Journal of Iranian Architecture & Urbanism(JIAU)

The Criteria for Selecting Architecture Teaching Assistants and Visiting Instructors; Case Study: Hakim Sabzevari University

Vahid Sadram; Seyedeh Mahsa Mousavi Shilgani; Sara Asaadi Jafarabad

Volume 13, Issue 2 , February 2022, , Pages 161-173

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2022.252278.1537

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: In most architecture schools in the country, having teaching assistants alongside qualified professors is essential due to various reasons, ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: In most architecture schools in the country, having teaching assistants alongside qualified professors is essential due to various reasons, including the sudden increase of architecture students in the last decade and the lack of experienced professors, and the need to train architecture instructors for the bright educational future of this field. In addition, the universities that do not use such assistants for any reason will face the sudden aging and retirement of their professors in the future. For this reason, it is important to hire teaching assistants to solve the shortage of professors regarding the increase of architecture students and train teachers for their educational future. However, on the other hand, the professors of architecture or architecture schools do not apply any criteria for selecting assistants. The vagueness of the appropriate criteria for selecting teaching assistants and visiting instructors has sometimes led to the selection of people who do not have the necessary qualifications and interest in educating architecture students. On the other hand, people who are good at being teaching assistants have a lower chance of being selected for the position due to the high volume of applicants. This might also lead them to give up their application. Therefore, the article’s authors aim to find the criteria for better selection of teaching assistants and ask, “What are the appropriate criteria for selecting teaching assistants and visiting instructors with inadequate experience to help the main professors in teaching architectural design workshops?” The research results can be useful and generalizable for other architecture schools by changing the research parameters.Methods: The research uses the “contextual” research method, and it was conducted through interviews and questionnaires. Bibliographic studies have also contributed to conducting the research. Two groups were allocated for data collection. The first group was comprised of professors, and the second group was comprised of students. This research was carried out by interviewing the faculty members of Hakim Sabzevari University, Khayyam University of Mashhad, and Hakim Nizami University of Qochan (choosing multiple universities in Khorasan was necessary to increase the internal validity of the research. In addition, several universities were requested to cooperate. These two universities agreed to cooperate with the researchers) and a questionnaire was compiled for architecture students at these universities. In fact, this research was concerned with the selection criteria of assistants from the perspective of these two groups, that is, the main professors (and the assistants above) and the architecture students (and the assistants below). By examining and comparing the interview data and the questionnaire output, we achieved the criteria for selecting visiting instructors and teaching assistants and finally prioritized these criteria.Findings: The features deduced from the interview and questionnaire show that qualifications such as “proper communication with students”, “proper transfer of content”, “being available for students”, “updated information” , “study in the field of teaching” , “appropriate social behavior” , “learning from the professor” , “ mastery of the relevant subject” , “ coordination with the professor” , “ regular attendance” and “ motivation and interest in teaching” were addressed by both professors and students. On the other hand, “professional work” , “ helping the professor” , “class management skills” , “ appropriate age difference with the student” , and “ having been graduated” were only expressed by professors. Other qualifications such as “presentation of tasks” , “perseverance” , “satisfaction with the teaching method” , and “ encouraging students” were only mentioned in student statements. The shared opinions of the two groups in choosing the criteria and prioritizing them came from the same concern in both groups. The difference in opinions seems to be caused by two different perspectives of professors and students.Conclusion: The students’ concern and dissatisfaction with some teaching assistants in the architectural design workshop, as well as the lack of clear criteria for selecting these assistants or instructors, prompted the authors to find and prioritize the selection criteria in this research. The data of this research was collected in the form of “interviews” with architecture professors and faculty members of three architectural schools in Khorasan, and the completion of a “questionnaire” by the students of these schools. After coding and analyzing the data, the following criteria were extracted and prioritized based on the opinions of professors and students: “regular attendance”, “updated information”,” coordination with the teacher”, “mastery of the relevant subject”, “proper communication with students”, “knowledge of teaching”, “being available for students”, “professional work alongside teaching”, “appropriate social behavior”, “learning from the professor”, “proper transfer of content”, “motivation and interest in teaching”, “encouraging students, “helping the teacher”,” class management skills”, “presentation of tasks”, “satisfaction with the teaching method”, “perseverance in carrying out responsibility”, “being graduated”,” appropriate age difference with the student”.

An analysis of the expression of meaning in postmodern architecture from a linguistic perspective (Comparison of the application of rhetorical devices in postmodern language and architecture)

Zahra Ahmadi; Hassan Zolfagharzadeh

Volume 13, Issue 1 , May 2022, , Pages 165-180

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2020.216256.1345

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Language or linguistic system is one of the most fundamental principles in twentieth-century philosophical studies and postmodern philosophy. ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Language or linguistic system is one of the most fundamental principles in twentieth-century philosophical studies and postmodern philosophy. The twentieth-century scholars considered “language” as the basis of thought - not its tool. According to them, truth, i.e., objective reality and whatever it is, is formed in language. Thus, the revival of thought in the form of language has changed the issues of cultural criticism of postmodernism. The linguistic theory has simultaneously paid attention to meaning and symbolism in architecture. The way of conveying meaning in language and applying linguistic knowledge through linguistic similarities with architecture was studied through paradigms such as semiotics. The founders of semiotics, Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) and Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914), considered language as a system of signs with structural (syntactic) and semantic aspects. Rhetorical devices are one of the tools used to form and recognize meaning. Most contemporary semiologists consider studying these techniques, or at least some of their features, in the realm of semiotics. The verbal language of postmodernism uses rhetorical devices to form meaning. Previous studies have not addressed the role of metonymy and its interaction with metaphor in the formation and expression of meaning in the language of postmodern architecture. Therefore, the research question is: “How do rhetorical devices influence the expression of meaning in language and architecture?” So, the present study aims “to study how rhetorical devices are formed and how they operate in forming and transferring meaning, as well as decoding and reproducing it in postmodern architecture.” This study is significant because in societies such as Iran, which are influenced by Western thoughts, knowing the opportunities and threats of applying these thoughts enhances architects’ and designers’ creativity and minimizes cultural damages caused by accepting such thought currents.Methods: To answer the research question and reach the research goal, the semiotics of Saussure and Peirce, as well as Barthes’s mythology, were studied in linguistics, and the data obtained from them were compared with architecture. Then, the rhetorical devices of metonymy, metaphor, amphibology, and irony were defined in verbal language and semiotics. Their formation and functions were compared with postmodern architecture in two paradigmatic and syntagmatic axes. The analyses were performed using Charles Jencks’ (1939-2019) definition of postmodern architecture as well as his interpretation of the New State Gallery (Neue Staatsgalerie (1977-1983) in German) in Stuttgart, Germany. Then, the results were examined in several other buildings. So, the present study was qualitative-applied research. Data were collected by library study. Then, they were analyzed descriptively and comparatively using a semiotic approach and case studies.Findings: According to Saussure’s linguistics, architecture is a language without the intrinsic and natural relationship between its signifier (body) and signified (meaning). What is perceived as the architectural meaning is the outcome of conventions between the architect and audiences. While, according to Pierce’s semiotics and the referral system of its signs, architecture is a language in which rhetorical devices, especially metaphor and its interaction with metonymy, play a crucial role in its “genesis” and “function.” Metaphor is formed on the paradigmatic axis and metonymy on the syntagmatic axis. The interaction of metaphor and metonymy also forms other rhetorical devices in architecture, such as irony and amphibology. The body of architecture changes and transforms with the formation of metaphor and its meaning with the metonymy formation. From this point of view, for some reasons, the architecture language, especially postmodern architecture, can be considered to have a metaphorical and rhetorical pattern. These reasons are:a) The referential system of this language,b) The proliferation, multiplicity, difference, and suspense of meaning follow this system in this language, andc) Changes in the architecture’s body and the meaning follow metaphor and metonymy and the interaction of the two.On the other hand, the combination of the Saussurean and Peircean models indicates that postmodern architecture has a movement toward a single meaning. However, the totality of this meaning is suspended in its language’s metaphorical and rhetorical system. Postmodern architecture reproduces and develops concepts such as pluralism, contradiction, pleasure, and complexity through its postmodern signs and rhetorical devices. In contrast, comparing its features with the concept of “myth” defined by Barthes showed that postmodern architecture uses the architectural elements of the prior contexts and impoverishes their meanings without suppressing them by making fundamental changes in their layers and codes. Then, using rhetorical devices, combining the explicit and implicit meanings of the elements and “making them its own,” it imposes itself on the cultures as the ideology while shaping the facts.Conclusion: Just as architecture can develop, multiply and enrich linguistic symbols, meanings and concepts, language also has the power to encode or “give meaning” to architectural signs. Thus, understanding the function of rhetorical devices, especially the metonymy and metaphor interaction, makes it possible to decode and reproduce the meaning of any complex rhetorical architecture through semiotic analysis. In addition, using these devices to express thought in the architectural design makes the semantic richness of the resulting architecture possible.

Strategies to Design University Dormitory Based on the Analysis of Behavioral Settings(Case Study: Female University Dormitory of Shiraz University)

Mozhdeh Jafari; Ali Asadpour; Salma Haeri

Volume 11, Issue 1 , August 2020, , Pages 167-186

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2020.163681.1149

Abstract

Extended Abstract Introduction: Behavioral setting, as a result of ecological psychology knowledge, investigates the behavior and experiences of people in their daily lives and the ... Read More Extended Abstract Introduction: Behavioral setting, as a result of ecological psychology knowledge, investigates the behavior and experiences of people in their daily lives and the real environment. From this perspective, the study of human behavior depends on the study of the environment in which the behavior is formed. Therefore, the designer, in addition to identifying repetitive behavioral patterns and the environment in which the behavior is formed, needs to recognize the relationship between these two factors. Statement of the problem: Dormitories as a kind of residential places accommodating a variety of users and embracing lifestyle diversity, induce a variety of activities due to synchronicity with other activities. Therefore, the disruption of permanent behavioral patterns in the built environment are studied in this paper. In fact, lack of comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the needs, habits and behaviors of students in dormitory spaces has led to such conflicts between the space and the users. Since in the last few decades the number of students have increased in our country, the problems of their accommodation and providing sufficient space per capita in dormitories have arisen, and behavioral and physical conflicts have become obvious. Thus, today, it is essential to study the behavioral patterns from a psychological point of view carefully and methodically to build a compatible environment with the users’ needs. On the other hand, research shows that female students are under more emotional pressure caused by being away from family members and the inability of the individual to adapt to the difficult conditions of the dormitory. So, we found it necessary to focus on designing dormitories for girls. The aim of this research is to find architectural designing guidelines for student dormitories in accordance with Iranian female students' spatial behavior based on “behavioral settings.” What are the different types of behavioral settings in the studied girls’ dormitory? How is the current identified function of the behavioral settings in the studied case evaluated from the students’ point of view? What are the appropriate space characteristics related to the behavioral patterns for students in dormitories? Methodology: Given the cultural diversity among the residents of a room in the dormitory, as well as age differences, educational level and different personality traits and consequently their multiple needs, it was considered necessary to assess repetitive users’ behavioral patterns and physical aspects of their living space using their own opinion. This study uses non-intervening methods including being present in the environment, as well as field observation method. A group of two hundred students of four female dormitory complexes of Shiraz University at different levels (undergraduate, Master and PhD) were observed. An open questionnaire and content analysis of qualitative data were applied to determine the weight of the effective components in the design including current behavioral patterns, physical characteristics, and disruptive factors of the current synomorphic pattern of behavior-milieu during identifying behavioral settings. Findings: At the end of this study, qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis method. After determining the frequency of effective components in the design, which include repetitive behaviors of students in their living environment and the physical dimensions of the dormitory space, the degree of synomorphic relationship was evaluated and finally design guidelines were presented in three broad categories: private space of individual activities, semi-private space of individual activities, and public and semi-public spaces of collective activities. This research is based on theoretical and practical background of the case study, and attempts to show design techniques tailored to each guideline and provides a suitable platform for identifying behavioral patterns in the dormitory. Through structural testing and considering the degree of interdependence between the synomorphies of a behavioral setting, the five major behavioral settings including “residential suites”, “self-governing stores”, “learning communities”, “social interactions” and “sports and health” are detectable in the design of dormitories and each is affected by the larger context to which they belong. Conclusion: Residential suites with high number of synomorphies have been recognized as one of the most important behavioral settings in this study. Students living space is a place where they spend most of their time and where they perform many activities. The spatial boundary of their living space includes a wide range of place-behaviors, each of which can be defined structurally as a separate behavioral setting; because they have more detailed synomorphies within themselves. Therefore, they have a more complex combination of behavior-milieu synomorphies. As a result, residential suites are more important than other behavioral sites in this study. They have to be carefully designed to realize multiple behavioral patterns of residents that occur simultaneously in the form of individuals’ different cultures and habits. In addition, the function of residential suites has a significant impact on the function of other behavioral settings. In fact, if the accommodation suites play a key role in meeting the primary and basic needs of students including the need for sleep and rest, health and personal hygiene, study, etc., the desire to do voluntary and social activities to meet the transcendent needs of other students will increase and the performance of other settings will be improved.

