Problem statement: Iran, with its valuable architectural heritage, is situated in one of the most seismically active regions of the world; therefore, special attention is required to ensure the protection of its historical buildings. East Azerbaijan Province, in the northwest of the country, with its prominent historical churches, represents a clear example of this necessity. Studies indicate that out of forty-nine identified churches in this province, only thirteen remain standing, while the majority have been damaged or destroyed due to natural and human-induced factors. Research objective: This study aims to assess the safety and analyze the seismic vulnerability of eight selected historical churches in the province and to develop a prioritized list for their conservation. Research method: The research adopts a comparative mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to ensure the accuracy of the results. Qualitative assessment was conducted on-site using Italian conservation guidelines, while quantitative evaluation was carried out using the 3Muri software to simulate the behavior of masonry walls. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the seismic safety index of the churches is less than one, demonstrating the vulnerability of these historical structures to seismic events and highlighting the urgent need for intervention and the implementation of appropriate conservation measures. A comparison of qualitative and quantitative assessment outputs revealed that the qualitative approach is more conservative than the quantitative method. Therefore, this study emphasizes the importance of integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches in a comprehensive assessment process to guide sustainable conservation strategies for national architectural heritage.
Problem statement: In recent years, tourism growth in many historical sites and monuments has been accompanied by factors such as overtourism and undertourism, phenomena that can threaten the physical, managerial, and perceptual sustainability of cultural heritage. Despite its outstanding historical value, the Rab' e Rashidi historical site in Tabriz, as one of the most prominent complexes of the Ilkhanid period, has often been overlooked within the urban tourism system of Tabriz. Due to the absence of quantitative and spatial analyses concerning visitor distribution patterns, intensity of spatial use, and the tourism carrying capacity, the site has remained under examined in these respects. Research objective: This study aims to evaluate the tourism carrying capacity of the Rab' e Rashidi historical site in Tabriz with the purpose of addressing the imbalance in tourism activity and planning for the reduction of physical degradation of the archaeological complex. The research seeks to answer the following question: Considering contemporary approaches to heritage site tourism, what is the tourism carrying capacity of the Rab' e Rashidi historical site in Tabriz? Research method: This research employs a mixed method strategy, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches through library studies and field surveys. The study estimates the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) and presents results across three primary levels of carrying capacity analysis: Physical Carrying Capacity (PCC), Real Carrying Capacity (RCC), and Effective Carrying Capacity (ECC). Conclusion: Findings indicate that this valuable historical site, when physical, environmental, and managerial factors are taken into account, will fall within the range of minimal tourism by 2025. According to the calculated data, of the original 90 hectare area of Rab' e Rashidi, currently less than 13 hectares are recoverable, and the site is capable of hosting more than 5,000 visitors per day. However, on average, only about 7 visitors per day have visited the site throughout the year.
Problem statement: In Iran, fortresses are generally classified into two categories: mountain fortresses and plain fortresses. Mountain fortresses were constructed along mountain passes, on ridgelines, beside valleys, or near rivers, primarily with the purpose of providing security and defense. In northwestern Iran, due to its distinctive topographical features, thousands of mountain fortresses exist. These structures have been built from the fourth millennium BCE coinciding with the emergence of political and social instability and their construction continued until the Qajar period. The architectural plans of these fortresses were strongly influenced by the topographical characteristics of their surrounding landscapes, and local stone materials were predominantly used in their construction. Owing to their mountainous geographical setting and the use of indigenous materials, these fortresses are highly vulnerable to various forms of deterioration. The research addresses two main questions: What materials were most commonly used in the construction of mountain fortresses? And which factors have had the greatest impact on their deterioration? Research method: This article, employing a descriptive-analytical method and relying on both fieldwork and library-based studies, examines the natural and human factors contributing to the destruction of these monuments, including precipitation, frost action, soil erosion, and anthropogenic impacts. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the primary construction materials of mountain fortresses in northwestern Iran are stone and sarooj mortar, while factors such as erosion, earthquakes, human intervention, and environmental conditions have had the most significant impact on their destruction.
