based on the results, a comprehensive view of holistic approaches, sensitivity to context, control of unpredictability, the effectiveness of developmental and gradual and progressive effectiveness and branding and distinction become parts of the most important criteria for guiding large-scale projects toward changing to positive urban catalysts. Application of the conceptual model in evaluating cases reveals that, paying attention to the new development projects in historical areas based on a comprehensive approach, maintaining grain proportionality, tangible and intangible identities in accordance with the time characteristics values have been the characteristics of the shaping the positive development catalysts in the historical context of old city of Najaf Ashraf. Among the principles and strategies considered in the development plan for the Alavi Holy shrine and indicators for converting previous interventions into a catalyst for negative development, four key strategies to explain interventions in historical contexts have been presented as a catalyst for positive development; 1. Explain the role and place of design in the whole city. 2. Explain the method of intervention on a large scale in the historic city. 4. Pay attention to the pattern of historical development. 5. Prevention of domino changes. Achieving clear definitions of coherence and complexity in respect of the above indicators provides the basis for preserving historical contexts in the path of development and preventing of a negative catalyst.

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Our land, Islamic Iran, which is the mother of all our history, tradition and culture and has always remained steadfast in its historical mazes and upheavals, has not been in good condition for a long time. In such a situation, it is necessary for all those who have somehow risen from this land and have their own identity, to commit themselves to this situation in a committed and compassionate manner and to achieve the desired situation, and to follow its path for the benefit of the future generation and the children of this motherland to reach the true goal of the substantiation of the new Islamic civilization.
Therefore, compiling the country's development documents is a complete necessity, especially the compilation of the spatial management and planning document which according to its scope and effectiveness, is the most fundamental developmental document and the most coherent for all planning documents essential to the country's progress. The above process will have, and as a comprehensive document, it can be the pact of all those involved as a favorable feature of the planning of the optimal spatial organization for the country's development, with providing a comprehensive and integrated approach.
To this end, this article seeks to provide an entry to explain the fundamental dimensions of modern Islamic civilization in the compilation of documents for the country’s development. In particular it concentrates on the spatial planning documentation. The present article is in line with the problem, objectives, and nature of research in the field of basic research, in which the method of content analysis and the use of documentary studies and the analysis of secondary data have been used. The research results show that "the nine fundamental dimensions of justice, health, security, knowledge, spirituality, freedom, wealth, power and dignity" as well as comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development from the Islamic perspective must be considered in compiling the country's development documents as three key components in the substantiation of the new Islamic civilization.

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Planning is one of the basic tools to achieve optimal living conditions. In the meantime, negotiation is one of the most important approaches in the new planning systems, which has a special place in the current era of urban planning and governance. Negotiation planning or in other words discourse is one of the new methods in urban studies that is widely used, especially in advanced democratic societies. Jane Hillier, as the author of this theory, has used the theories of thinkers such as Habermas and Foucault to explain the principles of this theory. In the Islamic perspective, consultation and negotiation have a sublime and special place. In the verses of the Qur'an and the school of religious leaders, the role of consultation has been very important and people and their views on various social, governmental and other issues have had a great place. This research seeks to study the theoretical roots of the negotiation planning approach and extract its intellectual processes to study its structure and finally the characteristics and principles of this type of planning from the perspective of teaching. To study Islamic theories and theories of contemporary Islamic thinkers on the subject of government and religious democracy and democracy. According to the overlapping topics in this case study, from the method of document analysis and content analysis and logical reasoning, as well as qualitative and descriptive methods and conducting interviews with experts (interviews with 14 academic experts in the fields of urban planning and sociology, as well as Field professors) has been used to express the research results. Finally, by comparatively comparing the principles and rules of this type of planning with the criteria of Islamic urban planning and the principles and rules of democracy and the council from an Islamic perspective, the strengths and weaknesses of this type of planning are examined and stated in the planning approach. Negotiation relies solely on the views and opinions of the people and has nothing to do with religious norms. Therefore, it seems that this approach can be effective only in those parts of urban management that have people-centered plans. On the other hand, the approach of religious democracy is more focused on religious values ​​and the opinion of the people is of secondary importance. On the one hand, this issue makes sure that the plans and programs are based on religion and Sharia, but on the other hand, it has nothing to do with humanist and humanistic plans. Therefore, it can be said that if in urban studies, it is based only on the opinions of the people, its competence can not be confirmed from the perspective of religion, but if in the management of urban issues, the opinion of the people along with religious and jurisprudential principles and rules and based Formed, they can help run a city and an Islamic community.

