Journal of Researches in Islamic Architecture

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One of the most important problems in mosques designing is the quality of geometries and spaces which are appropriate for using in these religious buildings. It is obvious that one of the best references for studying this issue is Islamic teachings which are derived from verses and hadith. So, for responding to this question that what are the geometries and spaces which are appropriate for using in contemporary Tehran mosques, all religious texts such as holy Quran and Shia Imams remarks have been investigated. To achieve to the purposes of this research, thematic analysis method has been used for religious texts analyzing. This method is a simple and efficient way to explain patterns in the qualitative data. Using this method, in the first stage, all hadiths and verses which there is the word of “Masjid” or “Masjids” in them - that were about 15,000 ones - were studied. Then those of them which didn’t have effective relation with mosque architecture were omitted and the others were analyzed. Based on analysis of these hadiths and verses three types of code were subsumed. In the first level, descriptive codes were inferred which are the codes that are obvious and unequivocal. In the second level, interpretative codes were inferred which are latent and non-transparent and finally in the third level, pervasive codes were inferred which are the codes that comparing to two other types, have the most comprehensiveness. In this research, after deduction and classification of triple types of codes, the network of themes has inferred this network includes all pervasive codes that have classified hierarchically. In fact, this network provides the conceptual framework for mosques designing. Moreover, according to the requirements of the various stages of this research, for gathering data, archival research method has been used mostly meanwhile the authors have used logical argumentation method in analysis step and judgment of data (For example, the network of pervasive themes has deducted by logical argumentation method). The following, regarding to the importance of pervasive themes network, manufacturer principles of this network are cited: - Balance in permeability in mosques - Use of abstract geometries and patterns (in association with natural shapes and icons) - Use of geometries with clear boundaries for spaces separating - Attending to human scale in mosques - Use of axial and polar geometries - Application of uniform and pure geometries in mosques - Attending to the spatial hierarchy - The necessity of observing the simplicity in mosque - Attending to the mosque legibility for pedestrians - Attending to multi functionalism - Attending to the traditions and methods of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Imams (AS) in the construction of mosques - The necessity of preserving Islamic identity and avoiding the imitation of other cultures in physical design of the mosques - Change in original physical patterns of mosques in certain circumstances - Use of convergent, balanced and introversive geometries and forms in mosques In the last part of this research, different contemporary mosques in Tehran were selected to be evaluated according to 14 above principles. The quality of selection was based on some valid researches that formerly have been done for Tehran mosques typology. According to these researches, totally six mosques were selected that three ones of them are designed in traditional style and the others are designed innovative. Based on the results of this research and regarding to 14 above principles, to establish the appropriateness of the appearance and conscience in contemporary Tehran mosques, use of converged, static, balanced and generally introverted geometries and spaces is necessary and contrary to what is seen in some contemporary Tehran mosques over recent years, diverging and extroverted geometries and spaces are not suitable for this problem. But unfortunately and according to findings of this research, these features are less respected in Tehran innovative contemporary mosques compared to Tehran traditional contemporary mosques.

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Islamic arts are often identified by their abstract compositions based on geometric principles and spiritual concepts. Using artworks from different eras, this paper highlights the presence of a particular model of thought in Islamic arts in which the hierarchy of perspectival vision is abolished. The main argument is based on the ability of some artworks to be looked at from any angle while maintaining a unified meaning and value. This work proposes that such arts possess the principle of horizontality, which can be evaluated much like other more familiar principles of Islamic arts.

Through different examples and via simulative research methodology, this paper elaborates how the principle of horizontality is the resultant of an abstract view from above in which the limits of perspectival vision are surpassed in order to communicate meanings of higher order. It is through this distant, parallel vision from above that the artist and his audience re-experience the divine act of creation and their interpretations become components of a sophisticated world of symbols.

