Journal of Researches in Islamic Architecture

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Since the energy consumption has become one of the crisis of modern buildings, modeling the Iranian past architecture patterns could be helpful. The shopping streets as one of the main sectors consuming energy locate near the open spaces it seems, therefore, they need more thermal comfort. However, using passive techniques, the Iranian traditional bazaars architecture solved the problems regarding thermal comfort. The present inquiry aimed at investigating thermal comfort of traditional and modern commercial buildings from the perspective of solar radiation to compare traditional structures (with traditional design and materials) with modern ones (with modern design and materials). Therefore, Vakil (traditional) and Mollasadra (modern) Bazaars (with the same orientation), located in Shiraz with a semi-arid climate,  have been chosen. Vakil bazaar situated in historical context of city and Mollasadra situated in the first modern part built in 1980. A naturalistic approach was applied to investigate the relation between shadow on surfaces, shopping load and cooling needed in summer and the relation between the solar radiation on surfaces, shopping load and heating load in winter first, a number of questionnaires were used to survey 120 samples including both customers and shopkeepers to show the relation between shopping load and cooling or heating need second, Ecotect Analysis 2011 was employed to simulate surfaces with shadow and solar direct radiation in winter and summer to evaluate the relation between the surfaces received shadow and heating or cooling need. The results showed that along with a full shade in summer, the customers of Vakil Bazaar are interested to do shopping almost in all hours since there is no obtrusive solar radiation in contrast, customers of Mollasadra Street experienced a shadow from sunrise to 11:00 in summer morning thus 73.3% of customers in Mollasadra made complaints about the existing shadow since there is no shade in crowded shopping hours and points especially in summer afternoon furthermore, 93.3% of shopkeepers in Mollasadra used cooling and heating equipment which demonstrate congruently of orientation and quality in sunshades with climate. At the end, some suggestions regarding the mentioned problem in Mollasadra have been proposed.

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Mosque, as one of the most prominent buildings of Islamic architecture has been influenced by constant subsystems and temporal as well as spatial variables and has passed its trend of formation and evolution or decline. As the architecture of Shiraz’s mosques finds their way at the very preliminary sanctuary pattern, different from many Iranian mosques, the paper tries to investigate the order and organization of it in the interaction with different and influential subsystems by focusing on the main body of this architecture, i.e. the sanctuary. Accordingly, the major question is how the sanctuary in historical mosques of Shiraz is organized and ordered. For this purpose, through studying the number, location, and proportion of the sanctuaries.  In every mosque, their order and organization can be analyzed. The results of this research contribute to recognizing the architecture of Shiraz’s historical mosques and the strategies of architects’ designs in the face of various issues. It can also be proposed to make some of these fixed principles applicable and perpetuate it in the architecture of contemporary mosques especially Shiraz’s mosques. The research method used in this study has been of descriptive-analytical as well as field study type. Data collection method has been of library and field observation type and use of sketches and maps. To this end, twenty-four historical mosques of Shiraz have been investigated. Considering Shiraz’s mosques, through studying three main parameters which have remained constant over time, the system of sanctuary organization has been examined. The most important parameter in the architecture of mosques is the direction of Qibla. It is followed by the site plan, based on which and through investigation of the policy of the designer in face of the two mentioned variables, the way it affects the variable of geometrical system and the proportions used in the sanctuary  locating in the architecture of mosques has been investigated. Therefore, first the literature review is presented. Then, having analyzed and investigated the mosques, eventually two types of sanctuaries organization within the architecture of mosques are recognized, for which Vakil and Nasir Almolk mosques are introduced as the examples of these two types.

However, in the investigation of the organization of sanctuary in Shiraz’s mosques, it is found that the organization is heavily influenced by two subsystems including cultural (the Qibla direction and no use of dome) and environmental (the ground shape and the neighborhoods) subsystems. At the end, with the centrality of the architect in the design policy, two distinctive organizations have been developed.

A key point evident in the studied issues imply precedence of following a certain system of proportions in the design and location of the sanctuaries of mosques, where the yard enjoys suitable proportions. Indeed, the sanctuary organization is highly related to the proportions of the yard, where in both types, there exists a dependence of the sanctuary organization on the proportions of yard suggesting the specific influence of the skeletal subsystem, i.e. the significance of proportions in the design.

Design, in the first step is initiated by determining the direction of Qibla and plotting the largest rectangle along with the Qibla direction. The other side of the yard is determined in proportion with the allocation of space to the sanctuary. In the next step, given the elongation of the plotted rectangle and its proportion with the Qibla direction, two states are developed. If the mosque elongation is along with the Qibla direction, the sanctuary is organized in the southern side, and in 65% of cases, with approximate proportions of one to two (the sanctuary depth to the yard ratio). 