Physical Transformations in the Tomb of Imamzadeh Abdullah in Shushtar: A Manifestation of Iranian Architecture in the Transition from the Seljuk- Khwarezmshahi Period to the Ilkhanate Period

Abbasali Ahmadi; Amin Ahmadi Siahpoush

Volume 12, Issue 2 , December 2021, , Pages 171-187

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2020.215617.1342

Abstract

Extended Abstract Background and Objectives: Due to its large number of mausoleums and tombs, Shushtar has become a treasury of Islamic architecture, among which the building of Imamzadeh ... Read More Extended Abstract Background and Objectives: Due to its large number of mausoleums and tombs, Shushtar has become a treasury of Islamic architecture, among which the building of Imamzadeh Abdullah is a significant point of interest due to its construction period (transition from Seljuk- Khwarezmshahi period to Ilkhanate period), structure form, type of dome, the historical precedent of the dome as a pioneer in Iranian architecture, architectural features, decoration and diversity of inscriptions, which indicate the importance of this building. Religious buildings are usually ousted gradually from their original form due to the abundance of renovation, reconstruction, and expansion. The current research is performed to study and review the tomb formation and extension and identify its formation ideas, original plan, building extension, and architectural history.Methods: This research, performed using a descriptive-comparative-analytical method, is fundamental in terms of purpose. It is considered qualitative research in terms of the data type and regarded as historical research in terms of available data. Data collection tools include the direct observation of physical and spatial components, the building position, and the examination of documents that provide information on the subject of research. Qualitative data analysis methods were also used for data analysis.Findings: The tomb, which was far from residential areas not long ago, is now located within the urban fabric of Shushtar with the extension of urban spaces. Due to the natural shape of the terrain, it is placed at a higher level than the surrounding area. The complex has an area of 700 m2. It consists of the entrance facade, the side dome, the corridor between the two domes, the main dome, the tomb of Bibi Gozideh Khatoon, and the surrounding spaces such as the women’s prayer hall portico, porch, and two minarets.Conclusion: In contrast to previous studies, which were brief, inconclusive, and at times erroneous in descriptions, disregarding the evolution and physical extension of the building, the present study seeks to address new issues such as the original building structure, building development from a single building to a tomb complex within different periods, the origins, emergence, and continuity of construction, structure and decorative patterns of the complex during the transition from Seljuk-Khwarezmshahi period to the Ilkhanate period. This study also studies the influential role of the building in Iranian architecture and the tomb architecture in particular. The original body of Imamzadeh Abdullah, which was formed before the rule of the Ilkhanate and during the Abbasid caliphs over Shushtar, consisted of a single dome with a vault.The construction model, plan, architectural style, especially the stepped dome and its overall spatial structure, rather inherit the architectural style of the tombs from Iraq and Mesopotamia than those of Seljuk-Khwarezmshahi architecture. Despite some unknown features of the building, many of the dome details and decorative features are simply influenced by the common patterns of Seljuk, Kharazmshahi buildings, and the indigenous features of the region, to some extent. As a rare example of the combined style of pre-Mongol Iranian architecture (Seljuk-Khwarezmshahi period) and Iraqi architecture, this dome has, on the one hand, influenced the construction style of domes and spatial structure of tombs in the south and southwest of Iran, especially single domes. On the other hand, it misses links from some decorative features within the architecture of the Seljuk-Khwarezmshahi period, such as plastering and tiling, to the Ilkhanate period. According to the written sources and field studies in Ilkhanate period monuments (8th century AH), the building has turned into a combined tomb-monastery complex through some constructions and renovations. The side dome is among rare surviving monuments. Most of the renovations and extensions have occurred during the Safavid period. At this period, many physical changes were made in the original spaces, such as the main dome and vault. On the other hand, the tomb was transformed into a large burial complex by the allocation of endowments and building spaces such as the entrance façade to the side dome, surrounding landscapes of the building, guest house, school, residential rooms, and the huge entrance structure. In the Afshari period, two minarets were added to the building. In the Qajar period, some decorations were embedded, and finally, with the changes made in the contemporary period, the complex has shaped into its present form.

Explaining the Environmental Components Affecting the Audience’s Presence on the Safavid bridges of Isfahan(Case study: Khaju Bridge and Allahverdi Khan Bridge)

Ghazaleh Hanaei; Behrouz Mansouri; Darab Diba; Amir Masoud Dabbagh

Volume 11, Issue 2 , December 2020, , Pages 173-187

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2020.223792.1377

Abstract

Extended Abstract Objective and Background: In Isfahan, a new age in Iranian civilization began with the rise of the Safavid Dynasty. Economically strong and politically stable, this ... Read More Extended Abstract Objective and Background: In Isfahan, a new age in Iranian civilization began with the rise of the Safavid Dynasty. Economically strong and politically stable, this period saw a flourishing growth in many social events, engendering new viewpoints in developing social issues. Traditional architecture evolved, leaving its impact on many new realization plans. New master plans were elaborated regarding what could be understood as progressive urban planning in consideration of town expansion. With important social concerns, the appearance of new patterns based on geometrical networks in the development of cities organized the open urban spaces, taking into account all the natural elements. The social life of the society has been following these developments and has emerged at different levels of the city. During this period, a major linking avenue, known as Chahar Bagh Avenue, and a public square known as Naqsh-e Jahan, and the Bazaar created the possibility of social life in the city. Due to the particular geographical position of the Safavids’ capital, known as Isfahan, the river context has provided a situation to reflect the effects of these activities on the bridge structure. Chahar Bagh Avenue created the town’s main fusion and viewpoints towards Zayandeh Rud River and bridges such as Allahverdi Khan, Khaju; hence, creating greater social accessibility to different quarters and communities. Each bridge coincides with a straight avenue running through the city from north to south. Bridges had two functional purposes, to link the town’s two parts, to function as a dam. But mostly, due to the progressive social views, they were to create places of encounter, rest, and gathering for the people. Therefore, the bridge was conceived as an urban living space inherent to the town itself with different layers of rest, commerce, and use, as well as benefiting from the agreement of Zayandeh Rud River. The Safavid bridges of Isfahan are an important part of the urban structure in this city. This study seeks to explain the components which shaped these building as a collective space in the contemporary era. In this article, the qualitative research method has been used for data collection, and data were analyzed through qualitative content analysis. This method aims at the collection and a broad description of a phenomenon, and the achievement of this analysis is the concepts or descriptive classes of a phenomenon. The data of this research has been collected through oral interviews. The original codes were extracted from the text of the interview and then classified. The method of data analysis is content analysis with a deductive approach. The units of meaning were selected from the text in the form of paragraphs and statements, and the primary codes were extracted. Finally, the main classes (categories) were extracted. Methods: Throughout history, rulers and designers have always paid special attention to the design and construction of bridges. The difference between the bridges in Iran is caused by the geographical conditions of the area and the need for water storage, which has caused many original bridges to be constructed in the form of a bridge and a dam simultaneously. The construction of urban bridges in Isfahan during the Safavid era is a major milestone in the history of bridge construction in Iran. The Safavid era should be considered the golden age of bridge design and construction, especially the inner-city bridges. Khaju and Allahverdi Khan Bridges are the most famous bridges that always took people’s attention because of their memorable roles in Isfahan’se structure and urban society. The special point in shaping Khaju and Allahverdi Khan Bridges is the attention to urban and recreational functions along with the function of passage. These bridges are considered urban elements in the landscape of Isfahan city due to their various functions and their essential role in the city structure. Findings: Architecture shapes a part of the culture in each society, and the formation of culture in each community is approximately dependent on architecture. It is a need that requires paying more attention to consider and review the context of forming these bridges. Memorability is a part of the perceptual sense of architecture acceptance. Citizens consider the sense of nostalgia in these buildings as a very influential factor in their presence. This memorability impacts the formation of their individual and social identity. In a city like Isfahan, where urban spaces act as urban signs, bridges are considered a part of the city identity because of their historical character. Their identity role becomes more effective as a result of being located in the city and playing the contemporary and functional role. Obviously, the presence of Isfahan residents on these bridges significantly affects their psychological and environmental perception. It can be said that environmental psychology is an influential component for presence in these places. The components, such as the visual and perceptual sense of materials and their influence on the user, create a sense of place attachment. Natural river context influences the user, in the perspective of influencing phenomenological senses. Also, the structure of bridges in interaction with the river context leads to the creation of phenomenological senses. As in Khaju Bridge, the creation of water sound is one of the elements considered by the interviewees as an inseparable part of the bridges. Conclusion: As stated, the codes extracted from interviews were classified into 12 general categories. The main categories of this study refer to the subjects influencing social acceptance of the bridges. These categories can be mentioned as: aesthetics dimension, psychology and environmental perceptions, the components affected by memorable sense, the impact of natural river context, on how to welcome the building, visual and perceptual impact of materials, interaction between different functions and bridge architecture. It can be said that the compiled components cannot be introduced separately; they influence each other or have two-sided interactions, in addition to the conducted categorization. All components extracted in the contemporary period greatly influence the creation of functional public space in the urban structure of Isfahan. The oldness and nostalgia of the bridges have created a quality that can act as architectural units with urban performance as the function is reviewed in the contemporary period. An analysis of these components also stated that functional review on the space of these bridges in terms of their architectural components in attracting society provides an efficient approach to creating contemporary public spaces.

Assessing the Feasibility of Using Office Building Envelope Optimization Solutions in Temperate Regions of Iran; A Case Study of Zero Energy Buildings in Similar Climates

Fatemeh Yarmohammad; Fatemeh Mehdizadeh Saradj

Volume 13, Issue 2 , February 2022, , Pages 175-195

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2022.225316.1384

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Air pollution and excessive energy consumption are two crises that seriously threaten metropolises today and endanger the health of society ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Air pollution and excessive energy consumption are two crises that seriously threaten metropolises today and endanger the health of society and energy sources in the future. Nearly half of the world’s non-renewable energy resources have been consumed. An energy shortage is inevitable because more than 40% of energy consumption is in the construction sector. The average energy consumption of buildings in Iran is more than 2.5 times the world average, and big cities suffer from air pollution, which is often caused by fossil fuels. More than 98% of the energy in Iran is consumed as oil and gas products, which account for 26.4% of carbon dioxide emissions. The buildings are designed and built in such a way that they do not retain the cold and heat that is provided with exorbitant costs. The heat exchange occurs quickly due to the un-insulated outer envelope (walls, roof, and floor) and un-insulated cooling and heating facilities, which leads to an increase in energy consumption by heating and cooling systems. The energy consumption research in the recent decade comprises sustainable, zero-energy, and zero-carbon buildings. The annual energy consumption of these buildings is nearly zero, and they do not produce carbon pollutants. Considering the non-use of carbon dioxide-producing energies and renewable energy supply, zero-carbon buildings can effectively reduce air pollution in big cities. This research aims to identify and explain the design principles of European zero-energy office building envelopes to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Then it will evaluate the feasibility of using the solutions above in cities with similar climates in Iran.Methods: At first, the principles and solutions of reducing energy consumption, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and using renewable energies that directly or indirectly affect the design of the building envelope have been identified and specified. Then, to reduce energy consumption, carbon dioxide emission, and the use of renewable energy, 34 examples of office buildings in temperate European regions have been examined, and the most applied methods for designing their envelopes have been identified. Then, the most widely used solutions identified for the feasibility of implementation for office buildings in areas with similar climates in Iran have been weighted by the Shannon entropy method and ranked according to the combined weight of application, feasibility, or based on some parameters such as cost, ease of implementation during construction and after construction, the need for skilled labor and specialized equipment, execution time, the produced energy and payback period of the investment. Findings: The results of the research show that the most employed solutions are related to the use of photovoltaic panels, thermal insulation of the walls, the use of natural ventilation, attention to the dimensions and position of the windows, the use of daylight, the use of materials with suitable thermal capacity, the use of greenhouse and atrium, and the use of green wall and roof.Conclusion: The results of this article indicate the most effective principles and common solutions for the envelope design of zero-energy buildings in Iran with climates similar to the European climate. The combined use of these solutions in the design of envelopes can greatly reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in the short term. Due to the novel nature of the construction and operation of zero energy buildings in Iran and the lack of experience in obtaining the productivity and energy efficiency of these buildings using various solutions so far, using the experiences of advanced countries and the feasibility of implementing those solutions is indispensable to achieve an optimal and appropriate design and the highest energy efficiency of the buildings in Iran shortly. Therefore, the results of this research can effectively help designers in this field.