Problem statement: The tension between the imperatives of modern urban development (such as commercialization and tourism infrastructure) and the necessity of architectural heritage conservation threatens the integrity of the historic fabrics of Tabriz and Yazd. Furthermore, the lack of precise documentation and the weak enforcement of conservation laws have exacerbated this crisis. Research objective: To conduct a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the destructive impacts of development on architectural heritage, identify the spatial patterns of degradation, and evaluate the effectiveness of existing conservation frameworks. Research method: This study employs an "explanatory sequential mixed-methods design" grounded in the "Historic Urban Landscape (HUL)" paradigm. In the quantitative phase, 156 heritage parcels were utilized as "urban sensors" for field surveying and GIS analysis. In the qualitative phase, employing a "nested sampling" strategy with a focus on "deviant cases," 47 interviews were conducted with stakeholders of the most severely degraded parcels to inductively generalize micro-level observations. Conclusion: The findings confirm that micro-level alterations have systematically driven destructive macro-level transformations. Specifically, 34.6% of the samples in Tabriz (predominantly due to commercial regeneration in the Bazaar) and 28.6% in Yazd (driven by rapid hotel construction in the Fahadan district) have sustained structural damage. The research identifies three primary mechanisms driving this loss-"hidden degradation," "structural instability," and "gentrification"-and emphasizes the urgent need for a transition to the HUL conservation approach.
Problem statement: In recent years, the increasing frequency of natural and human-induced crises, such as earthquakes, war, and climate change, has created serious challenges for the conservation and reconstruction of historic architectural heritage. Conventional approaches to restoration and reconstruction are predominantly reproductive and form-oriented in nature, paying limited attention to adaptive, temporal, and resilient mechanisms at the material level. In this context, biomimetics, as an approach inspired by the behavioral and process-based logic of nature, can provide a theoretical foundation for rethinking the adaptive reconstruction of historic heritage, particularly when it moves beyond mere formal imitation and becomes oriented toward the behavior of materials. Research objective: Focusing on Bio-Lime as an example of material-oriented biomimetics, this study seeks to explain the capacities of self-healing lime-based materials in the restoration and adaptive reconstruction of architectural heritage. Research method: This study employed a comparative analysis and a systematic review of recent studies in the fields of self-healing materials, lime mortars, and bio-based additives. The selected studies were analyzed according to criteria such as material type, self-healing mechanism, degree of compatibility with historic restoration, and functional outcomes. Conclusion: The findings indicate that, unlike conventional self-healing systems based on concrete, lime-based materials-and Bio-Lime in particular-possess an inherent capacity for gradual, low-energy, and historically compatible self-healing through natural processes such as carbonation, rehydration, and microstructural modification. The findings further suggest that biobased additives can purposefully enhance this capacity and contribute to improving the durability and physical resilience of historic buildings without causing chemical incompatibility. Accordingly, this study proposes a conceptual framework for adaptive reconstruction based on material-oriented biomimetics, which can support a transition from static restoration toward adaptive and future-oriented reconstruction in historic sites in Iran, particularly Rab'-e Rashidi in Tabriz.
Statement statement: Adobe buildings-among the oldest works and human-made structures-were once the primary shelters for people and, even today, still maintain their use in parts of the world. As one of the oldest construction materials, adobe has continuously been exposed to vulnerability against environmental factors such as moisture, rainfall, temperature fluctuations, and weathering. This issue, particularly in historic adobe structures, leads to gradual deterioration and a reduction in the structures' durability. In this context, the need to protect these adobe ensembles-whose structural damage has already been exacerbated by natural and human factors-becomes evident. Research objective:This research aims to introduce and evaluate traditional and modern strategies used to reinforce adobe brick against damaging environmental factors, including moisture. Research method: The present study is descriptive-analytical. Data collection is conducted through documentary studies (library-based research). Conclusion: The results indicate that although traditional methods remain important due to their compatibility with local climate, accessibility, and low cost, their effectiveness under harsh climatic conditions is limited. In contrast, modern technologies have been able to improve the durability of adobe more effectively, although high costs and incomplete compatibility with historical fabric are among their main challenges. Ultimately, the study emphasizes that combining traditional and modern approaches-and applying findings from research-shows that traditional methods such as adding straw and using straw-clay (k & amacr;hg & amacr;l) plaster, despite being simple, inexpensive, and environmentally compatible, have limited durability against moisture and severe conditions. Conversely, modern solutions based on chemical and nano-materials provide greater mechanical resistance and stability. Therefore, the best approach is to integrate these two categories of methods to achieve both durability and architectural authenticity.