However, of the yard elongation is vertical in relation with the Qiblah direction, then according the fact that the entire width of the plotted rectangle would be allocated to the yard, the mosque would lack southern sanctuary and the sanctuaries would be located at the east or west or both.

However, in similar cases (such as the Imam Mosque in Isfahan or Naein Mosque or even mosques such as Damascus Mosque) the priority is to locate the sanctuary at the south side, but this is different in the organization of sanctuaries in Shiraz’s mosques in the light of priorities including the yard proportions or existence of a number of limitations (access, the ground dimensions, etc.).  

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The golden ratio has been claimed to have held a special fascination for at least 2,400 years. Some of the greatest mathematical minds of all ages, from Pythagoras and Euclidian ancient Greece, through the medieval Italian mathematician Leonardo of Pisa and the Renaissance astronomer Johannes Kepler, to present-day scientific figures such as Oxford physicist Roger Penrose, have spent endless hours over this simple ratio and its properties. But the fascination with the Golden Ratio is not confined just to mathematicians. Biologists, artists, musicians, historians, architects, psychologists, and even mystics have pondered and debated the basis of its ubiquity and appeal. In fact, it is probably fair to say that the Golden Ratio has inspired thinkers of all disciplines like no other number in the history of mathematics. The Parthenon›s facade as well as elements of its facade and elsewhere are said by some to be circumscribed by golden rectangles. A 2004 geometrical analysis of earlier research into the Great Mosque of Kirvan reveals a consistent application of the golden ratio throughout the design, according to Mazouz. They found ratios close to the golden ratio in the overall proportion of the plan and in the dimensioning of the prayer space, the court, and the minaret.

Golden Ratio and Geometry,plays an important role inIranian traditionalarchitecture (I.T.A) and it is very serious in bases of construction.In a recent book, author Jason Elliot speculated that the golden ratio was used by the designers of the Naqsh-e Jahan Square and the adjacent Lotfollah mosque.In Traditional proportion knowledge, «Beauty» is not an individual style and verve, and it has geometric rules and methods.Hence, proportional theories created.»Iranian golden Rectangle» and «Gaz and Module» are two main important design ratiotheories in I.T.A.

Many experts expected two above ratios have been used in buildings design by traditional Iranian architects. Testing these two theories in several historic houses of Qajar era in Shiraz city is the aim of present study.

Gaz and module means the unitratios which areused in length measurement. Babylonia and Assyria were invented these measurement units (1Babylonia Gaz=0.53m), which used by Iranian later butby doublingtheamount of it (1 Iranian Gaz=1.06m).

Measurements repeated for width and lengths for all three categories, as repeated. Length and width of spaces calculated in Gaz unit and the compared to Gaz (and its quarter fractional too). Considering the test results data leading to refuse or accept the theory,the difference data with the smallest difference possible is calculated.

Iranian golden Rectangle means the length to width ratio of a rectangle surrounded by a Regular Hexagon, which is not more than three possible ratios (1.73,1.15, and 2.31)depended on the type of architecture space.to perform the study, spaces are divided by three main categories as below:

1- Ccentralcourtyard

2- Five-door rooms

3- Three-door rooms

Analyzing the geometries and spaces results the ratios as below:

1- The Aspect ratio of Central Courtyardis 1.73.

2-The Aspect ratio of Five-door rooms is Apex. 1.73

3- The Aspect ratio of Three-door rooms is 1.15.

Sample selection is done randomly with the proviso that the selection sample is in the Qajar era, and indicator such a shaving historical valueand Also include disa selection from different neighborhoods of old shiraz.

The exact dimensions were recorded and statistical data prepared and analyzed using Spss software. The normality of data was checked by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Accordingly, data was converted to a normal distribution by using a Box-Cox and subsequently t-test was used to test hypotheses. The ratio of coefficient of variation was also used to compare the “Gaz and Module” theory and the “Iranian golden Rectangle” theory. However, architects have been tried to follow the “Gaz and Module” theory for designing important houses spaces, but The results of the study shows architecture of Shiraz historical houses, gotvery closed to»Gaz and Module» theory and not exactly, especially in Qajar period. However, «Gaz and module» theory is not so much accurate, but it can be accepted to study the Qajar era architecture by it.

Considering the actual situation and the plan of the Shiraz historical houses, the authors concluded that deviation from the “Gaz and Module” theory can be explained according to the type of separation and division of lands in other words architects could not get the exact ratios why the land division plans were oblique in many cases. This research and analyze is also done by poor ahmadi and Partners for traditional Yazd houses. They also concluded «Iranian golden Rectangle» is rejected in Yazd houses. Therefore,its advised to expand the analyzes of «Iranian golden Rectangle» theory for other Iranian traditional cities.

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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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