Evaluation of human-nature connection system in virtual reality system to propose and reflect a model for the architectural physical structure

Seyed Ali Sajadi Zaviyeh; Rana Nili

Volume 13, Issue 1 , May 2022, , Pages 181-199

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2022.230954.1415

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Astonishing architectural spaces have been created worldwide. As a morphogenic generator, Telepresence is changing the system of contemporary ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Astonishing architectural spaces have been created worldwide. As a morphogenic generator, Telepresence is changing the system of contemporary architecture system. The organizational composition of this action links the object to the subject. In this case, elements are perceived as in-between space (space between human and system). This study aims to recall the human-nature relationship as a determinant connection to fertilize this generation of architecture systems. This study also tends to evaluate the quality and various aspects of this relationship. This study aims to examine the quantity and quality of sense of presence in the digital nature at two HMD and sense of virtual place levels. The new mechanisms can be entered into these interactions to enable the modern human to experience another real framework within new architecture loops.Methods: The extant research was conducted based on two methods. In the first part, some criteria were determined to measure the sense of presence in virtual nature (virtual reality tool assessment). This part of the study was carried out based on bibliographic research by reviewing the associated studies collected from documentary resources. In the next step, some indicators were recommended to propose a model for this sense in architecture. In the second part, the parameters determined for the sense of presence and proposed indicators were evaluated and ranked by participants. The statistical population and sample of the study comprised Adrenaline Station in Tehran, Iran. A questionnaire was used as the research means in this study. To measure the sense of presence and immersion tendencies of participants, PQ and ITQ were employed. The researcher-made questionnaire of preferences of agents of virtual nature’s sense of place was used to evaluate the design indicators. Finally, data analysis was done through SPSS software to achieve a solution.Findings: According to the obtained findings, criteria of sense of presence in the virtual environment included control factors, sensory factors, distraction factors, realism factors, sound, and haptic. Subsequently, creative indicators of architecture consisted of virtual spatial factors, virtual activities, and virtual semantic links. According to evaluations, data analyses, and PQ tests, the sense of presence in nature via virtual reality tools is normal. In this collaboration, haptic sense has been ranked as the most significant factor, followed by the other factors. Moreover, the test of sense of virtual place of nature indicated that digital behaviors of this kind of architecture system obtained a reasonable score. According to participants’ opinions, virtual spatial factors had the highest effect on this structure. Comparative results and findings of the ITQ test indicated that the sense of presence-sense of place in the virtual environment and the immersive tendency of individuals were at a normal level in both methods. Hence, these two subjects are interconnected. Another report indicated the higher intensity of this correlation through the sense of virtual place compared to presence through HMD tools. In terms of demographic findings of participants in this study, there was a similar gender distribution. On the other hand, the tendency of participants in the age range of 25-30 was higher than that of others.Conclusion: The present study confronted new experiences. This study was conducted to evaluate the mental stress of the studied topic on another side of the coin (knowledge of sense of presence in virtual nature). Accordingly, a set of virtual components were introduced as factors creating digital nature’s sense of place to form a structure consistent with the demands of modern humans. Although humans see the real nature as a constant agent that is an alternative to the same and similar experience far from their expectations, interactive levels in the contemporary world consider the digital nature as the operator of another aspect of presence to retrieve it besides that event. The obtained results confirmed the designed hypotheses. Accordingly, the participants achieved a normal evaluation of a sense of presence in virtual nature throughout HMD and a sense of virtual place. According to different evidence, results and observations obtained from the HMD system introduced the average quality of instruments collection and normality of immersion traits of participants as two factors that influence each other. Furthermore, the same feedback was found in the test line of sense of virtual place and individuals’ tendencies. These achievements indicated that both of the introduced methods could be effective in human-nature interaction. Nevertheless, some explanations can be provided based on the obtained findings. Firstly, change in new communicational strategies can serve as solutions in the future since there might be changes in nature and relevant issues. Secondly, the sense of a digital place of nature can serve as an alternative to the architectural body. Since the variables mentioned above affect each other, they will create a strong social relationship between humans and nature. Thirdly, the questionable point is what other experiences can be incorporated in this context regarding the changing natures towards industrialization and digitalization of relationships in the architectural loops.

Physical Sociability of Residential Complexes for the Elderly Group in Tabriz (Case Study: Sattarkhan, Aseman, Allameh Amini and Sepidar Residential Complexes)

Zahra Elmi; Parisa Hashempour; Leila Medghalchi

Volume 11, Issue 1 , August 2020, , Pages 187-207

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2020.156546.1125

Abstract

Extended Abstract Although housing as a human resort and shelter has provided a proper physical and spatial context for improving human relations at family and neighborhood levels since ... Read More Extended Abstract Although housing as a human resort and shelter has provided a proper physical and spatial context for improving human relations at family and neighborhood levels since long ago, today, the role of housing has declined due to the large number of residential complexes and the development of life style in apartments. Recently, the changes led by social developments and the changes of social institutions such as families, have transformed many vivid and latent functions of social phenomena, one of which occurs in the elderly period (Khashei, 2006: 2). According to the latest records of the Statistical Center of Iran in 2016, 7 million and 450 thousand elderly people live in the country, and in 2050, the elderly will comprise about 30% of our country's population (Mojnews, 2018). The feeling of loneliness is a widespread and pervasive phenomenon, affecting 25 to 50 percent of the total population over the age of 65 in terms of age and gender (Heravi Karimavi et al., 2008: 3). The elderly people over the age of 65 have a special need to socialize. Apart from the physical and psychological limitations, this group of people fail to communicate with the surrounding community to meet their needs due to the social inefficiencies. Therefore, they suffer from being separated from their families and the society, and any attempt made to abolish their feeling of loneliness is a barrier against the complicated problems of the elderly people. In fact, increasing their social contacts helps promoting their mental and social health (Mohammadzadeh, 2015: 2). Reducing sociability also creates many problems in people’s relationships, reduces their sense of belonging to the place and decreases security. It also creates other problems that are resulted from ignoring the declining quality of collective life in housing, especially for the elderly group. At the same time, meeting and talking to each other is pleasant for the elderly people. They can contact or encounter each other by having a conversation, a greeting, or just smiling at each other. Consequently, socializing can make a big change in people’s lives, especially for those introverted people who communicate more with the outside world. These social interactions are necessary for inducing public happiness, and are the central part of people's quality of life (Zabetian & Taghvaee, 2009: 4). Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the social needs of the elderly and to promote the sociability of the space for this group. The present research aims at explaining the sociability of residential complexes in Tabriz and evaluating the indicators of sociability in four case studies. It seeks to answer the following two basic questions: What are the most important indicators of sociability for the elderly in residential complexes in Tabriz? And what is the level of sociability for the elderly in the four cases studied? Having explained the housing sociability indicators for the elderly, obtained by combining the sociability indicators of regular housing and the elderly housing, the authors evaluated the indicators of sociability in people over the age of 65 in Sattarkhan, Aseman, Allame Amini and Sepidar residential complexes. After comparing the sociability of the elderly in these complexes, the most important dependent indicators affecting the independent indicator of sociability in each complex were explained. Today, the sociability of residential complexes is very important for the elderly who need to have social relationships and spend most of their time at home. The present research is conducted with the aim of explaining the physical sociability of residential complexes for the elderly group in Tabriz, and the indicators are evaluated by causal-comparative method. In this research, 4 residential complex from 4 districts of Tabriz were selected to be studied. Field research was also conducted on the elderly over the age of 65 in the four selected complexes to measure the indicators obtained from the previous step. In this regard, a simple random sampling by Cochran's formula in the statistical population of 313 people limited the size of the group to 172 people. Thereafter, a closed questionnaire and non-participatory observation were used. The questionnaires were analyzed by variance, regression methods and by calculating the average scores in the observations. According to the variance analysis, Sattarkhan, Aseman, Sepidar and Allame Amini complexes had higher scores of sociability for the elderly, respectively. According to the regression analysis of the questionnaires, various hangouts in Sattarkhan complex; the landscape in Aseman complex; disposition opportunities in Allame Amini complex; and various activities in Sepidar complex were of higher priority. Based on the results obtained from the observations, sitting space, welfare facilities, natural elements, appropriate furniture and access in the area in Sattarkhan complex; nature, and decorative elements in Aseman complex; safety and pedestrian pavement, and proper access in Sepidar complex; and welfare facilities in Allame Amini complex were of higher priority. Eventually, solutions were offered to improve the sociability of residential complexes for the elderly based on the overall summary in the four selected complexes.

Analyzing the Use of Origami to Increase the Solar Radiation on Photovoltaic Panels Through Software Simulation

Amir Borzouei; Mahdi Zandieh; Shahin Heidari

Volume 11, Issue 2 , December 2020, , Pages 189-203

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2021.161914.1144

Abstract

Extended Abstract Objective and Background: According to statistics published in the field of energy, today, buildings are known as the largest consumers of energy. Hence, the technological ... Read More Extended Abstract Objective and Background: According to statistics published in the field of energy, today, buildings are known as the largest consumers of energy. Hence, the technological advances in the field of construction increasingly focus on new solutions to reduce energy consumption in the building sector. Achieving environmentally friendly solutions in order to move towards sustainable development in the field of architecture has been considered by architects and designers. Using adaptable technologies in building shells for the use of renewable energy is an important solution. As one of the most important sources of renewable energy, the sun has a small share in producing clean energy in the building section so far. But in recent decades, scientists and designers have increasingly focused on this clean source of energy. One of the new ways to benefit from solar energy is the use of photovoltaic panels. Shells consisting of photovoltaic panels that generate electricity from sunlight are recognized as an essential solution to reduce the use of fossil fuels. The use of low-cost and effective techniques in the field of architecture has contributed significantly to the improvement of the construction process. Methods: This study aims to investigate the effect of using folding techniques to choose the best angle of position for photovoltaic panels used on building facades to increase the solar radiation by using parametric (Grasshopper) and energy (Ladybug) simulation software. After a general analysis of different types of origami methods and the cases used in the construction industry, and the natural forms, four patterns were selected as the basic modules for further study and modeling by the Ladybug plugin in Grasshopper software. Based on the defined and conventional criteria (constructability, without shading, setting toward the sun), these samples could be used on vertical facades of buildings. The base module that can be placed on the vertical facade was modeled, and an extra module was defined based on the literature review on the optimal angle in Tehran latitude to maximize the received solar energy. Findings: A total of 6 final samples were prepared to be simulated. The simulated modules were optimized based on a genetic algorithm using the Galapagos plugin to find the optimal position for receiving maximum solar radiation. This optimization was actually done based on the form parameters to find the most optimal form (a combination of angle and slope). This study seeks to answer the research questions: How can the solar radiation received in photovoltaic panels be increased by using geometric patterns based on the origami technique? In other words, how can the solar radiation be increased by changing the geometric arrangement of the photovoltaic panels according to the daily and annual solar movement patterns? The present study showed that the efficiency of photovoltaic panels is not improved only by using expensive technologies and solar trackers. The factor of change in solar radiation, which is the most important factor in receiving solar radiation during short and long periods of time, can be adjusted by accessible techniques such as the origami technique. In other words, by changing the angle of photovoltaic panels using computer technologies based on the solar movement, more solar energy can be received from radiation. This study shows that changing the arrangement of different photovoltaic panels using the origami technique compared to the base module on the southern facade can increase the received solar energy. The change of forms can increase the produced electrical energy from 3.44 and 11.39%. Conclusion: According to this research, V-shaped (zigzag) modules can absorb more solar radiation due to the larger photovoltaic panels area. Although the amount of solar radiation per unit area decreases, their use is logically justified when the available surface area is limited. Also, the use of modules made with the help of the Miura origami method showed that it is possible to receive more solar radiation to some extent without using solar trackers or moving views at an economical cost because the different sides of these patterns are more able to absorb radiation over a long period of time (due to the variable daily and seasonal solar movement patterns).