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Iranian Islamic gardens like almost every cultures, represent beauty and happiness and improve the public perception. It has also special geometry with philosophical concept related to Islam’s doctrine that is the focus of this research. Following Quran’s contents, paradise is a beautiful sophisticated garden that something flows under its trees. So the comparison between the somatic geometry of Iranian Islamic gardens and the sophisticated conceptual heavenly descriptions of paradise in Quran is the matter of this research. Thus the configurations of the geometry, based on the paths of rivulets and airflow patterns in the gardens are considered here. The research method is interdisciplinary: in the first step, after initial considerations and exploring, the principals of Iranian Islamic garden’s geometry were extracted by a comparative - descriptive method in some selected case studies. The construction of paradise in Quran frames the trajectory of analysis so the next step is analyzing the paths and geometries with a consequential analytical method. Some simulations of the inner wind are presented also. The simulations include a validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to illustrate the airflow current in this geometry. The results demonstrate the physical imagination of Quran’s perception of paradise in Iranian Islamic gardens and the flows under the trees that is framed in a heavenly geometry.

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The Holy Quran and hadiths as the most important Islamic religious texts have significant capacities in various fields of human knowledge which have been often neglected. Among the issues raised in this religious texts are some of architectural problems. One of these problems is quality of bedroom design. In this article, this problem will be probed by citing verses and hadiths to deduct bedroom design principles. These principles will be presented in four main areas, including location, geometry, light and color.
Search in religious texts is done by using two main sources. To search in the verses, the holy Quran has been used to gather verses which are related to the problem of this article especially verses related to the introduction of night and its features and to explore hadiths, “Jame-al-ahadith” software has been used which contains hundreds of narrative books. After searching the key words related to the bedroom design, those verses and hadiths that allow inference architectural results were analyzed using qualitative content method and finally, the results of this analysis are explained in the presented table in conclusion section of the article.
The most important verses discussed in this article are the verses related to night, because it seems that the bedroom (as sleeping location) and night (as sleeping time), have common features. Some of these verses are as follows: «He splits the sky into dawn. He has ordained the night for rest and the sun, and the moon for reckoning. Such is the ordinance of the Almighty, the Knowing» (Sura 6/ Verse 96); «He it is who has made the night for your rest and the day to see. Surely, in this there are signs for people who listen» (Sura 10/ Verse 67); «Have they not seen how We have made the night for them to rest in and the day to see? Surely, there are signs in this for the nation who believe» (Sura 27/ Verse 86); «It is He who has appointed the night a mantle for you and sleep for a rest. The day He has appointed for rising» (Sura 25/ Verse 47).
In addition to above verses, some other verses like these verses are related with topics such as location, color and light of bedroom: «Believers, let those your right hand owns and those who have not come of age ask permission of you three times before the dawn prayer, when you put aside your garments, in the heat of noon, and after the night prayer. These are the three occasions of privacy. There is no fault in you or them, apart from these, that they go about you, you are of each other. As such Allah makes plain to you His verses, Allah is the Knower, the Wise. And when children reach the age of puberty, let them ask permission as those before them asked permission. As such Allah makes clear to you His verses. Allah is the Knower, the Wise»(Sura 24/ Verses 58-59); «When you depart from them and from what they worship, other than Allah, seek refuge in the Cave. Allah will extend His Mercy to you and will furnish you with a gentle issue of your affair. You might have seen the rising sun incline towards the right of their Cave, and, as it set go past them on the left, while they stayed within an open space in the Cave. That was one of the signs of Allah. He whom Allah guides is rightly guided; but he whom He leads astray you shall not find for him a guardian to guide him» (Sura 18/ Verses 16-17); «›Call on your Lord, ‹ they said, ‹to make known to us what her color shall be.’ ‹Your Lord says: The cow is yellow, a rich yellow pleasing to the onlookers» (Sura 2/ Verses 69).
In this article, by analyzing the above verses, bedroom design principles are deduced (For position, geometry, color and light of bedroom). Implementation of this article results not only helps to better performance of bedrooms, but also is a step forward towards the achievement to original Islamic architecture.