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The principle of "privacy" is one of the principles of Islamic worldview and culture, which is considered as one of the important moral and cultural values ​​in the social life of Muslims. Throughout the history of urbanization in Iran, the concept of privacy and respect for privacy has been influential from the formation of architectural space to the spatial organization of cities and Locating urban functions side by side. On the other hand, Iranian-Islamic urban planning should be such that in addition to supplythe needs of the material realm of human life, it can also meet the needs of other realms of human life (psychological and spiritual realms of life) and in the meantime Observance of the principle of privacy plays an important role in meeting such needs. In the contemporary urban planning of the iran, by applying Western ideas and theories and imitating modernist models, the principle of privacy, like many other valuable concepts, has been forgotten, so that now Less attention is paid to this concept in urban development programs and plans. The purpose of this study is to develop criteria and indicators for the emergence and manifestation of the concept of privacy in Iranian-Islamic urban planning. Research method in this research is based on systematic review of texts, studies and research related to the subject and content analysis of information collected. In conclusion, the present article presents the indicators related to the principle of privacy in various components of the urban environment, including physical-functional and socio-cultural components, and Recommends their application in urban development programs and plans to improve the quality of urban environments.

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One of the biggest strategic harms and mistakes that a society may suffer is the mistake at the level of dreams and social horizons. In such a way that there is a contradiction and inconsistency between the dreams and ideas that are for a social structure, for example, the "ideal form of the city" and the dream and ideal that is chosen for the whole social life and society is formed around it. The more society tries and spends for that heterogeneous structure, the more it becomes practically incapable and far from its goals and ideals. Therefore, this article, by depicting the favorable future situation of cities, has tried to direct the wishes and dreams of citizens and city managers about the city (and in principle society and life) and according to public acceptances and norms, which is interpreted as culture. To draw and achieve a better future and show that in contrast to the current style of urban planning in the country, which is influenced by the modernist model of the West, one can think of values such as "productive home", "constructive and thoughtful interaction with nature", " Brotherhood-based social system, "land price reduction", "spatial justice and the elimination of segregation", "family-based planning", "large housings", "mosque-led planning" and "neighborhood scale ". The idea of "Zistshahr" (livable city) is an attempt to achieve these values. This proposed model is presented in the form of bio-living complexes and according to the components of indigenous styles as well as the desirability and teachings of Iranian-Islamic culture. The design of the Zistshahr is an attempt to redefine the pattern of construction in newly established towns and settlements, so that it includes a large and productive residential units and provides other urban services in a way that, in addition to provide the needs, empowers families and the provides possibility of formation of the environment by the residents.
However, the realization of this idea requires feasibility studies. The four main issues around which feasibility studies are conducted are: the issue of land and its scarcity, the issue of water and energy supply, the issue of construction costs, and finally the issue of legal capacity.
Findings show that in terms of land supply, the idea of Zistshahr can accommodate a population equivalent to the entire country in an area of about 2% of the area of Iran. In terms of water and energy supply, there are solutions for sustainable urban design, which are explained in the article. Technical and executive costs will be equal to the Mehr housing projects (governmental housing projects in Iran in 2010s) for each residential unit with the help of the stages of construction, the use of more appropriate construction patterns and the use of participatory architecture, with the difference that the total area of the arena and lords of each unit in the city is about 5 to 15 times larger than Mehr housing units and with the help of mechanisms to eliminate and reduce land prices (similar to the methods used in Mehr housing and land supply model in the industrial towns experiences in Iran in 1980s), the design of the Zistshahr model can be more economical, sustainable and more logical than common patterns in urban planning in Iran. In addition to reforming the pattern of newly established cities and towns, it provides a platform for reverse migration to villages and solving the problem of imbalance and centralism in land management, and also plays a role as a driving force for reforming existing cities and villages.

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It seems necessary to conduct research on the towers of tomb as one of the outstanding manifestations of Iranian architecture. The dispersal and multiplicity of these buildings throughout the country demonstrates the special position of this type of buildings. Therefore, many cultural and artistic bases can be understood by recognizing and classifying these buildings and applying their architectural methods can help preserve and continue Iranian-Islamic architecture. The present article seeks to analyze the "transformation of the plan of the historical tomb towers in Iran based on time changes", which will lead to the cognition of the patterns of the tomb towers plan and the trend of changes in relation to time periods. The method used in the present article is qualitative that follows the historical strategy. Documentary and library study is one of the strategic methods that includes historiography and typology. Classification of tomb towers, study of the plan and form structure, and conformity to their geographical location and climate are some of the solutions in this article. Required information is also obtained from written sources that analyze theoretical concepts. Samples of 24 tomb towers with various plans and geographical and territorial dispersion have been selected and written data have been studied. The results of the present article confirm that in some time periods or periods of different reign, a kind of supremacy is seen in a form structure or a plan, but this type of relationship cannot be considered as the main factor in the formation of tomb towers because this type of relationship is not repetitive (plan-geographical location or plan-reign period).

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