The Effects of Residential Communities’ Physical Boundaries on Residents’ Perception of Fear of Crime: A Comparison Between Gated, Perceived Gated, and Non-Gated Communities in Ekbatan Neighborhood, Tehran

Mohammad Jalili; Alireza Einifar; Ramin Madani; Bruce Judd

Volume 12, Issue 2 , December 2021, , Pages 189-204

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2021.196767.1273

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: This study examined the effects of the physical boundaries of residential communities on residents’ perception of fear of crime. The ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: This study examined the effects of the physical boundaries of residential communities on residents’ perception of fear of crime. The physical boundary of a community is the dividing line that officially delineates the limits of the land or premises of that community and separates it from the surrounding urban fabric. In the housing literature, communities around which a physical boundary is created through gates and fences/walls are called gated communities. Gated communities include both new developments and older areas retrofitted for reasons of security and are found in both urban and suburban areas. In the literature, there is no consensus on the quality of perceived security in gated communities. Despite the claim that gated communities provide their residents with higher levels of security, some studies have indicated no significant difference between the residents of gated communities and the residents of non-gated communities in terms of perceived fear of crime. The disagreements might have resulted from the different research methods used in previous studies. How gated communities are studied is important. Apparently, three general methodological approaches have been employed in previous studies to study the effects of gated communities. First, in the easiest and least rigorous research design, one or two variables have been investigated in a case study on gated communities. Second, in slightly more rigorous research designs, gated communities have been compared with non-gated communities, but possible moderating factors have not been considered. Third, more sophisticated research designs have compared gated communities with non-gated communities and considered at least some possible moderators, usually demographic variables, in a more sophisticated correlational research design. We employed a research design that compared numerous gated communities with numerous non-gated communities and involved investigator control over key variables. Meeting the requirements of a truly experimental research design is highly improbable in housing studies as meeting the conditions under which the researcher is able to manipulate the independent variables and eliminate or control moderating variables is almost impossible. Even if this were possible, the conditions of an experiment are so artificial and unreal that it is impossible to generalise the results to other contexts. However, through a causal comparative research design which is a type of correlational research that stakes out an intermediate position between correlational and experimental research and a purposefully selected sample, it is possible to control for the effects of key moderating variables. This requires the existence of appropriate cases for study. The present study aimed to take a closer look at the effects of the physical boundaries of residential communities on residents’ fear of crime through a causal comparative design and a purposefully selected sample.Method: Employing a causal comparative design approach of a purposive sample of gated, perceived gated, and non-gated communities in Tehran, two communities were selected from each category. Ekbatan, one of the biggest and the most populated neighbourhoods in the Middle East, is a community where three levels of gating can be observed. In some of the communities located in Ekbatan, the residents have enclosed their communities through restricting access points and recruiting guards. In fact, in Ekbatan, gating has been encouraged by residents’ feeling that they have no longer any control over their communities.Findings: The results show that the residents of the gated communities did not perceive fear of crime significantly less frequently compared to the residents of non-gated communities. However, the situation is different in perceived gated communities. The results indicated that the residents of perceived gated communities in Ekbatan perceived significantly less fear of crime compared to the residents of gated and non-gated communities. Lower levels of fear of crime were observed in all four components of fear of crime including worry about fear of crime, perceived likelihood of crime, perceived control over personal crime, and perceived consequences of crime. The residents of perceived gated communities are less worried about becoming a victim of crime, feel that there is less likelihood of crime in their communities, feel that they have more control over crime if one happened, and, finally, feel that a crime would lead to fewer consequences in their lives, if one happened.Conclusion: The residents of Ekbatan are increasingly worried about the future of their neighbourhood due to physical, social, and demographic changes in the context of their neighbourhood. Many of them feel threatened and are unsure of their place of residence. This is reflected in the increasing use of fencing as a strategy to control the physical environment. From the point of view of Ekbatan’s managing committee and residents, gating might seem to be a reasonable solution for protecting the neighbourhood. However, the results of this study suggest that gating does not appear to address the sources of the problem. The results demonstrate that there was no significant difference between gated and non-gated communities’ residents’ perception of fear of crime and sense of community in Ekbatan. Protection against violence and criminal activities largely depends on residents’ active surveillance and gated communities do little to foster this. Since the living environment is enclosed and guarded, residents are not encouraged to participate in protecting their neighbourhood and as a result feel no responsibility for taking care of their place of residence. It seems that gating is at best a temporary solution to the problem of crime since if someone intended to get into a gated community, they would find a way to do so. Gating and fencing lead to social segregation and, contrary to what residents believe, do little to help protect their neighbourhoods. This process will likely lead to insularity and weaken the social and physical structure of Ekbatan. The residents of gated communities no longer care about what happens outside walls or even within the walls. Passive solutions to reducing crime seem ineffective in reducing residents’ fear. However, perceived gated communities, through creating a sense of territoriality and triggering residents’ active participation in community protection, seem to provide an effective solution to the problem of crime.

Analysis of the Impact of Volume Changes on Acoustic Behavior in Mosques; Case Study: the Historic Mosques of Tabriz

Abbas Ghaffari; Farzaneh Gholizadeh

Volume 13, Issue 2 , February 2022, , Pages 197-210

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2021.230007.1410

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Hearing in humans is a sense which has no role in selecting entries and responds unconsciously to various sounds. The environment in which ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Hearing in humans is a sense which has no role in selecting entries and responds unconsciously to various sounds. The environment in which humans live is overfilled with such sounds and vis saturated with different types of sounds from a variety of sources. Depending on the location of the human, the maximum amount of sound exposure that the ear can tolerate is determined. Architecture limits and frames sound. This causes the sound to behave differently indoors than outdoors. The type of difference is sometimes desirable and sometimes undesirable, and this is due to different architectures. There are many effective components in the formation of architecture and the physical structure of a place. However, early studies in Acoustics for architecture, exemplified by Sabine's formula, placed emphasis on the size, materials, and surface area of space as the most important factors in shaping its acoustics. As mosques are of a particular function in terms of acoustics, they require multiple behaviors in this field. An acoustically ideal mosque should not only provide quiet spaces for individual concentration, but also distribute sound effectively for collective use. According to Sabin's formula, this can be achieved through careful consideration of the volume, materials, and surface area of the space.Methods: The purpose of this study was to investigate how changes in volume affect the acoustic behavior of mosques. To achieve this, the study aimed to maintain consistent parameters affecting sound measurements to analyze the impact of volume variations on the acoustic behavior of mosques. Findings suggest that traditional mosques with smaller volumes generally have more homogeneous sound behavior and exhibit higher sound pressure levels throughout the space. In contrast, larger mosques may have areas with high sound pressure levels but inconsistent sound behavior. The study was conducted in two phases - a theoretical phase and a field study - focusing on analyzing the acoustic behavior of mosques using advanced tools to obtain accurate results. The main objective of the research was to differentiate between acoustics in different volumetric types and identify effective techniques. In order to measure the Reverberation time, the 2260 device of B&K Denmark has been used, and several points have been measured in mosques depending on the size of the plan surface. The SINUS Acoustic Camera was utilized for imaging purposes and was operated in two positions. During the first stage, the samples' overall noise level was recorded. In the second position, the sound source was utilized. In all instances, the position of the source in the Mihrab was taken into account. This was done to simulate the preacher's typical placement in the Mihrab. The selected frequency range is up to 10 kHz. Findings: The findings indicate that all samples had a consistent sound distribution of 94 decibels. However, the largest volume exhibited the lowest sound pressure level, while the smaller volumes had higher sound pressure levels in proportion to their size. This shows that the effect of loud noises in space is much less felt with increasing volume. This acoustic event intensifies with increasing frequency and the effect of volume is less at low frequencies. On the other hand, increasing the volume increases the reverberation time, and this change, in contrast to the SPL, is greater at lower frequencies. In other words, the volume at lower frequencies is an effective factor in changes in the reverberation time and does not play a significant role in the reverberation time of space at high frequencies.Conclusion: The results show that increasing the volume in the same structure of the samples reduces the sound pressure level in the building and, at the same time, increases the reverberation time. This is directly dependent on the frequency, and at lower frequencies, increasing the volume has less effect on the sound pressure level. In the reverberation time factor, the frequency behavior is inverse and the volume will be less effective at higher frequencies, which proves the acoustic balance in the samples. The three factors of volume, reverberation time, and sound pressure level vary in relation to the frequency range. The relationship between volume, reverberation time, and sound pressure level also varies depending on the frequency spectrum. This finding will be effective in designing mosques with a similar structure because the reverberation time and the desired sound pressure level can be predicted depending on the desired volume. On the other hand, since a standard amount is defined for reverberation time in mosques and other settings, the volume of the space can be designed, and the sound pressure level can be adjusted to achieve the desired Reverberation time.

The influence of the levels of lifestyle meaning factors on the organization of dwelling environments, a case study of a rural residential environment

Mohsen Afshari

Volume 13, Issue 1 , May 2022, , Pages 201-213

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2020.242052.1474

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Residential environments are subject to a variety of factors, most notably the “lifestyle” that depends on the culture. The main ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Residential environments are subject to a variety of factors, most notably the “lifestyle” that depends on the culture. The main purpose of dwelling is to create an environment that fits the people’s lifestyle. The lifestyle structure can be studied through its explicit components such as activities and its environmental aspects such as the temporality and spatiality of activities, the temporal and spatial sequence of activities, and other obvious aspects. Activities also have hidden and meaningful aspects in addition to their explicit aspects, which can reveal the mental aspects of the lifestyle. Methods: In this study, due to the nature of the problem and the theoretical framework of the research, the “qualitative research” method has been used based on “basic theory” and “logical reasoning”. This study focuses on a case study in rural housing (Qazmzari village in the west Fars Province). The reason for selecting the case study of rural housing was cultural integration and the possibility of necessary answers in a relatively small and accessible environment. However, this research methodology can be generalized to other research in different residential environments. The process of obtaining the hidden components of lifestyle as well as meaning factors is time-consuming. It has been made possible by recording the spatial planning maps, providing behavioral arrangement diagrams, conducting semi-structured interviews, and coding the categories using grounded theory. The study in different residential environments gives different meanings; therefore, the titles expressed as the levels of meaning factors, the research findings, and summaries are based on the researcher’s study, and most of the research is based on logical reasoning.Findings: The “mental components of lifestyle” include the “levels of meaning factors” that influence the “explicit components of the lifestyle” and the “features of the dwelling environment”. The “levels of meaning factors” affecting the spatial and temporal organization of behavioral events and the physical features of dwellings, such as elements, distances, and spatial directions, harmonize the dwelling environment with hidden and obvious lifestyle components. The study of mental components affecting living environments shows that according to the importance of mental components, “two levels of meaning factors” can be identified in proportion to the lower and middle levels of Rapoport’s classification. The “Middle level of meaning factors” are hidden components of the collective lifestyle that affect the features of the residential environment as well as obvious behavioral events. The “low level of meaning factors” are less collective than the middle level and are more observed in family lifestyle. They directly affect the obvious components of lifestyle and physical features of the dwelling environment. The middle level of meaning factors that create living environments stems from the mental components of collective living methods such as ”social status, privacy, identity, kinship, security, and livelihood”. They are considered as hidden aspects of lifestyle. The second category of mental factors that make up living environments is the “low level of meaning factors”. These meaning factors directly affect the obvious components of lifestyle and physical features of the dwelling environment. They shape the dwelling environment together with the middle level of meaning factors.Conclusion: The concept of “lifestyle” leads to quality of life, activities, and the ways of doing activities related to environmental qualities in housing. Therefore, the lifestyle structure can be studied through its obvious components such as activities and environmental aspects such as the temporal and spatial sequence of activities and other obvious aspects. These obvious aspects can include “ activity type, temporality and spatiality of activity, the temporal sequence of activities, and spatial sequence of activities.” According to the study’s theoretical framework studying the components of lifestyle structure, activities can have hidden and meaningful aspects in addition to the obvious aspects, which can reveal the mental aspects of lifestyle. The mental components in lifestyle and the “levels of meaning factors” create the dwelling environment by “determining the spatial and temporal features of behavioral events”, through the consequences such as the segregation and integration of behavioral settings, the temporal and spatial sequences of behavioral settings, and determining the quantitative and qualitative features of spatial elements. Although the middle and lower level of semantic factors is simultaneously referred to, responding to the “middle level of meaning factors” is prioritized. Considering the effect of hidden and obvious lifestyle components on the dwelling environment features, the mechanism of the effect of mental lifestyle components on the organization of the dwelling environment in this study has been investigated and presented. The “levels of meaning factors” create the dwelling environment by “determining the spatial and temporal features of behavioral events”, through the consequences such as the segregation and integration of behavioral settings, the temporal and spatial sequences of behavioral settings, and determining the quantitative and qualitative features of spatial elements.

