Journal of Researches in Islamic Architecture

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Title “sustainable society”, was first time propounded in the format of the conceptual framework of sustainable development as the final objective of social aspect of sustainable development. By now, many researches have studied this point that what specifications and characteristics a sustainable society should have and how urban planning can help creation of a sustainable society. However what have been ignored is local relation of these specifications in the shadow of the dominant ideology and the cultural bed of our society. It is clear that using each global pattern in local coordinates requires some changes proportioned to the cultural field of that place. According to this, using global pattern of “sustainable society” in the bed of Islamic culture requires redefining specifications of a sustainable society from the view of Islamic ideology. Therefore, the main problem of current writing is the way and how the indicators of sustainable society in Islamic ideology affect the urban planning tradition of Muslims. According to this, the main questions of this paper can be explained as: “what are the indicators of a sustainable society in the view of Islam”? and “what effects have had these indicators on urban planning tradition in the cities of Muslims”? The objective of this paper is to achieve a conceptual pattern from sustainable society in the bed of Islamic culture in a way that it can be used in promotion of urban plans and programs by the Islamic-Iranian approach. For this, while investigating the texts and documents in two fields of Islamic ideology and tradition of Muslims’ cities, the codes relating to social sustainability were extracted and categorized by help of “content analysis” method. Then the proportion of Islam’s social principles and its effects on urban planning tradition of Muslims was explained in a matrix. At the end, the conceptual framework of paper which responds to the primary questions and in which the process of design and planning of an urban planning place provided by emphasis on social principles in Islam’s ideology are compiled.

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Social interaction is one of the main human necessities, but regarding to today’s modern world it is simply in the path of naught and the social sustainability is an issue that is being introduced at the international level to strengthen these interactions. Now the question is that to what extent the international theories about social sustainability are responsive to this inherent need in Islamic Iran? Were the Iranian residential neighborhoods in the past sustainable, socially? How? To what extent social sustainability solutions (those are prescribed in the world) are compatible with the theorical foundation of Islam? In order to these questions with reference to Islamic ethics in the Qur'an and the Hadith, first principles for social sustainability in residential neighborhoods are codified in 8: social esteem, tolerance (forgiveness), Neighboring and hospitality, pudency (modesty) and zeal, Humility and lack of apparent pride, Respect and Solidarity. Then some manifestations of these features in traditional Iranian residential neighborhoods are noted. After surveying international social sustainability norms that are raised today the global social sustainability principles will be validated based on 8 mentioned principles to be a guide for architects and urban planners who are trying to achieve social sustainability, especially in residential neighborhoods in a way consistent with Islamic principles. This article is collected by using the comparative method: global social sustainability theories have been validated by underlying the Islamic ethics (in terms of social sustainability). The results of this study show that although the international theories about social sustainability have a lot in common with Islam in the field of social development issues such as community participation, accountability, social security and etc. But in the field of divine rights of individuals they have nothing to say and it is neglected. So international norms are incomplete for meeting the needs of residential neighborhoods of Iran (who have had pretty good experiences in the past), and even in some cases are in conflict with Islamic principles. In this article the commonalities and contradictions will be examined.