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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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Karbandi is one of the original and ancient arched elements in Persian architecture which is formed based on a network with harmonic geometry and in addition to architectural function, it also has structural behavior. However, there are ambiguities about the geometry of this architectural element that should be addressed with targeted research. One of these ambiguities is to determine how the geometry of different types of Karbandi is mapped; according to the available information, different types of Karbandi cannot be easily distinguished. The conventional and Stellar Karbandi are of the controversial issues in recognizing the geometry of Karbandi in Persian architecture. The present study aimed to identify and discover the geometric relationships in the conventional and Stellar Karbandi based on actual examples as well as study and analyze the geometric characteristics of different types of them. The necessity of the present study is to clarify how the geometry of different types of Karbandi is mapped to provide a comprehensive classification for it based on executed examples. The results of the present study showed that the difference between the two types of conventional and Stellar Karbandi is the connection distance between the points of division on the circle. It's easy to recognize this note in rectangular and squares bases; if the length of the rectangle or one of the sides of the square is in front of segments of the circle and the relation of equality is established between the number of segments of a circle in front of the length of the rectangle and the connection distance between the division points of the circle, the simple conventional Karbandi will be obtained. But, in non-rectangular base, firstly, the base must be divided into two or more identical intersecting rectangles, in this case, a length of one of these rectangles is considered as a criterion to recognize the type of Karbandi. If the relation of equality is established between the number of segments and the connection distance, extension conventional Karbandi will be obtained. If the relation of equality is not established, the obtained Karbandi is Stellar Karbandi. In this case, there are mathematically different scenarios that were examined. By examining the aforementioned cases, it has been proven that Tarkin vault is also of Stellar Karbandi. Therefore, another category called "Tarkin" was added to the other two categories of Stellar Karbandi, namely, "Discrete" and "Continuous".

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The relation between texture, pattern and massing is a fundamental question in architecture. Classical architecture, as Leon Battista Alberti states in De Re Ae dificatoria, Book VI, Chapter 2, is developed through massing and structure first; texture is added afterwards to give the bold massing and structure beauty [Rietherand and Baerlecken, 2008: 2]. This hierarchy has of course been challenged throughout architecture history.

In the literature review, most researchers have done focus on pattern of Islamic ornamentation based on the interior vision and exterior pattern effect is not considering by researchers. This paper will provide a different thinking of the relationship of massing and texture in Persian Architecture based on tower temple in Khorasan that built in Qaznavi and Saljoughi era.

After that, we consider the role of the ornamental pattern on shaping building structure. Since this research were done based on mathematic and geometric systems, the main research way in this paper is logical deduction.
One of the main important result of this research is the meaningful relationship between ornamental pattern and structural in Iranian Architecture.

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Science there is unique qualities in Persian architecture which properly meet the hierarchical various needs of human beings as well as it can be reproduced as an examined pattern in today architecture, it is always a matter of question and reflection.
(Persian architecture is always a matter of question and reflection because it properly meets the hierarchical various needs of human beings, also can be reproduced as an examined pattern in today architecture. ???)
 