Appropriateness Analysis of the Cluster Approach in Knowledge-Based Urban Development of Isfahan

Ahmad Khalili; Mostafa Dehghani

Volume 11, Issue 2 , December 2020, , Pages 205-222

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2020.250746.1531

Abstract

Extended Abstract Background and Objectives: Knowledge-Based Urban Development (KUBD) can be considered a new form, approach, or paradigm of sustainable urban development in the knowledge ... Read More Extended Abstract Background and Objectives: Knowledge-Based Urban Development (KUBD) can be considered a new form, approach, or paradigm of sustainable urban development in the knowledge age. Knowledge-based clusters (e.g., knowledge locations and technopoles) assume that the proximity of knowledge-based and innovative activities reinforces the value chain, establishes knowledge worker-innovator interaction, facilitates knowledge and experience sharing, and leads to a synergistic ability for the development of self and the city. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to test the use of the cluster approach in KBUD in Isfahan before adopting measures based on the cluster approach by analyzing the communication, trust, and participation networks of the key stakeholders of KUBD in Isfahan that provide the basis for knowledge transfer. Method: This study was carried out in two steps by adopting a quantitative approach with the purpose of descriptive-exploratory operations in a case study framework. In the first step, the key stakeholders are identified through theoretical and non-probability sampling (i.e., snowball), and referring to KBUD experts in Isfahan, using the fuzzy screening method and power-interest matrix model. In this step, 14 key stakeholders were identified. The second step involves analyzing the structure of stakeholder relationships network using the "social network analysis (SNA)" method. The purpose of this study is to examine correlations rather than to analyze the internal patterns of three separate networks, namely communication, trust, and participation. Therefore, the Quadratic Assignment Procedure (QAP) index was used. The sample population in this step consisted of 157 members of the main KBUD stakeholders. Network data were collected through a questionnaire and analyzed using UCINET6. Findings: The results of the linear regression relationship between the three networks of communication, trust, and participation of Isfahan KUBD stakeholders based on the QAP index indicate a significant positive correlation between communication, trust, and participation networks. The trust-participation link has a high correlation coefficient (0.74), indicating that trust is where knowledge-based interactions start and lays the groundwork for stakeholder participation. Nevertheless, the trust-relationship link and the relationship-partnership link have a fairly low correlation coefficient (<0.5). That is, simply increasing the relationship between stakeholders does significantly increase participation or mutual trust. Consequently, despite the high correlation between trust and participation networks, simply increasing the relationship between stakeholders does not significantly increase participation or mutual trust. Hence, it defies the theory of clustering businesses and knowledge-based centers toward realizing KBUD. This is because the mere buildup of such activities and their working relationships does not build mutual trust. It also does not result in their widespread involvement in producing, sharing, and applying knowledge toward urban development. Conclusions: It is vital to promote stakeholder trust and participation in moving towards KBUD. The findings of this study are consistent with those of Story and Teters (1998) on questioning the role of clusters in technology transfer, Wested and Story (1995) on considering the importance of the actual links between universities and companies situated in science parks as exaggerated, and Messi et al. (1992) on the unavailability of significant evidence confirming the effects of geographical proximity of universities and science parks on promoting technology transfer and synergistic production support. Accordingly, a consensus can be reached with critics of the cluster theory at founding KBUD that knowledge cities should act as places for intellectual development, environmental sensitivity, social inclusion and cohesion, and participatory and transparent governance. This consensus can also be on the fact that knowledge and innovation clusters can succeed by providing a range of high-quality, attractive, and diverse places to live and work. Hence, knowledge-based production does not necessarily require constructing special technological places, e.g., science parks, but it can also occur in public urban spaces and informal places. Indeed, the knowledge required for urban development should not be regarded as technologically limited to which a specific urban space is allocated. Instead, the stage must be set to produce, share, and apply local tacit knowledge all over the city. Citizens' local tacit knowledge can be exploited to facilitate their participation in the development process.

A Comparative Study of Pirnia’s Principles in Architecture and Artifacts with Industrial Design Styles

Mohammad Zolfaghari; Nasser Koleini Mamaghani

Volume 12, Issue 2 , December 2021, , Pages 205-216

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2021.275192.1698

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: The industrial designer is always in transition between different roles in industry and art. From Charles Ames’s point of view, industrial ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: The industrial designer is always in transition between different roles in industry and art. From Charles Ames’s point of view, industrial design is a statement of goal. When the goal has been achieved, it can be judged as a work of art if the design is good enough. Gosili presented industrial design basics by presenting the criteria of shape and form, application, ergonomics, function, culture, aesthetics, visual communication, and innovation. A deep connection between architecture and industrial design has caused these two areas of design to have common styles. According to Sottsass, one of the most successful Italian architects and industrial designers, “Industrial design is micro-architecture.” It can be said that architects work in large volumes and industrial designers work in smaller dimensions. In the field of traditional Iranian architecture, professor Pirnia’s studies in the field of Iranian historic architecture and his proposed principles are very valuable. Five principles have resulted from his efforts in scrutinizing the traditional Iranian architecture, including Inwardness, Human Scale, Self Sufficiency, Avoiding Non-essentials, and Structural Rigidity, and Homogeneous Proportion. This research has four objectives: first, evaluating industrial design styles according to product design criteria; second, evaluating Iranian historical products in different eras; third, investigating the possibility of applying professor Pirnia’s principles with the basics of product design and eventually determining the position of Iranian historical products in prehistoric, historical and Islamic eras in comparison with industrial design styles.Methods: In this study, the data was collected by interviewing ten industrial designers who were experts in styles and movements. After studying a brief definition of each style, the interviewees, educated in the field of industrial design, were asked to comment on the five products designed in this style, according to the product design criteria and in the form of 5- point Likert scale. A total of 43 industrial design styles and movements were evaluated. One or two products from each style or movement were furniture because most industrial design styles have produced products in this field. The obtained data were analyzed using Spss 23 software. In order to evaluate the historical products of Iran in different eras, which are three prehistoric, historical and Islamic, the five principles of professor Pirnia were used. Industrial design experts rated the historical products of these three eras based on the five principles of professor Pirnia and in the form of a 5-point Likert scale. Then the exploratory factor analysis of the data was performed. According to the exploratory factor analysis on evaluating industrial design styles with product design criteria and Iranian historical products with the principles of professor Pirnia, the expert’s opinions were categorized to man, art, and industry. In this regard, the Iranian products in three historical eras with industrial design styles were compared in three-dimensional space by installing a plugin called Kamakura analysis tools in Excel 2010 software and a Scatter chart. Then, the distance formula between two points in the space was used to determine the distance between each style with historical products.Findings: Exploratory factor analysis on evaluating the styles and movements with product design criteria and the results of assessing three eras of historical products with the principles of professor Pirnia were valued 0.731 and 0.637 in the KMO test, respectively. This confirms a balance between the data and variables. Therefore, it is not necessary to delete variables to achieve a higher value. The value of the Bartlett test with an error level of less than 0.05 is also significant, which shows that the correlation matrix of factors with variables is not a single matrix. In this part of the study, three factors were made from a set of eight variables in the first part and six variables in the second part. Since the made factors follow the concepts of man, art, and industry, they were named with these titles according to the experts’ opinions in the interviewsConclusion: By measuring the distance between each historical era of Iran with industrial design styles and movements in a three-dimensional diagram, it is possible to compare the traditional Iranian products with their respective cultural and geographical criteria with industrial design styles. The chart analysis shows that throughout history and with the genesis of different styles and movements of industrial design, the importance of art has decreased regarding the negative slope of its trendline. In contrast, the importance of man and industry is incremental regarding the positive slope of its trendline. Regarding the historical products of Iran, over time, human participation in the products has decreased, while the role of industry and art has become more important. This research enables researchers to evaluate each type of product based on these three criteria and estimate the product style in comparison with Iranian historical products or industrial design styles and movements. Determining the style of the artifact can reflect the designer’s view and purpose to some extent.

Risk Assessment of Tehran Subway Stations During Earthquakes with an Approach to Reduce Physical Vulnerability Through Intelligent Urban Management(Case study: Tajrish, Darvazeh Shemiran, and Navab Subway Stations)

Esmaeil Shieh; kyoumars Habibi; Mehran Ehsani

Volume 11, Issue 1 , August 2020, , Pages 209-229

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2020.131744.0

Abstract

Extended Abstract Lack of by intelligent management in physical and spatial planning is evident in the evaluation and monitoring of the quantity and the quality of disaster and risk ... Read More Extended Abstract Lack of by intelligent management in physical and spatial planning is evident in the evaluation and monitoring of the quantity and the quality of disaster and risk management plans in rail transportation development of Tehran Metropolitan and, consequently, in examining the risks and vulnerability of the rail network in the country. Obviously, the crises such as earthquakes and floods on subway lines are largely dependent on trial and error hypotheses, traditional management practices, and poor future studies. Regarding the tectonic studies, it seems that some factors such as seismic zones, differences in the soil types, changes in the north and south fault lines (before the disaster) of Tehran, the vulnerability of the subway stations, and the possibility of crisis exacerbation with the destruction of deteriorated urban fabrics during earthquake and flood are of vital importance in the development of underground railways. Focusing on earthquake vulnerability assessment and the role of intelligent risk management in the development of railway transportation network with an approach to monitor the physical and spatial hazards of subway stations, this research tries to access the information about fault lines, watercourses and subway stations of Tehran for intelligent monitoring of the crises, and identification of the nearest medical centers and urban open spaces regarding the type of crisis. Therefore, three subway stations in Tehran (Tajrish, Darvazeh Shemiran, and Navab Subway Stations) were selected to be studied because of their locations in busy and important areas of Tehran, high level of passenger traffic, high land use density of the surrounding area, being located in three separate different areas, proximity to hazardous functions, year of construction, the station depth, proximity to main and secondary fault areas, and the distance from the watercourses. In the research, a combination of research methods is used based on library studies, review of records and documents, Delphi technique2, hierarchical decision making method and layer overlap. First, the existing maps and field observations were scrutinized thoroughly in order to investigate and analyze the information. Next, the criteria for assessing the risks at Tehran subway stations were achieved based on experts’ opinion. Then appropriate maps for subway stations in the studied areas were proposed according to specific factors (fault, watercourse, deteriorated fabric, distance from the medical stations, …). These maps indicate the appropriateness of the stations in relation to the location and the function of the current stations. Regarding the various effects of different layers on the evaluation process, the weighted coefficient of each layer was calculated by analytical Hierarchy process (AHP). The number of layers in each category in terms of importance and the effect of each category on the evaluation process were also calculated respectively from the least to the most important as follows: The distance from the fault, the station depth, the distance from fire stations, the distance from the channel (weight 4); the number of regular stairs, the area of nearby open spaces, the number of entrance and exit gates, the exit width, the number of emergency exits, the distance from medical centers, abundance of firefighting equipment, emergency ventilation, the density of the surrounding fabric, proximity to BRT lines, the existence of helicopter landing site, lack of upstream water resources, the number of passengers per day, proximity to high-rise structures, the age of the surrounding structures, the area of the deteriorated urban fabric, the bridge spans (weight 3); the number of escalators, the number of elevators, land slope at the station (slope stability), the existence of a realm for power supply facilities, the distance from fuel stations, the distance from adjacent stations, the desirability of passage network around the stations (fabric density), the existence of fine grains in the surrounding area (weight 2); the existence of proper access, the distance to police station, proximity to hazardous functions, intersection with underground tunnels, the presence of peripheral organic passages, the skyline of the surrounding functions(weight 1). The results of the risk assessment indicate that all stations are within the danger threshold and adopting smart management and executive solutions to reduce possible damage is essential. Based on the average score obtained from the analysis of the stations studied and their relevance to the risk index table, it is clear that all three stations are within the "risk threshold", which highlights the need for careful scrutiny of the issues increasing the risks art the stations. Based on the scores assigned to each of the studied stations, it was revealed that the "distance from the fault" and the "number of emergency exits" at Tajrish station had the lowest score (highest risk). In addition, at Darvazeh Shemiran and Navab stations, " the number of lifts" and "number of emergency exits" had the lowest score. Still after years of extensive research on the key role of risk management in mitigating natural disasters (earthquakes and floods), the development of underground transportation network (subway) is less likely to follow methods of intelligent risk management, especially in cities such as Tehran where the deteriorated fabrics are at high risk due to the soil type, and the location of faults. In examining the risk level of a subway station in an earthquake crisis, the distance from the fault, the depth of the station and the existence of a tunnel, each play a decisive role for intelligent management of the crisis. Also, the overlapping of other related data, reveals the dimensions, extent and severity of the crisis. Accordingly, in order to eliminate or reduce the effects of risk factors in the development of the underground transportation network, all the tectonic and seismic engineering considerations, including the material of the layers, proximity to the faults, land slopes, and groundwater should be considered from the early stage of feasibility studies, to the final stages of determining the route and location of subway stations. Since some subway stations are located in the vicinity of deteriorated fabrics or high-rise structures, the earthquake crisis might exacerbate with the collapse of the buildings and the obstruction of the surrounding routes. The dependence of subway facilities on city infrastructure is considered a weakness. Electrical, water, telephone and other facilities are completely dependent on ground installations, and if they are damaged in any situation (normal and critical), the entire subway network facilities will be disrupted; therefore, it is necessary to devise emergency and intelligent systems.