Problem statement: The present study investigates installation art as a distinct genre and its impact on the viewer's experience. The primary focus is on the interaction between the human body and space during the encounter with an artwork. Research objectives: The core objective is to explore how installation art, by establishing specific spatial conditions, actively incorporates the physical presence of the audience into the perceptual reception of the work. Research method: Employing a qualitative, case-study methodology, this research examines the installation Breath by Shirazeh Houshiary. The artwork is analyzed through its visual, auditory, and spatial characteristics to elucidate its experiential dimensions. Conclusion: By creating a dark and confined space, Breath engages the viewer in an immersive environment that directs their visual and auditory senses toward a profound state of introspection. In this experience, the spectator's body becomes an integral component of the artwork, thereby challenging the "autonomy of the art object" in favor of the viewer's "personal experience." The findings reveal that Breath not only affirms the concept of "theatricality" as a pivotal element in contemporary art but also instigates a fundamental paradigm shift in understanding the nexus of art, space, and the human body. Ultimately, this installation exemplifies an immersive and transformative experience that redefines the audience's interaction with both space and time.
Problem statement: Among the most significant challenges of the majority of historic bazaars is that there are social issues that jeopardize security. The research case of this study is within Hamadan Bazaar, which is subject to the aforementioned social problems. The primary research question is whether Space Syntax software can be used to analyze crime locations that have been caused by physical and non-physical factors. One particular gap in the literature for this research is that no definite explanation of the ability of the software to detect crime locations that have been caused by non-physical factors has been created. Research objectives: The primary objective of this research is to analyze the efficacy of the Space Syntax method and its key indicators in identifying the crime locations caused by physical and non-physical factors. Further, it investigates whether the software can identify crime locations caused by non-physical factors. Moreover, the research suggests both physical and non-physical interventions towards enhanced security and reduced crime in the study area. Research Method: The study employed a cognitive map to determine and categorize the places and nature of crime within the study area. The study area was then analyzed with the use of UCL Depth Map software in order to examine its spatial syntax and determine the influence of physical aspects in the creation of crime hotspots. Conclusion: Through comparison of the derived quantitative and qualitative data, the study confirmed and categorized the physical and non-physical determinants of crime hotspots. The study evaluated the effectiveness of the Space Syntax approach and its most significant criteria in determining crime hotspots. The study concluded that the software cannot identify crime locations resulting from the non-physical determinants.
Problem statement: Dating, function, and founder of the SW entrance in Rab'-e Rashidi seems problematic: is it from the 14th CE or the 15th-17th CE? Is its purpose as a fortification gate or a civil entry? The abductive hypothesis of the authors explains this structure as the gate to the fort of Rashidiyya built by the order of Ottoman Jafar Pasha Frenk during the Roman Gap of Tabriz. Research objective: Rab'-e Rashidi has three periods of occupation during the 14th-17th CE. The recognition of function and dating of their architectural periods is effective on plannings of restoration & tourism. Research method: The structure of the SW entrance was surveyed, documented, and its plan and the roleve of the structure were drawn by the methods of field archaeology and a quadcopter. Historically, then after, six first-hand resources from the 16th-17th CE on the fort of Rashidiyya and the Roman Gap of Tabriz were studied: "History of Osman Pala" (1585), "& Scedil;eca'atname" (1585), "Tebriziyye" (1585), "Campagne Histories of Sultan Murad III" (1587), "Histoire des Kourdes" (1597), and "'Alam & amacr;r & amacr;-ye 'Abb & amacr;s & imacr;" (1632). Conclusion: The stitching of the SW entrance to the structure of the rampart of Rashidiyya, as well as the similarity of its building materials and manner with the southern outwork, indicate that it was built by the Ottoman Jafar Pasha Frenk during the Roman Gap of Tabriz. Only the brick and mud parts of the rampart are remnants of those quick repairs carried out by the Great Shah Abbas Safavid in the spring of 1610. The simple structure of the vestibule behind the bastions also explains that it had a formal function and a public entrance as well.