This is doubly important in the case of sacred spaces in Iran, which have always represented the pinnacle of the art of designing form and space in Persian architecture and today face challenges of nature and identity. Meanwhile, there is a variety of approaches to identify what researchers were interested in and sought out in the buildings of past Persian architecture; including: The formal investigation of the historic buildings, the recognition of the context conditions and the period of time in which architectural works influenced by political, economic and social affairs were built in the historical context, as well as the profound effects of geographical and climatic factors on the structure of buildings. Some others have also introduced the entanglement approach to the cultural manifestations of every people, including Iranians. By studying and recognizing literature, poetry and fine arts, which touches the lives of human beings, they study architectural works in this field. They consider understanding each one without the other, to be incomplete, inadequate, and impossible. This study, based on this hypothesis that what was produced by the Iranian artist, certainly has a form of embodiment of the imaginary forms of the mind-maker and the experience of every place simultaneously is a mental and physical experience, by asking about the concept of imaginary and metaphoric concepts in art and architecture, based on interpretivism philosophical basis and qualitative approach to research, by using the research design of discourse analysis and descriptive-analytic research method, tries to answering the questions of the research. The results of the discussion show that the imaginary forms and metaphorical meanings in construction of the mosque and the shrine of Sheikh Abdul Samad in Natanz can be classified in four respects: 1. Imaginary location of the building and its relation to the time; architects of both two buildings, in their eternal vision of time, have taken a position for two buildings which brings immortality to the mind. The collection is conveniently located in such a way that sustainability of the natural structures and interaction of cosmic forces in it, creates a microcosmic which eliminates the presence of time. These two buildings, adjacent to the 1700-year-old plantain and the 2000-year-old Qanat, as human-built nature, are located in such a way among natural structure, which strengthen the existing nature and show its complete conformation with the existing cosmic order. 2. Domes as the mirror of the sky and as the mirror of earth; what is the poetic aspect of the shrine’s dome, with its not so great proportions, is the metaphoric role of a mirror-like tile on it, which exactly reflects the natural blue sky of Natanz. Outer shell denies its existence and becomes a mirror to represent the sky. The dome of the shrine, which is a symbol for a mystical journey, loses its rigidity and points to light and transparency. But in the mosque, the principle is based on the lack of external identification, simplicity, and inwardness. The dome of the mosque, with its earthy color, is a mirror and a symbol of the earth. Also, the northern portico of the mosque is covered with turquoise tiles and represents the earth as the sky. 3. Metaphors of light and darkness; the cavities embedded in the dome of the mosque are located in such a way that during daylight hours that shines the light rays like a waterfall into the inside. What falls under the dome is the rain of light which represents the essence of God, but in the shrine, shining of light is opposite of the mosque. At this place, the dome space, in opposite of mosque dome which is dark, is full of light. The dome which is the symbol of heaviness, rigidity and pressure is based on light beams. And 4. Imaginary of materials and body of two building. In these two adjacent buildings, materials and surfaces possess their own languages. Bricks and soil represent poetic signs of the human being's essence, and therefore establish an intrinsic connection with their audience. On the other hand, the soil is one of the four classical elements in the thought structure of Persians, consequently, with its pretense of earth, becomes colorful and smells of sanctity. Water represents another classical element which presents in the building. Both two buildings are necessarily multisensory and thoroughly comprehend the sensory perceptions of their audiences. The proportions of the body of the building and its proximity to the human body have constructed a humble and humane complex. Since human being receives and comprehends the world with his body, Here the experimental world is organized and defined and meaningful around the body of individuals, In fact, the empirical world of humans, has two simultaneous centers: the body and the physique of Shrine and mosque. In conclusion, it should be emphasized that all of the elements, forms, spaces and the geometry of motifs in this complex represent the authentic experience of the tradition of construction in the land of Persia and based the ontological aspect, it comes from the way of being-the-world and settling of Iranians.

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Bathhouses (Garm-abeh) are beneficial and worth concerning public buildings in the history of Iranian Islamic architecture, which include excellent factors in each one of their spaces. Hierarchy is one of the most apparent qualities of these buildings, which is the main concern of this paper, introducing Mian-dar [middle corridor] as the space between Sar-bineh [cloakroom] (place for undressing, resting and conversing, located past the entrance and before the Garm-khaneh) and Garm-khane [hot chamber] (Main place where washing and massaging takes place), which brings this quality in such space. This research will dig into the secrets of architects that made this fact possible, which are studied in the scale of bath’s three main spaces (Sar-bine, Garmkhaneh and Mian-dar) and tools and methods they’ve used in anatomy of Mian-dar. Therefore, by gathering the information of all of Fars’ public baths from the Safavid to Pahlavi Period, researchers studied and analyzed mechanisms of hierarchy in Mian-dar and geometry and circulation in the main three parts of these public baths and their effects on this quality. Concerning this study and analysis on calculations and tables, this paper has found that there is a specific area proportion between Sar-bineh, Mian-dar and Garm-khaneh; The results also show, Corridor (Daalaan) is the main element used in Mian-dar of medium sized bathhouses, which is often U shaped and includes 2 to 4 turns inside itself. But in the large scaled bathhouses, corridors join forces with Vestibules (Hashti) which are halls to access other minor spaces; and in small bathhouses, architects on have only used walls and short turns in combining with corridors to separate two main bathhouses’ spaces, creating a sense of hierarchy.