Evaluation and Introducing Effective Models of Regionalism for Integrated Governing of Iran's Metropolitan Regions

Iradj Asadie; Esfandiar Zebardast

Volume 13, Issue 2 , February 2022, , Pages 211-229

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2023.254622.1553

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: The recognition of metropolitan regions as well as the question of appropriate and effective institutions and structures for the governance ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: The recognition of metropolitan regions as well as the question of appropriate and effective institutions and structures for the governance of them has been a serious intellectual concern for nearly a century. These pioneering metropolitan scholars argued that the management of contemporary metropolitan areas based on the ideas, methods, structures, and institutions of traditional urban management were no longer effective. A great deal of governmental reorganizations should take place in these areas to address the managerial inefficiencies of these new space realms. The argument for governmental reorganizations and establishing large-scale metropolitan governments was based on the belief that the process of physical growth and development of twentieth century cities has transcended the boundaries of traditional political divisions in such a way that the city and the political boundaries of the historic municipality no longer correspond even to the territory of the built-up urban area. In other words, the city and the built-up urban areas with its horizontal expansion covers a much wider range of traditional political divisions of the municipality and even larger political territories such as county and districts, and this means that there is no correspondence between the built-up territory of the city and its political and governmental organization. This non-compliance poses the greatest managerial challenge for this type of large urban regions, known as political or governmental fragmentation. On the other hand, metropolitan regionalism generally refers to a set of strategies aimed at overcoming the challenge of political and governmental fragmentation. As the metropolitan scholars emphasize, all kinds of strategies and models of metropolitan regionalism are in fact a response to the growth of urban areas beyond the usual administrative-political boundaries, during which the metropolitan areas or regions transcends political boundaries of tens or hundreds of cities, counties and districts. Hence, the discussion of governance organization in metropolitan areas in the form of various models and strategies of regionalism has been a topic that has been raised at the same time with the beginning of the first dispersal of cities and sprawl beyond conventional legal-political boundaries in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. All strategies of metropolitan regionalism seek to create a variety of structures or processes to create coordination, cooperation and collaboration between the various territorial and institutional actors in the region in order to mitigate the adverse economic, social, political and environmental effects of political fragmentation. In the last two decades, from when the issue of metropolitan regionalism in Iran was discussed with the approval of the bill "Planning and management of the Majmooe-a-shahri of Tehran (Tehran metropolitan regions) and other major cities" in 1995, governments and academics have developed various models and strategies to overcome the challenge of political fragmentation in metropolitan areas, although almost none have been implemented. Reviews show that in a significant part of the proposed models for reorganizing the government of these areas, the specific spatial and political context of metropolitan areas in Iran have been less considered and therefore, in terms of theoretical and practical criteria for action in any governmental reorganization, the proposals presented suffer from methodological errors. For example, for the integrated management of the country's metropolitan areas, a two-tier (federal) metropolitan government model has been proposed, which has been used in the world to overcome political fragmentation in the built-up urban or metropolitan area, not huge functional urban regions that are very different from the former in terms of geographical definition and functional requirements. This methodological error is mostly due to the lack of sufficient consideration for the nature of different types of city-based regions on the one hand and not so deep knowledge of regionalism models and political and functional requirements of their implementations on the other hand. Therefore, the main purpose of this article is to find those models of metropolitan regionalism that are in relative proportion with the geographical definition of metropolitan regions (majmoo-e-shahri) as well as the characteristics of local and regional territorial management of the country.Methods: For achieving our purpose, various models of metropolitan regionalism are examined in order to show the scope of their application - in terms of spatial-territorial, political and functional requirements of each. So, after a concise discussion of the reasons for dealing with metropolitan regionalism, discusses the various well-known typologies of metropolitan regionalism and provides a detailed list of main models of metropolitan regionalism. In the following, the appropriateness and effectiveness of each of the models of metropolitan regionalism in terms of two major definitions of "city", one in the sense of urban or metropolitan built-up area and the other in the sense of urban or metropolitan functional region are examined. Findings: The research findings show that among the different models discussed in this paper three models, namely annexation, local and regional special districts and formal inter-municipal cooperation have been used in Iran before. However, the important point is that, apart from local and regional special districts, the other two models are used to consolidate territorial governance in urban or metropolitan built-up area rather than whole of a large metropolitan region. Other three models, two-tiered metropolitan government, comprehensive urban county, and city-county consolidation are also used to consolidate territorial governance in urban or metropolitan built-up areas or small urban regions within a county borders. The two models of regional councils as well as regional government are the only models and structures that by definition can cover the whole of a large metropolitan region frequencies.Conclusion: The intellectual contribution of this paper is to show which model will have the most effectiveness to establish unity in the governance of large metropolitan regions. Here, by examining the spatial extent and functional spectrum of different models of regionalism, it is clear that two models of regional councils as well as regional government are the only models and structures that by definition can cover the whole of a large metropolitan region.

Archeological park, an appropriate pattern for preservation and sustainable development of historical sites

Mohammad Hassan Khademzade; Hamideh Choubak; Roya Khorami

Volume 13, Issue 1 , May 2022, , Pages 215-229

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2021.237059.1451

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Historic sites and museums have drawn individuals’ attention due to their ability to make a connection between the audience and the ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Historic sites and museums have drawn individuals’ attention due to their ability to make a connection between the audience and the past. In addition, visiting the historical sites is more significant for the audience as they are at the heart of the artwork and its field of creation. However, the managers’ intellectual concern is the necessity of preserving tangible and intangible heritage, such as natural or historical heritage, while trying to keep the area alive. Therefore, it is essential to answer the two following questions to achieve the research goal (efforts to explain the needs and suitable spatial components for public presence in historic sites in the form of an archeological park). The research questions are: what are the requirements for creating an archeological park on a historic site? What are the main components of creating an archeological park? Methods: This investigation has been conducted based on a qualitative approach and historical interpretation strategy, according to studying and researching national and international theories and charters about museums, historical sites, and archeological parks and explaining the features of each one. Then the effective factors, backgrounds for creation and goals of the relevant organizations (UNESCO, ICOM, ICROM, and ICOMOS), and the theorists’ views on museums and archeological parks with logical reasoning strategy about basic topics have been codified. Based on the coded items, the components for transforming a historic site into an archeological park have been introduced and extracted. This research assesses the capacity of the historic sites for transforming them into archeological parks according to the components or the necessary potential for creating them in the vicinity of some historical sites. It also explains the effects of the archaeological park on the sustainable development of the historic site and the local communities associated with it.Findings: Historical site capacity must be assessed by the components required for making an archeological park according to their location, their adjacency to the residential areas, the access routes, and the availability of infrastructure to local communities. In this research, these components are categorized into two groups: main components and developmental components. These components have been extracted from the relevant organizations’ objectives and the theorists’ views on museums and archaeological parks. The main components are the components for creating an archeological park, including the tangible heritage (historical and natural) and intangible heritage. In contrast, the development components are components that provide the conditions for the survival of an archaeological park. These components include facilities and equipment from the road to energy and their tools and means of transportation. Service refers to all activities that allow people to continue to attend. The existence of efficient staff is another necessity for the survival of the archeological park. The social component indicates the need for the participation of local communities in the area. Finally, security and safety are also basic and influential components in this issue, which considers both tangible and intangible effects on clients, audiences, and employees. Conclusion: Historic sites are one of the most important sources for transmitting information from the past until now. They have extraordinary values that require comprehensive protection to transmit these values to the future. The experience of attending historical sites for professionals and the public has a very influential role in recognizing the history and cultural identity of the region. At the moment, the experiences in open museums and museum sites show that archeological parks can strengthen the sense of belonging of the local community and sustainable development of the region by coordinating and integrating management and resolving the needs of researchers and visitors. They can also offer comprehensive and sustainable scientific protection of the heritage of the historical site in the main location instead of transferring the museums to other places. In order to achieve this goal and prevent damages from uncontrolled tourism to historical sites, we need to check the capacity assessment and the conformity or non-conformity of historical sites and their surrounding environment to become an archeological park. As a result, if a historical site has the necessary conditions and components to become an archaeological park in the region, it can provide sustainable protection of the historical site and sustainable development of local communities in the region by integrated management in the form of the archaeological park. It requires two groups of components, including the main components that an archeological park must have (tangible, intangible, and natural heritage), and development components that provide the conditions for its survival (facilities and equipment, services, staff, social participation, security, and safety).

Social Sustainability Analysis in Residential Complexes using SWARA-TOPSIS Method

Atefeh Yaghoubi; Zhila Rezakhani

Volume 12, Issue 2 , December 2021, , Pages 217-234

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2021.131910.0

Abstract

Extended abstractObjective and context: Among the features that characterize contemporary architecture, sustainability has great significance. It is an approach in architecture that ... Read More Extended abstractObjective and context: Among the features that characterize contemporary architecture, sustainability has great significance. It is an approach in architecture that is in line with the modern concept of sustainable development. The latter concept refers to the development of a society in order to address its present needs while supporting the right and potentials of the next generation to address their own needs. Sustainable development includes economic, environmental, and social sustainability. The present article focuses on residential complexes and social sustainability. The literature review on sustainable development from an architectural point of view shows that there is no comprehensive model to help architects evaluate the social sustainability of a residential complex quantitatively. In fact, previous studies have mostly focused on defining sustainability criteria; however, no research has been done so far on the ranking and application of those criteria to evaluate architectural designs quantitatively. Therefore, the main objective of the present research is to develop a quantitative and comprehensive model to measure the sustainability of a given residential complex. The research answers two fundamental questions: What are the criteria for social sustainability in a residential complex? How can we compare residential complexes as far as social sustainability is concerned?Methods: The present article is based on descriptive and analytical research, and the data was collected through field study and bibliographic research. First, the criteria for social sustainability were laid out through studying the research literature. Then, a practical model was developed. The model applies SWARA technic to weigh each criterion and TOPSIS technic to measure social sustainability. In other words, the following procedure is carried out step by step: bibliographic research to find out the criteria for social sustainability in residential complexes, processing and classifying the results and making a final list, designing a quantitative model to measure social sustainability in residential complexes, receiving specialists' views about ranking and weighting the criteria, devising a method to determine a level (score) for each criterion in a given residential complex, and finally, putting the model into practice and comparing the selected residential complexes. In the final step, a comparison of social sustainability proves that the model is practical. The cases have been selected based on similarity in size and full access to their information. Furthermore, academics and industrial experts with many years of scientific and executive experience in sustainable architecture and social sustainability were asked for their views about the subject to make use of their expertise in this research.Findings: The judgment made by experts in architecture, as the central part of the findings, show that the most important criteria for social sustainability are the following ten items respectively: culture of the residents, social interaction and homogeneity, security, safety, open areas, appropriateness of population density, quality of interior design, the gate and exterior view, building space outside the apartment unit, equipment, and facilities. According to experts, 60 percent of weighted value is attached to "culture of the residents, interaction and social homogeneity and security" among the mentioned items. The culture of the residents includes a number of features like mutual respect among residents, compliance with apartment regulations, attention to private and public spaces, and cleanliness. Architects' ability to influence this item is very limited; however, they should apply design expertise to separate private spaces from public ones and ensure proper hygiene standards inside and around the complex. Features regarding "interaction and social homogeneity" include communication and social solidarity and relationship, participation in voluntary works and services of the complex, the possibility of resident's participation in the design and creation of spaces, conformity to resident's culture and expectations, duration of residence, etc. When accompanied by variability in space use, innovative and flexible architecture can help residents design multi-functional spaces. Furthermore, security and safety are among inseparable aspects of architecture, and designers must not disregard them for other aspects such as aesthetics and functionality.Conclusion: The findings show that the proposed model is easily applicable to measure the level of social sustainability in a residential complex. Thus, the model is recommended for either comparing constructed residential complexes or weighing up available construction plans.