Problem statement: Attention to narrative and spatial mise-en-sc & egrave;ne in contemporary architecture has provided new possibilities for the interpretation and interactive organization of space. Research purpose: This study aims to comparatively examine two prominent theoretical approaches, event-centeredness in the thought of Bernard Tschumi and narrative-centeredness in the theory of Sophia Psarra, in order to elucidate the capacities of spatial mise-en-sc & egrave;ne in narrative-oriented architectural design. Research method: The present study employed a qualitative methodology, grounded in comparative theoretical-conceptual analysis and discourse analysis. Data were collected through a review of specialized literature and the analysis of exemplary cases (such as Tschumi's Parc de la Villette and selected projects discussed by Psarra), and were compared using the criteria of narrative structure, user action (agency), and spatial form. Conclusion:The findings indicate that Tschumi's event-based architecture emphasizes the production of discontinuity, tension, and interaction between space and event, whereas Psarra focuses on multilayered narrative, interpretability, and experience-centered spatiality. The comparative analysis suggests that integrating these two approaches can offer novel models for contemporary cultural and public architecture. The study underscores the necessity of rethinking the architectural design process through a narrative-oriented approach and employing semiotic and analytical tools to create meaningful and participatory spaces.
Problem statement: Success in designing virtual environments requires maximizing the quality of users' experience within these digital spaces. Such environments also allow for the adjustment of fundamental environmental properties, including avatar speed and spatial scale. Therefore, understanding the effects of altering these basic variables on user behavior, particularly movement behaviors, is essential. Research objective: In this regard, the present research investigates the effect of avatar speed, environmental structure scale, and environmental information density on users' movement strategies. It is hoped that this study will provide useful results for various applications, from game design to assistive virtual environments. Research method: The paradigm of this research is post-positivist, and in terms of objective, it falls under applied research. The research data were obtained by observing the behavior of users -including 18 participants experienced in computer games - during search activities in a virtual environment, and then extracting their behavioral patterns by 9 other users. The findings from this part were validated through a Delphi method. The collected data were analyzed using regression tests for each dependent variable separately. Conclusion: The results indicate that speed, scale, and environmental information density influence the movement behaviors adopted by users in the virtual environment. Speed and environmental information density particularly affect motion-strategy-based behaviors, such as the distance traveled in straight paths, whereas scale primarily influences behaviors related to spatial structure, such as the preferred distance from walls and edges. An individual's search efficiency is also affected by environmental information density.
Problem statement: The concept of space in sculpture is a multilayered and interdisciplinary phenomenon formed through its relationship with perception, the body, materiality, and meaning. The historical development of this concept shows that space has shifted in physics from an absolute structure to a relative framework; in philosophy, from an a priori category to a phenomenological experience; and in sculpture, from a static background to a dynamic element in the production of meaning. These transformations underscore the complexity of space and reveal the need for a network-oriented approach to its teaching in contemporary sculpture, one that can meaningfully connect theoretical knowledge with students' practical capabilities. Drawing on the theory of connectivism learning, this study asks how an integrated synthesis of physical, philosophical, and artistic perspectives can contribute to the development of a novel and effective model for teaching the concept of space in contemporary sculpture education. Research objective: The aim of this study is to propose anetwork-based model for teaching space in sculpture education, in which philosophical, physical, and aesthetic knowledge are organized as interconnected nodes within a conceptual network, thereby enabling the enhancement of students' abilities to analyze and create space. Research method: This study adopts a qualitative approach and employs a descriptive-analytical method with an applied-developmental orientation. Data were collected through two main pathways: a library-based study of the concept of space in physics, philosophy, and art, and a field study involving the analysis of selected works by contemporary sculptors as well as final projects by sculpture students at the University of Tehran. Data analysis was conducted based on the network logic of connectivism theory, in order to elucidate the relationships among different layers of space in the educational process and to justify the rationale for the selected methodological approach. Conclusion: The findings indicate that concurrent attention to the physical and philosophical layers of space elevates students' understanding from the level of sensory experience to a more analytical and creative level. Accordingly, it is recommended that the concept of space in sculpture be reconfigured through a connectivism approach so that its instruction is not confined to the recognition of form, but rather the relations among form, space, and meaning are apprehended as a networked, multidimensional
