Journal of Researches in Islamic Architecture

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Paying attention to the importance of square can be seen in architecture and organization of physical space of Iranian cities in the past, before Islam and also after that in Islamic urbanization. Saheb-Abad square of Tabriz, Shah square og Qazvin and Naghsh_e_Jahan square of Isfahan are samples of past squares which present power of governments and subtlety of governmental kings that build them. Based on recent researches theories,  Naghsh_e_Jahan square of Isfahan was built (at the age of first Abbas of Safavi kings, i.e. (998-1038 AH.), according to Saheb-Abad square of Tabriz which is built before Safavieh era and during Aq-Qounlou era (870-896 AH) and it was influenced by architecture of Saheb-Abad square of Tabriz and because remaining physical structure of Saheb-Abad complex of Tabriz is mainly related to buildings that were made during age of Qajar kings on the buildings of governmental complex of previous eras, acceptance of this assumption resulted in proposing renewing projects of Saheb-Abad with full imitation of now a days physical structure of Naghsh-e-Jahan which is exists now and without paying attention to original structure of Saheb-Abad and when it came to existence and when it was on its tip-top, in the past. Then in this research, based on both Saheb-Abad and Naghsh-e-Jahan research which are studied based on content analyzes historical-comparative guideline appearance, and step by step transformation, in the past. Finally, according to comparative study of mapped schema, recognize of similarities and differences of these two complex were found, both physically and functionally, in four time periods. The results indicate that there are the most common similarities in the history before the construction of the two square and the most differentials in their current state. In the course of historical evolution, two square are very similar in terms of functional and the types of uses than the physical dimensions. Also, the greatest point of physical distinction is the uncertainties of the Sahib Abad field, which has led to many changes and further decline of this collection up to the present.the complete acceptance of this assumption which Naghsh-e-Jahan of Isfahan is a similarity of Saheb Abad complexes of Tabriz, both functionally and physically, cannot be correct and it can be said that the overall structure of the Saheb Abad complex in the peak of its glory (the period of Shah Tahmasb Safavid) could have been the pattern of an urban space with various governmental-political, socio-cultural, religious, and sporting activities for the construction of the Naghsh-e-Jahan of Isfahan.

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Educational spaces in Iran took the formal identity of "schools" after "Nezamieh" education centers were introduced by Nezam-olmolk during the Seljukid period. Some structural elements such as cells, porches and courtyards, etc. were included in school buildings and a new kind of structural pattern emerged within them. However, enhancements of architectural techniques in the following historical periods as well as cultural, social and political facts and conditions did lead to some types of changes within the physical structure of school building elements in Iran.
The present paper assumes that physical structure of Iranian school buildings has experienced a line of evolution and enhancement from Seljukid era into Ghajar period. The present paper is aimed to explore the characteristics of architectural structure within Iranian Schools at each historical period as well as the trend of changes in those structures. The present paper uses a descriptive, analytical and case study methodology to collect and analyze the data. The data were first collected using library sources and through field studies in some cases. The data were initially presented using a descriptive method and then they were evaluated through an analytical and adaptive method. Study results show that school buildings in each historical period have evolved with certain physical structures while various changes have been applied in order to guarantee that residence place, education space and religious elements of the building are provided more desirably. As some reference, the cells were initially consisted of a single space and were in immediate contact with courtyards. Then they evolved into a multi-partition space which included small size porches and larders. Also porches were initially used as educational spaces and in some cases functioned as religious spaces. However, as the time passed, the porches transformed into wider and lighter spaces as they were needed to facilitate the education through larger rooms for more students. Meanwhile, the porches which were essentially places for worship, were replaced by vaults and naves as worship places within the school buildings. So the significance of worship spaces goes to such a height in Ghajar period that school buildings transformed into a mosque-school identity. As the schools were expanded, the process of admission and entrance to the schools was changed in some ways. In general, the results of the study proved the hypotheses stating that physical structures of school buildings have evolved from Seljukid period into Ghajar period in sense of characteristics of main building elements and the space configuration and patterns.