A Comparative Study of Satisfaction in Two Housing Patterns of Villa Houses and Residential Towers(Case study: 2 District of Ardabil)

Samira Saeidi Zaranji; Mohammad Hassan Yazdani; Ghasem Zarei

Volume 11, Issue 2 , December 2020, , Pages 223-239

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2020.173121.1183

Abstract

Extended Abstract Objective and Background: Urban housing pattern is generally categorized into two models: villa (single-family) houses and apartment buildings. Although the subject ... Read More Extended Abstract Objective and Background: Urban housing pattern is generally categorized into two models: villa (single-family) houses and apartment buildings. Although the subject matter of each of these two patterns is different in the literature, the conventional or short-rise and high-rise buildings or towers comprise the main groups of the apartment buildings. Over the past years, hundreds of residential units have been built in the form of villa and apartment units in the studied area (Area 2 of Ardabil city), and their number is increasing every year. Therefore, the overall purpose of this study is to comparatively evaluate the satisfaction of residents of villas and towers. Among the various ways to determine satisfaction, the judgment of the people living in these types of housing is more valuable than the opinion of experts, consulting engineers, and decision-makers. With such an understanding, the issue is inherently important, and the scientific answer can reduce the ambiguities in the policy-making of planners and those involved in urban affairs. Methods: The present study is descriptive-analytical in terms of practical purpose and terms of nature and method. Data collection is documented in two ways to provide a theoretical and field framework for a survey using a questionnaire. In this study, residents of residential towers and villa houses in District 2 Ardabil are considered the statistical population. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software, and statistical methods such as independent t-test, variance analysis, and single t-test were used in this study. Findings: According to the findings of the single sample t-test evaluating the satisfaction level of residents from the housing pattern, the average value of the total components is 3.18, which indicates that the residents’ satisfaction is above average level. The satisfaction level for villa houses is 2.90, which is close to the average level of satisfaction for residents. Another purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of personal and individual characteristics on residential environmental satisfaction in Ardabil. In this regard, the results of a one-way variance analysis test show that gender and marital variables do not show significant differences in the results of residential towers and villa houses. Independent t-test results show that the variables of education, job, and income affect residents’ satisfaction in towers, but the results differ in villa houses. Conclusion: In general, by comparing villa houses and high-rise apartments in District 2 Ardabil, it can be acknowledged that the city’s high-rise apartment buildings, in the vast majority of criteria, are more acceptable than villas. Villas were the dominant model in the past due to their independence and historical and cultural identity, local and indigenous architectural patterns, the existence of complementary and diverse spaces, and service activities. Today residential towers are considered the most important and lively residential spaces in the city due to having security and comfort, public spaces and access, management and control, and, most importantly, proximity to important uses and access to public transport. Unlike traditional housing, they can attract a wide range of social groups, including children, adults, and the elderly

Social Interactions on Labor Sites During the Achaemenid Period and the Architecture of Modern Industrial Estates

Bahram Moghtader; Iraj Etesam; Mehrdad Matin

Volume 11, Issue 1 , August 2020, , Pages 231-248

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2020.222389.1369

Abstract

Extended Abstract Providing opportunities for social interactions is one of the most critical features of space. When interacting with each other, people in a community build a stronger ... Read More Extended Abstract Providing opportunities for social interactions is one of the most critical features of space. When interacting with each other, people in a community build a stronger emotional connection with their social place and space. Not only does this interaction affect the social psyche of that community, but also leads to the economic growth and development of the communities in those spaces, such as workers-industrial sites and estates. Since a variety of chemical, food, pharmaceutical, and other manufacturing industries have come together, industrial estates today encompass the essential activities of human beings. Residents and employees of these estates, both employers and employees, have gathered at various levels for economic reasons. Unfortunately, voluntary and social activities in these estates are negligible due to their architecture. The better the quality of physical spaces in industrial estates, the more social interactions are possible under group activities, such as talking, playing and exercising, watching, and so on. Thus, interactive spaces in industrial estates, such as teahouses, sports stations, mosques, etc., take on the characteristics of a place and, at the same time, have the characteristics of vitality and civic life as a result of mandatory and voluntary activities. On the other hand, Fars (Pars), an old state in Iran, needed the boundaries of the labor settlement to establish a large city with ideal characteristics. The city was founded under the name of Persepolis at the heart of the Achaemenid Empire about 2500 years ago (518 to 494 BC) by the Achaemenid kings: Darius (c. 522-486 BC), and Xerxes I (c. 486-465 BC). Founding the city of Persepolis (in Greek) required a considerable number of workers and artisans, not only from Iran but also from other parts of the world, such as Egypt, Hittite, and Greece. These people settled in the sites and estates around Persepolis and engaged in their (mandatory) work duties apart from voluntary duties. Therefore, this study aims to investigate and explain the social interactions in labor sites in the Achaemenid period and the architecture of modern industrial estates. Among the various architectural factors, such as physical, functional, and spiritual factors, the authors considered the space/body factor. This study uses a descriptive-analytical and historical method in a documentary manner based on desk research. To document the labor areas around Persepolis, several thousand treasury and fortification clay tablets were used, in addition to Greek and Babylonian sources. Persepolis court documents were examined with regard to workers and specialists in the precincts of Persepolis, as well as exploring various texts related to social interactions. The results indicate that the quality of the physical environment in labor-industrial sites and estates depended on a variety of factors. One of these factors is associated with the physical structure of the environment, such as safety and security, diversity and adaptability of applications, climatic comfort, density and proper capacity, accessibility, attractiveness, and vitality. According to the documents provided, not only did the Achaemenid labor sites succeed in establishing social interactions between Iranian and non-Iranian workers with the facilities and ideas coincident with the opinions of their time, but they also created a lively and attractive environment, reflected in Persepolis court documents – Persepolis treasury and fortification tablets. At Persepolis labor sites, there were peoples of different nationalities, professions, and specializations, who usually worked together as a family. In these estates, the topics of landscape, attractiveness, vitality, and climatic comfort were considered, and various agricultural and horticultural items were cultivated in appropriate places. According to archeological and historical documents, and most importantly, the tablets numbered 144 to 158 of fortification, the precincts of Persepolis were surrounded by various campuses (paradises). These campuses were used both as animal shelters, including wild animals in various gardens and orchards, which provided food for the workers and the royal family. In terms of accessibility, these estates had a number of stores and cooperatives to provide comfort and well-being for workers. In this way, they could provide the goods and food they needed, such as flour, sheep, and wine. Not only stores but even branches of well-known banks such as Egibi Bank had representatives in some of those places. In terms of readability and integrity, the Achaemenids used Iranian and global mythological and cultural symbols and elements in the designs of bricks, stones, and tile-work. By combining the appearances of beings with spiritual and heavenly meanings, they were able to create new forms that guided humankind to worlds larger and higher than the existence and environment of their daily lives and associated them with their celestial powers. However, modern industrial estates are, unfortunately, not interactive spaces for workers because they ignore the above elements. Given the importance and role of humans in space, one of the essential tasks in the architectural design of industrial estates is, therefore, to pay attention to interactive spaces. Properly considered in the design, it will lead to economic growth and development in those industrial estates and, consequently, in the whole country.

Assessing the impacts of academic education on sustainable architecture (Case study: Residential buildings in Tehran)

Peiman Pilechiha; Masoume Kazemi

Volume 13, Issue 1 , May 2022, , Pages 231-244

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2022.226552.1388

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Nowadays, one of the main concerns of architects and urban designers is environmental crises and high energy consumption in buildings, especially ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Nowadays, one of the main concerns of architects and urban designers is environmental crises and high energy consumption in buildings, especially in metropolitan areas (specifically in Tehran city). According to other research conducted on all land uses, residential buildings have higher energy consumption than other building types, which indicates the importance of efficiency and management of energy consumption in residential buildings and shows the significance of providing solutions for this concern. Therefore, academic education in sustainable architecture strategies and principles requires a revision for implementation of these strategies by architects and designers. Since environmental crises are still a marginal field in academic architecture courses, the issue of sustainability has been included in the curriculum as a single course. Regarding the abovementioned issues, this study aims to investigate the position of university education in sustainable architecture in universities and higher education institutions, as well as the effectiveness of residential buildings designed in Tehran city based on sustainability principles.Methods: This research is a kind of applied research. In terms of methodology, it combines descriptive-analytical research and survey research methods. In this research, the researcher describes the real and regular objective characteristics of the study. This research is comprised of two main parts: qualitative and quantitative parts. In the first part, the qualitative part, the theoretical foundations of the research are studied. In order to obtain the desired results in this research, the information is collected through bibliographic studies. Questionnaires were given to twenty students and professors of architecture. In the questionnaire, the position and role of sustainable architecture education in universities were investigated based on three main components (quality of indoor environment, innovation in design, and community). Smartpls2 software was used to determine the validity of the questionnaire, and the Friedman test in Spss software was used to prioritize the data. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was also used to determine the normality or abnormality of the data.Findings: The priority of the variable components regarding the position of academic education in sustainable architecture was reported in order of importance using the Friedman test. Based on the findings, the order of importance for the component variables is “community”, “design innovation”, and the “indoor quality” components, respectively. Regarding the “community” component, the items of “increasing awareness for young architects and graduates to implement sustainable architectural solutions” and “providing incentive policies by officials and superiors (providing financial facilities)” were the most and least important items. Then, amongst the items of “design innovation” components, “using heating and cooling systems with the least energy consumption” was ranked as the most important item. Finally, regarding the “indoor quality” component, “thermal, visual, psychological, and health comfort” items received the highest scores.Conclusion: Based on the research results, it can be acknowledged that academic education in the field of sustainable architecture has been effective to some extent for the students. The sustainable architecture course introduces the environmental crises and explains the need to use sustainable architecture solutions in buildings. Therefore, effective measures have been taken to use materials compatible with the climate and heating and cooling systems with low energy consumption in the building. However, residential building design and implementing active solutions to reduce energy consumption remain the primary concern. Relying on active solutions for reducing energy consumption in sustainable architecture, such as using revolving windows, photovoltaic panels, etc., must be accentuated. Finally, the quality of the interior environment in the design of residential buildings, which is one of the important criteria of sustainable architecture, was the least considered item in designing sustainable residential buildings. In order to improve the effectiveness of this criterion in residential building design, higher authorities can provide incentive policies and special financial facilities to architects and urban planners to improve the quality of the building environment based on sustainable architectural approaches.