Problem statement: Design, which is an innovative inquiry into the creation of novel artifacts, challenges, and harnesses the mind, personality, and creative capacities of the designer. In the realm of architecture, this inquiry encounters complexities, contradictions, and thought-provoking questions that demand recourse to a rich body of knowledge and the application of both critical and creative modes of thinking. Within the field of design education, however, there is no consensus regarding the most effective pedagogical methodologies. Such a gap underscores the urgent need to investigate educational approaches that can stimulate and nurture students' creativity. Research objective: The aim of this study is to empower architecture students to cultivate independent and critical thinking an intellectual stance that fosters an innovative studio culture without relying on instructors' direct guidance or the imitation of past experiences. Research method: This research employed a qualitative approach, drawing upon semi-structured interviews and directed qualitative content analysis as the primary tools of inquiry. In the first phase, purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to select expert participants. Sixteen individuals contributed to the study, and the interview data were analyzed through open and axial coding. In the second phase, a questionnaire was distributed across three groups, encompassing a statistical sample of 105 architecture students from both public and private universities in Tehran and Karaj. Conclusion: The findings revealed that the architectural design education process in Iranian universities places limited emphasis on fostering critical thinking skills among students. Yet, the integration of diverse modes of thought, including visual, flexible, metaphorical, strategic, creative, and critical thinking, was found to be essential for addressing the multifaceted challenges of this field. Moreover, the results highlighted that instructors attach particular importance to the role of the studio environment in enhancing students' creativity.
Problem statement: urban space is a social, historical, and multi-layered phenomenon, continuously shaped and reproduced over time through the persistent interaction of power, politics, and capital. This reproduction occurs not only through structural transformations but also within the heart of everyday actions, lived experiences, and social discourses. Within this framework, women's discourse-as a frequently overlooked force-plays a significant role in redefining private-public boundaries and reconstructing collective memory. Nevertheless, this discourse has remained largely marginalized, particularly in the spatial analysis of historical urban areas in Iranian cities. This study thus examines the agency of women's discourse within the context of these forces and spatial activism on Lalehzar Street in Tehran. Research objective: The present study aims to investigate the role of women's discourse in the reproduction of urban space, focusing on Tehran's Lalehzar Street as one of the capital's most prominent historical and cultural arteries. As a stage for the interactions and confrontation of social forces, as well as a platform for women's presence and activism across various historical periods, Lalehzar reveals the process of spatial rearrangement through a gendered lens. Research method: This study adopts a qualitative, discourse-oriented approach, employing inductive content analysis to examine the gathered data. The data were extracted from diverse written, visual, and oral sources covering three distinct historical periods: the Qajar era, the Pahlavi era, and the Islamic Republic period. The theoretical framework of this research is grounded in the mechanisms of urban space reproduction, utilizing the concepts of activism, agency, and spatial peripheral-central to analyze women's discourse. Conclusion: women's activism in Lalehzar Street can be understood as an integral part of the historical reproduction of urban space, shaped through a complex interplay with relations of power, politics, and capital. Across different eras, this activism has evolved from the "spectator" to the "spectacle" and eventually to the "actress", represented through diverse discursive formulations such as passive-symbolic presence, consumption, isolation, and participation. The everyday behaviors, social roles, patterns of presence and absence, and women's participation in the street sphere have not only influenced the transformation of spatial meanings and the redrawing of private-public boundaries but have also played a decisive role in the formation of collective memory and the spatial organization of Lalehzar.
Problem statement: In contemporary architecture, a kind of semantic isolation can be observed that reduces architecture to a merely physical object and weakens its connection with human experience and meaning. This challenge highlights the necessity of reinterpreting architecture from a phenomenological perspective, allowing spaces to become grounds for the manifestation of being and lived experience. Heideggerian phenomenology, with its emphasis on concepts such as Dasein and dwelling, provides a framework for a deeper understanding of this relationship. Research objective: This study aims to explain the fundamental categories of narrative architecture from the perspective of Heideggerian phenomenology and to examine their reflections in human lived experience. The research also seeks to offer a theoretical framework for liberating contemporary architecture from semantic isolation and strengthening the bond between humans and their environment. Research method: This study employed a systematic meta-synthesis and content analysis method based on the Sandelowski and Barroso model. The research population consisted of 57 scientific articles published between 2000 and 2025 in databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, selected according to defined inclusion criteria. The data were qualitatively coded through thematic analysis and categorized into 10 main themes. Conclusion: The findings revealed that these categories, including identity and meaning, historical narrative and heritage, sensory and perceptual experience, user interaction with space and context, narrative structure and form, symbolic expression, thematic and contextual narratives, integration and connection in design, interaction with context and community, and the architect's life quality and identity, overlap with Heideggerian concepts such as Being-in-the-world and care. Consequently, narrative architecture can enrich lived experience and lead to the creation of meaningful and identity-forming spaces.