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The present paper is extracted from a purposeful research aiming at pondering on the recondite meaning of persistence in Iranian architecture during Islamic era and comparing it to the concept of sustainability and contemporary sustainable architecture. It seems that the literature is poor in terms of causes and factors of persistence in Iranian architecture. The limited literature in this area mostly includes descriptions of buildings and monuments of various periods of Iranian architecture. Due to closeness of the meanings of persistence and sustainability, no clear-cut border has been drawn between the two terms up to now. The present research aims at not only depicting the essential difference between the two terms of persistence and sustainability in Iranian Architecture, but also finding specifications and principles of persistent architecture and the factors affecting it. Therefore, this research is after finding the source and cause of persistence and perpetuity of Iranian architectural monuments inherited from old times. Iranian architecture has witness use of persistent patters that are being forgotten due to negligence on the part of contemporary Iranian architects as this valuable treasure and their passive acceptance of imported modern architecture. Nowadays, one of the most important issues attracting Iranian architects is the necessity of persistence in contemporary architecture and revival of Iranian architecture. The authors of this paper hold that analysis of persistent and timeless architectural works and monuments for finding their common geometric patterns can help achieving a solution for grafting persistence on to architectural works. These phenomena play a significant role in the society from both cultural-structural and pragmatic aspects. It is noteworthy to say that finding patterns in common in persistent works doesn’t mean merely copying them, but, giving them rebirth in the modern world with due regard to the needs of modern people as many of Iranian architectural works have structural-physical elements that were persistent at their own time but have lost their use today and they are only inheritance for the coming generations and they are no longer live in their use. What needed most in the present era is not blind copying of the features of Iranian architecture, but is pondering on Iranian architecture and attempting to modernize its features. In the present paper, first, the meanings of persistence and sustainability are presented and compared with each other and the viewpoints of scholars on persistence and sustainability are covered. The results of this research shows that living architecture is the cause of persistence and perpetuity of architecture in modern architecture as the case studies ChoghaZanbil Ziggurats, Naqsh -e- Jahan touristic - religious square, Tabriz Bazzar and Azadi Square can be mantioned. In terms of nature, this research is logical inference. Data was collected using library method and questionnaire techniques. The research questions included: What is the principal difference between persistence and sustainability? What is the most important factor in persistence? What are the effective features and factors in persistence architecture? The results of this research suggest that the most important difference between persistence architecture and sustainable architecture is the factor of meaning and spirituality. Furthermore, regarding to culture, and use of persistent archetypes and ability to absorb addressees are among other differences between persistent architecture and sustainable architecture. It is noteworthy that meaning in this research is a factor that inspires value in the setting, engraves memories in addressee’s minds, creates an identity in the space and place and the addressee understands that the interconnectedness of elements and formation of space are incarnations of the values and concepts of a community expressed in an architectural form. Persistence in architecture is a form of timeless state of living and dynamism that is persistent and lasting. Living means physique and sprit together, not only the physique should be live, but also it should be associated with soul. Persistence is held a kind of historical and cultural continuation in a living body. Living body means a connection between past, present and future that forms identity. What making Iranian architecture persistent is regard to spirituality and expression of the people’s beliefs and culture in architecture that develops in the addressee and becomes perpetual. Nowadays, meaning is lost in architecture, as architect instead of paying attention to God, the origin of eternity, and the original needs of human being, as the caliph of God on earth, and cultural patterns that can be expressed in today’s forms with a little modification, views man connected with technology, tools and facilities which are all transient and consumptive in other words, tools have replaced targets. Based on the results of this research, the major difference between persistent architecture and sustainable architecture is disregard to meaning and emergence of spirituality that maintains culture, identity and cultural capital in any community. The things that can be admitted as a base to rely and creat a new architecture.