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In specialized topics of aesthetics, structure and function, the buildings of Islamic architecture in Iran during certain periods, show the strong presence
of intellectual sciences such as mathematics. The use of geometry as a part of the science of numerical mathematics, which in its intellectual position has
complex calculations, indicates the connection of Islamic architects with the mathematicians of their time. According to the available books and written documents, the architect's personal reference to complex mathematical books in terms of numerical application is a subject that has been seen in lesser power. Accordingly, in this article, the educational relationship between architects and Islamic mathematicians has been examined. Geometry in its numerical position can not be transferred to the architectural structure, and this must be transferred to a specific geometric process in terms of action. How to connect the mathematics of Islamic theology and architecture about geometry, and of a special theoretical or practical type that can be used in the field of architecture is the basic question of research. How Islamic architects have understood theoretical and practical geometry from mathematicians and have applied it in architecture. In this regard, in the present study, the author has examined the research and analysis operations by identifying the fourth to eleventh AH due to the presence of prestigious Islamic mathematicians as well as glorious Islamic architecture from a geometrically known point of view. The study of analysis on manuscripts is very valid in scientific centers. These manuscripts have been analyzed by architecture in the form of face-to-face research and academic communication in the preparation of scanned images. The manuscripts belong to Islamic scholars including Buzjani, Farabi, Ibn Sina, Akhavan al-Safa, and Jamshid Kashani. In order to study geometry in the theories of Islamic mathematicians and to obtain basic information about geometry and mathematics, the deductive method has been used in research, and the contextualist approach has been used in the discussion of historical issues of architecture and knowledge topics of geometry. The research findings show the decision of Islamic mathematicians based on the issues of Islamic belief and thought to meet the practical needs in Islamic society and beyond. Islamic architects are also among the most important learners in the field of building architecture and related matters in terms of geometry. These topics are in the form of converting numerical mathematics into theoretical geometry in its quantitative and qualitative dimensions and practical geometry to achieve practical cases in providing applied geometry for educating architects. These teachings, due to their complexity and the fact that they belong to the mathematical field of equivalence, required face-to-face educational communication. This issue is called the meetings of artists between Islamic mathematicians and architects according to its own process.
In order to understand the knowledge of geometry by architectural experts in the period from the fourth to the eleventh AH, a subject has been created by Islamic mathematicians of that time that may have existed in previous centuries. This is the subject of communication classes created by Islamic mathematicians.
They tried to improve jobs in various fields. In the field of architects, this issue is called Artistics Meeting. Meetings in which Islamic mathematicians, with their vast knowledge and perception, have applied theoretical knowledge to the profession and minds of artists. The method of calculating geometry

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 Mosque is the most significant body in Muslim architecture, and geometry and ornamentals are  through the most important elements of the mosque architecture. In addition to the geometric role and beauty of mosque configuration, considering the mundain and spiritual aspects of mosques, it also conveys the meanings of Allah's beauty and gelorious names and attributes in the form of a physical configuration. This type of attitude towards geometry and ornamental decorations is recognized as semantic and virtue-oriented architecture. therefore, the main issue is the relationship between the geometry and ornamental decoration of the mosques with the  quality improvement of the space of the nave of mosques.  This relationship creates the necessity and importance of the geometry and ornamental decorations in architectural design of mosques  at which the sprituality aspects must be considred in addition to the appearnce and mundain configuration. In this research, various methods such as document research libraray, Delphi, and  case studies were utilized as well as the interview tools, questionnaires, surveys, and statistical analysis software. In order to collect the research-required information, some surveys interviews and questionnaires were  conducted and distributed among the related experts within six historical and contemporary eminent mosques, and the data were analyzed using statistical softwares. Conclusively, in addition to improving the quality of the physical configuration, the results indicate that paying attention to geometry and ornamental decorations of mosques causes the increase in spritual manifestation of meaning and beauty in mosques.