Problem statement: In recent years, the increase in natural disasters and human-induced threats has posed significant challenges to healthcare infrastructure, which is a critical component of health systems and disaster management. The Makran coastal region, due to its geostrategic location, proximity to an active fault zone, and adjacency to the sea, is among the most vulnerable areas in the country. This study employs a passive defense approach to assess risks and analyze threats affecting healthcare infrastructure in the region. Research objective: This study aims to assess the risk and analyze threats to healthcare infrastructure in the Makran coastal region using a passive defense approach. Specifically, it seeks to identify natural and humaninduced hazards, evaluate the preparedness and resilience of healthcare facilities, measure the impact of these threats on overall risk through a mixed-methods approach, and provide practical recommendations to enhance the functional and structural resilience of healthcare infrastructure in high-risk areas. Research method: This research was conducted using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. In the qualitative phase, ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare managers, passive defense specialists, and disaster management experts. In the quantitative phase, 50 researcher-designed questionnaires were distributed among experts and managers of healthcare centers in the region. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, descriptive statistics, and multiple linear regression. Conclusion: Strengthening early warning systems, continuous staff training, structural reinforcement of healthcare facilities, and ensuring adequate resources and equipment can directly reduce the vulnerability of healthcare infrastructure in the Makran region. The novelty of this study lies in the first-time modeling of combined natural and human-induced threats on Makran's healthcare infrastructure using a passive defense perspective. The findings can serve as a practical policy framework for enhancing healthcare resilience in other high-risk coastal regions.
Problem statement: Understanding authenticity is highly important in creating authentic and lasting architecture. However, due to a diversity of opinions and the lack of precise criteria, this topic has often been overlooked by experts, and research has been limited to repeating general concepts, primarily within the scope of cultural heritage and building restoration. Given that traditional architecture is recognized as authentic, it is essential to investigate this subject in the architecture of conventional houses across different historical periods to identify the components of authenticity. Research objective: This study attempts to analyze the concept of authenticity and examine how it manifests and persists in the traditional houses of Yazd city, during the transition from the Qajar to the Pahlavi period, by reviewing articles and expert opinions. Recognizing architectural changes in traditional houses during these two periods plays a significant role in understanding the components of authenticity in architectural structures. The study focuses on the physical (corporeal), conceptual, and semantic evidence within the houses to identify the trends of continuity or rupture of these concepts amidst the historical and cultural developments of that era. Research method: This is an applied, qualitative research study employing a content analysis strategy. Data was collected through library research, documentation, and field visits. After identifying the components of authenticity in architecture based on the analysis of documents and expert views, houses from the Qajar and Pahlavi periods in Yazd were selected as case studies. The evolutionary trend of these authenticity components was then examined from the Qajarto the Pahlavi period using comparative-analytical and descriptive methods. Conclusion: The examination of authenticity components across the three levels-Form, Concept, and Meaning-in the Qajar and Pahlavi houses indicates that the concept and meaning inherent in an architectural element are no longer perceivable at the other levels of authenticity when that element is removed from the level of Form in traditional houses. Furthermore, many of the components of authenticity across the three levels are no longer evident in the architectural transformation of buildings from the Qajar to the Pahlavi period.