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Centralizing ethics in sustainability has led to an evolutionary process towards ethical approach as a holistic approach of sustainable development. This approach, deep in concept, has evolved sustainability and endures the most fundamental relations of human and environment. The most recent definition of ethical sustainability, describes this approach as a complex of human relations, including human relation with contemporaries, human relation with nature and human relation with future generation. Urban spaces, and particularly the plazas, are the grounds of social interactions which present living dynamism through the presence and activity of citizens. This space has been considered as a highly important urban landmark among citizens, and it could be said that residents of a city are usually aware of different city zonings on the basis of their city plazas. What people expect of a plaza is a public space with high diversity and eventful environment which allows the possibility of social interactions. With profound changes occurring in all aspects of current era, most of urban plazas have been affected by market forces. As the result, proper principles have not been applied in the formation of these spaces, which has led to a sharp reduction in the space efficiency and the presence and vitality of people in current urban areas. Therefore, these plazas would not be capable of creating human relationships as the main theme of ethical sustainable architecture. In order to analyze sustainable relations in the plazas of Iranian cities, it is necessary to compare a traditional case study of the Iranian urban plaza with a modern, more contemporary designed plaza of this land, on the basis of ethical sustainability. The aim of this research is to illustrate the triple sustainable relations, in the traditional, historical plaza of Naghsh Jahan in Isfahan, and the contemporary designed plaza of Imam Hossein in Tehran, based comparative analysis. The selected methodology of this research is comparative method. A comparative study is a comprehensive, multidimensional, and systematic process that seeks out differences and similarities in research. This kind of research will take generic patterns from the research environment and by emphasizing it on the differences between objects of research context, will help to seek a better understanding towards the main subject.  In this comparative study, both quantitative and qualitative techniques have been used, yet, qualitative approach is dominant, in which the researcher studies objects in their natural situations and tries to conceptualize or interpret phenomena in terms of the meaning that people give them. In fact this research emphasizes on the social nature of the facts and the importance of human values and relationships with nature, contemporaries and future generations in the research process.
In this research, common patterns of both plazas are driven out of the case studies and their discrepancy reveals the studied comparison in three steps. Related literature is reviewed in the first step, followed by detailed examination of Hanover Principles, as the first established sustainability principles which states ethics as one its main roots, on the basis of sustainable relations. In this step, Hanover Principles are categorized by their capability in realizing each of the trial sustainable relations. Finally, based on their related Hanover Principles, each ethical relation is analyzed separately in the case studies and the findings are compared through a visual diagram. This comparative analysis reveals higher attention on ethical sustainable priorities in the historical plaza of Naghsh Jahan in compare with the comparative plaza of Imam Hosein. Results show that in Imam Hussein Plaza, human relation with nature has been revealed only through plantation of trees in the margin of main plaza. However, in the Isfahan Plaza, the use of semi-open spaces, direct visual connection between the plaza and the sky, besides Suitable orientation, in order to benefit most from sunlight and wind, has played significant role in creating human-natured connections. Human relation with contemporaries in the Naqshe Jahan plaza has been considered in the edges of the plaza, which creates the confinement and separation between the main part of the plaza and the surrounding urban spaces. The use of natural elements in the space and the placement of stores around plaza, has offered comfort for the people who are enjoying the inner core of the plaza. This is while in Imam Hossein plaza, this relation has only been reached through the benches, which are designed and located randomly on the hard flooring of plaza’s inner core. Research results show that considering the use of local materials, use of water and plants in plaza’s inner core as natural resources, locating the functions around the field in accordance to natural lighting and reachability, besides field formation design in accordance to the orientation of sun and the dominant wind, and finally an adjustable design of the plaza for multi-purpose activities, are the priorities which can strongly affect human relationship with future generations. On this basis, it has been concluded in this research that this human relation is completely neglected in the plaza of Imam Hossein.

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Urban planning seeks to improve the quality of life of the city's residents. The way to achieve this is through recognizing the dimensions of life to the neighborhoods and the factors that influence it. On the other hand, the vitality of the environment is one of the missing circles in urban life. From the perspective of the West, sustainability has three dimensions: social, economic, and environmental. This research identifies the important dimension of semantic as the fourth factor of religious look. Because the perfection of life in the religious view is to reach the life of Tayyibah, and for this purpose, spiritual and spiritual dimensions of life should considered in order to establish human perfection and growth. This is possible if you live in a lively environment and neighborhood. In addition, no attempt has made to present a comprehensive approach to sustainable architecture based on Islamic teachings, which has the depth and comprehensiveness necessary for the functional dimensions of the environment and desirable neighborhoods. Therefore, this study aims to add the semantic dimension to the three dimensions of sustainability, to provide comprehensive model of sustainable architecture compatible with Islamic teachings to live and vitality of the neighborhoods.
The method of this research is the combination method (quantitative and qualitative). Library studies have used to extract dimensions of sustainable living. In the next step, with a survey of experts and architects and urban planners, the significance of the model criteria has been determined, leading to a researcher-made questionnaire. Finally, the collected data analyzed through descriptive statistics. In this research, to identify the dimensions and characteristics of the Islamic area, the original Islamic texts (Quran and the traditions of the Imams (AS)) have investigated. The findings show that among the four dimensions of sustainability, social dimension in neighborhoods has the most importance in the vitality and living of the neighborhood. After that, the semantic dimension is most important in the religious space and the Neighborhood. In the third place, the environmental dimension in the neighborhood and the educational environment and at the last turn of the economic dimension in the neighborhood and the commercial space is contributing to the vitality of the neighborhood. At the end, Sustainable life strategies are given the priorities in the neighborhood design to create a neighborhood consistent with the Islamic worldview is developed.

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