Problem statement: In contemporary environmental sciences literature in Iran, the word "Manzar," as an equivalent for the Western concept of "Landscape," is often understood as a concept equal to "external objectivity." This reductionist usage is not merely a lexical error but stems from ignoring the semantic and historical structure of the word and, consequently, neglecting the ontological foundations that render "Manzar" a distinct concept for understanding the human-environment relationship. The persistence of this misunderstanding has led to the dominance of a formalist approach in explaining this concept and has undermined the possibility of an independent theoretical formulation of it. Research objective: The aim of this research is a genealogical re-reading of the word "Manzar" within the context of language to extract its multi-layered meanings and semantic capacities, to elucidate the preeminence of this word over cognate terms in a determinate understanding of the environment. Research method: The present research is conducted within the interpretive paradigm using a qualitative approach. For data collection, documentary and library methods (including lexicographical sources and literary-mystical texts) were utilized, and data analysis was performed based on a combined method of "Historical Etymology" and "Semantic Field Analysis." Conclusion: The findings indicate that "Manzar," unlike "Sima" (which denotes the visual surface) and "Mazhar" (which is inherent to the phenomenon itself), is a "process-oriented" concept dependent on the "observer." The research findings delineate five ontological features for "Manzar" that distinguish it from cognate concepts: 1. Simultaneity of being both Origin and Destination, 2. Quasi-objectivity (Object-likeness), 3. Processual nature, 4. Blendedness (Hybridity), and 5. "Created" nature. These components demonstrate that the reduction of "Manzar" to words with similar concepts in professional literature stems from an oversight regarding the ontological components of the word.
Problem statement: During the Safavid era, numerous European travelers visited Iran and produced travelogues that, alongside praise for Iranian culture, manners, and architectural achievement, also reveal the disorderly condition of cities and buildings. Coupled with observations of socially disapproved morals and behaviours, these accounts indicate an anomic society and a built environment shaped by it. Such reports illuminate lesser-known aspects of the lifecycle of Iranian buildings, from construction to decay, that have been overshadowed by the dominant grand narrative of Persian architecture`s splendour and magnificence. Like all cultural products, architecture requires critique and diagnostic analysis to be understood holistically. Research objective: To address this gap, the study mobilises sociological theory and a critical approach, adopting an outside-in perspective via non-Iranian travelogues to surface hidden dimensions of Safavid architecture under anomic conditions. Research method: This foundational qualitative study employs a mixed-methods design, conducted documentary analysis of 27 Safavid-era travelogues and, through purposive screening, eleven robust sources retained. An interpretive-historical approach, triangulated with content analysis and comparative coding, yielded the final results.. Conclusion: The findings point to recurrent patterns: construction of new buildings instead of repairing and renovating existing ones, demolishing buildings for superstitious reasons, leaving buildings to fate, neglecting existing structures, avoiding the restoration of buildings built by others, constructing purposeless or functionless structures, Disfiguring and deliberately rendering decorations incomplete, poor condition of buildings and public spaces, construction of public buildings, and avoiding long-term investment in architecture. These issues are architectural expressions of a society with harsh climate, autocratic rule, juridical fragility, and pervasive superstition, conditions that channeled individuals toward anomic behaviours.
Problem statement: With increasing population and urbanization, the number of informal settlements has been rising. These settlements, due to their unfavorable urban appearance, have become isolated and, as a result, have faced social problems. One way to improve the current situation in informal settlements is to increase their social resilience. Research objective: This research aims to develop strategies for organizing these neighborhoods to enhance social resilience through spatial and social interventions that improve the urban landscape. Research method: This research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. In the first stage, in the theoretical framework section, necessary information was collected through "library studies." In the second stage, to identify the indicators of social resilience in the neighborhood, "field observations" were conducted using tools such as interviews, observation, and photography. Conclusion: In the final theoretical framework, in the "social" dimension, the indicators identified were interaction, cohesion, and participation; in the "identity-cultural" dimension, the indicators were attachment, social and spatial identity; in the "spatial" dimension, the indicators were accessibility, safety and security, flexibility, and diversity; and in the "supportive" dimension, the indicators were the efficiency of the local community, support, and justice. These indicators were identified as social resilience indicators in the Eslamabad neighborhood. After determining the neighborhood's existing potential and correlating it with the obtained indicators, a series of spatial and social interventions was prioritized and mapped in ArcGIS. Finally, by evaluating possible interventions to improve the neighborhood's urban appearance, it was concluded that the indicator of interactions is a priority for social resilience in the Eslamabad settlement.