Analysis of the Internal Brand Image of the Historical Context of Isfahan

Hajar Nasei Isfahani; Mahin Nastaran; Rasoul Bidram

Volume 13, Issue 2 , February 2022, , Pages 231-245

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2022.261676.1593

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Historical contexts are the relative advantage of old cities, which can attract both human and economic capital in urban competitiveness ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Historical contexts are the relative advantage of old cities, which can attract both human and economic capital in urban competitiveness approaches. However, this advantage becomes a competitive one when the place brand can create a unique valuable image in the minds of its stakeholders. Therefore, any planning and designing to promote the brand of the place requires accurate identification of the current situation and perception of the beneficiaries of that place. Consequently, it is very important to examine the mental image of the internal stakeholders of that place, including residents, business owners, and citizens, all of which determine the internal brand of the context. The urban context is only successful in satisfying external stakeholders, including tourists and investors, once it creates value, a positive image, or satisfaction for its internal stakeholders. Therefore, this study was first conducted to investigate the perception of the internal brand of the historical context of Isfahan and to know what factors shape the mentality of internal stakeholders in the perception of the brand of the historical context of Isfahan and also what the current status of its brand image is.Methods: The methodology used is organized and implemented based on the grounded theory of Strauss and Corbin. Considering this theory, recognition of the phenomenon or the presentation of the theory comes from the data collected. Based on their systematic collection and analysis, it is rooted in the conceptual data. The purpose of a grounded theory is to provide an abstract analytical framework for a process, action, or interaction. Based on this fact, in this research, the emotions, feelings, and behavior of the internal stakeholders in the context are investigated using open-ended qualitative interviews. The data gathered is used to analyze and interpret the perception of the context for discovering their concepts and relations and organize them in the form of a necessary theoretical explanatory plan. Therefore, by conducting in-depth interviews with 245 people in five historical neighborhoods of Jubareh Dardasht, Jolfa, Takht-e Foulad, and Naqsh-e Jahan, the internal image of the place brand was investigated and analyzed. Findings: The data gathered helped us extract 72 key concepts and 19 main categories. The results indicate that the brand image of the historical context of Isfahan -from the stakeholders’ internal point of view- is consisted of tangible and intangible cultural heritage attractions, social compatibility versus social conflict, economic activities, and social interaction that is affected by factors such as physical and social issues. These involve the degree of desire to reach the context in various aspects, such as residence, investment, and visiting and spending leisure time. However, in some historic neighborhoods, it leads to economic stagnation, lack of social vitality, and capital withdrawal. The dominant mental image of the audience in Jubareh neighborhood is based on its social identity and the Jewish residence. In Jolfa neighborhood, it is based on the social and economic identity of the Armenian population. The entertainment and leisure activities and shopping in Dardasht neighborhood are considered because of its tangible and intangible cultural identity, including religious occasions and historical monuments. In Naqsh-e Jahan neighborhood, it is based on its cultural and economic identity, including its great square and large handicrafts market. And finally, in Takht-e Foulad neighborhood, in its ritual religious, cultural ceremonies, and identity.Conclusion: In a comparative study of the related literature review with the findings of this grounded theory research, the conceptual model of the internal brand image creation of the historical context of Isfahan indicates two stages of cognitive factors and emotional factors. The cognitive stage includes tangible and intangible cultural heritage attractions, economic activities, social and physical issues, structural capital of urban management, and local lifestyle. The emotional stage also indicates interaction and adaptation versus social conflict, stakeholders’ religious values on the one hand, and the manifestation of religious values in the place. On the other hand, belonging to the context versus not belonging and the existence and symbolic human capital causes motivation or lack of motivation to participate in the context. These two stages create an attitude of the place in the mind of the stakeholders that leads to the process of creation of the brand image in the behavioral stage. Then, based on the interests of the stakeholders, willingness or unwillingness to live, invest, spend leisure time, do shopping, and visit is manifested, and of course, it is associated with the existence or lack of economic and human capital, economic and social vitality in the context.

Comparative Study of Thermal Comfort Simulation Software in Urban Environment

Roza Vakilinezhad

Volume 12, Issue 2 , December 2021, , Pages 235-250

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2020.217902.1353

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Energy simulation in an urban environment can be accomplished considering two major objectives: first by analyzing the environmental thermal ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Energy simulation in an urban environment can be accomplished considering two major objectives: first by analyzing the environmental thermal comfort and second by defining the impact of the environment on buildings energy consumption. Three factors affect the creation of pedestrian thermal comfort including climate (global radiation, air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed), microclimate (sky view factor, direct and indirect radiation, mean radiant temperature, surface temperature, ground temperature, building and ground albedo) and pedestrian physical properties (metabolic activity and coatings; these factors are usually not considered in current software. In order to evaluate the thermal components of urban or regional climates, it is necessary to gather accurate data about the radiant conditions in the surrounding environment. This data can be measured experimentally or calculated using the appropriate radiation model. Thus, there are two general methods of using questionnaires and computational simulations to evaluate the effective factors. For applying energy simulation, selecting the proper tool is the first step, which would not be possible without a detailed understanding of how the tool works. On the other hand, it is difficult to choose the proper tool among the growing number of simulation software. Considering designers’ recent tendency in this field, it is essential to be aware of the modeling capabilities and limitations of each tool. Some studies have compared the capabilities of building energy software, but no similar studies have been done on the urban scale.Methods: By identifying outdoor thermal indices, this study classifies different types of energy simulation at urban scale while introducing six software of Envimet, Rayman, UMI, Meteodyn, Solene and SOLWEIG for pedestrian thermal comfort evaluation. This study aims to define the capabilities, potential, weakness and efficiency of the mentioned software in urban environment. By applying comparative and logical analysis research method, the study is conducted in four steps. In the first step, outdoor thermal comfort indicators have been identified considering effective factors in creation of urban microclimate. The second step is dedicated to identification and classification of related software to be distinguished from urban energy analysis software. In the third step, software performance and the related features are examined and in the final step, selected software properties have been compared in different fields to define strengths, weaknesses and proper application. Capability of the above-mentioned software are compared in terms of climatic parameters, outdoor thermal comfort indicators, solving equations, defaults and neglected factors, extractable parameters, numerical and graphical output data, application simplicity, interaction with other software, graphical interface, accessibility and cost.Findings: In order to perform a simulation with proper accuracy, it is necessary to consider three basic models of radiation, heat transfer and CFD airflow in combination with each other. However, in many energy simulation tools, some equations in the analysis process are overlooked for simplification. In Envimet and Solene software, the three equations are analyzed. The analysis in Rayman, SOLWEIG and UMI models is based on the radiation and heat transfer models only ignoring the airflow model that is assumed to be constant. In Meteodyn, the radiation model in Urbasun and the airflow model in Urbawind tool are analyzed. In Envimet and Solone, four parameters of dry temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and radiant temperature are calculated. Apart from wind speed, Solone calculates three other parameters, while in Rayman, dry temperature and radiant temperature are considered regardless of relative humidity and wind speed. The only parameter examined in UMI and Meteodyn is wind speed.Conclusion: By computing radiant fluxes, Rayman calculates six thermal comfort indicators. Envimet and Solone calculate four indicators including PMV, PET, UTCI, and MRT and in SOLWEIG model, three indicators including PET, UTCI, and MRT are calculated, while none of the common indicators for thermal comfort is listed as the output data in UMI and Meteodyn. Envimet, Solene and Rayman provide more outdoor thermal comfort indicators as output results. In UMI and Meteodyn data is estimated as the average radiation and wind speed while in other the tools it could be extracted precisely at any desired time. While UMI is a simple free tool, using Envimet and Solene is not free and requires training. However, currently no single tool considers the best combination of all factors and includes all physical processes. The results of this research can help architects, urban designers and software users to choose the proper software in each design stage considering project goals.

Integrated Analysis of the Skyline and Natural Airflow of Land Parcels in Two Urban Blocks of Tehran City(Case study: Velenjak Region of Tehran)

Seyedeh Hamideh Moosavi; Marjansadat Nemati Mehr; Shahram Delfani; Mohammad Reza Hafezi

Volume 11, Issue 2 , December 2020, , Pages 241-252

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2020.134552.1001

Abstract

Extended Abstract Objective and Background: The present study analyzes the urban skyline and natural ventilation of land parcels in two urban blocks in Velenjak region of Tehran simultaneously. ... Read More Extended Abstract Objective and Background: The present study analyzes the urban skyline and natural ventilation of land parcels in two urban blocks in Velenjak region of Tehran simultaneously. This study tries to assess the efficiency of the urban blocks not only from the visual aspects– what has been considered by most researchers so far- but also from an environmental perspective. For this purpose, a part of the urban texture in Velenjak region of Tehran is modeled in two patterns, and the airflow with a reference velocity of 4.5 m/s is applied to the models. The models are prepared in two patterns:1. The current status; a situation in which vacant lands have been massed according to existing data and ultimately resulted in a heterogeneous skyline; 2. A pattern in which 4 and 5 story buildings are added to the site, resulting in a homogenous skyline. The modeled area comprises 17 urban blocks and has an area of approximately 483,000 square meters. Wind simulation has been performed by Ansys Fluent Software and k-ε turbulence model, regardless of the atmospheric thermal stratification. Comparing the data obtained from the numerical solutions by Fluent Software to the reference wind tunnel results indicates acceptable accuracy of the selected method. Methods: The information of the nearest meteorological station to Velenjak region is used to assess the data in this area. The data achieved between 2007 and 2016 show that the wind speed is less than 5 meters per second 93% of the time. Therefore, the reference wind speed in this study is considered to be 4.5 m/s at the height of 10 m. Based on the continuity and the frequency of wind in any direction during the mentioned time, an average for the coefficient of importance is defined for each wind direction (Table 1). In this study, a velocity of 1.7 m/s at the height of 10 m above the ground is considered the criterion for wind stagnation state. The reference for the assignment of this velocity is Beaufort’s table. Findings: According to equation 1, a velocity of 1 m/s at 1.75 m balance is equal to a velocity of 1.7 m/s at 10 m balance (α= 0.33). Figures 9 to 12 show the absolute wind speed contours at 10 m balance above the ground on two samples for four wind directions. The areas marked with light blue color are areas of air stagnation. In these areas, the rotational airflow motion, also known as a vortex or a sequence, can be seen (Figure 7). The magnitude of the sequence area around the buildings is directly related to the building’s geometry and architecture and the urban fabric formation. Wind speeds in these areas are minimized, and they are prone to the accumulation of pollutants. A point grid with 100×100 points (Figure 8) is considered over the target area at the height of 10 m to compare the sample data and the velocity value at each point. Outdoor points with velocities greater than 1.7 m/s are separated from points with velocities less than 1.7 m/s, and their frequency percentages are calculated. Since the importance of wind blow in each direction varies, a coefficient of importance is applied to the frequency percentage of the points, shown in Table 1. Comparing airflow in two urban patterns with regular and irregular skylines indicates that air stagnation is seen at 29% of time/place in an area with a balanced skyline. However, in the first sample, at about 45% of time/place, the average wind speed at 10 m balance above the ground is recorded as 1.7 m/s, and thus we experience air stagnation phenomenon. Conclusion: According to the results, considering buildings to cover 60% of the land parcel according to the construction regulations, and given the wind characteristics of the study area and its urban texture pattern, natural ventilation is provided better in 4 and 5 story buildings with a maximum height of 12 and 15 meters for buildings that cover 60% of the land parcel. This is while 7 story buildings are also allowed to cover 60% of the land parcel due to the relatively highly constructed urban blocks. Based on the results, it can be argued that a balanced skyline is more favorable both aesthetically and environmentally, and that creation of tall buildings in residential areas is only recommended when the building has a symbolic value and plays a special role in the region and affects the skyline.

Improving the climate performance of solar chimneys for Ahvaz houses in south equator-facing rooms

Omid Rahaei; Zeynab Poorsayahi

Volume 13, Issue 1 , May 2022, , Pages 245-257

https://doi.org/10.30475/isau.2022.221907.1365

Abstract

Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Today, the use of solar energy as a cheap and renewable source in the construction industry has become one of the major concerns worldwide. ... Read More Extended AbstractBackground and Objectives: Today, the use of solar energy as a cheap and renewable source in the construction industry has become one of the major concerns worldwide. One way to harness solar power is to use a solar chimney in the building. The solar chimney acts as a passive natural ventilation system or as a thermal insulator based on pressure displacement caused by air pressure fluctuations inside the chimney shaft. This chimney usually consists of glass, duct, and absorber surface. The air in the chimney is heated by solar energy and moves upwards due to the chimney effect, which can increase the natural ventilation in the adjacent spaces. In hot and semi-humid climate buildings, windows are usually closed to prevent direct sunlight. Therefore, solar chimneys can establish airflow and supply fresh air indoors. The ventilation process in buildings of Ahvaz city, due to particular climatic conditions (hot and semi-humid), is essential. Also, air conditioning is costly, consuming a great amount of energy. Therefore, this study aims to find appropriate criteria for the effective design and implementation of solar chimneys in houses in Ahvaz to establish an effective flow inside the air duct in seasons requiring thermal comfort conditions and to create effective ventilation inside the interior spaces through stack effect. This study aims to find a suitable model for designing solar chimneys for the southern (equator-facing) rooms of houses in Ahvaz city (hot and semi-humid climate) to improve the thermal comfort of residents by using solar energy effectively and reducing energy consumption significantly.Methods: This research combines different methods due to its interdisciplinary nature. Research variables and models were identified in the first stage using an experimental strategy. The physical structure of the room and the solar chimney were studied as independent variables and the room interior temperature as a dependent variable in this study. A digital thermometer was used for experimental thermometry tests in the case sample. The statistical population selected in this study includes southern rooms in apartments in Ahvaz. The statistical population is a small room as a random case sample. In the next step, solar chimneys were modeled in Ecotect software, and a simulation method was used to analyze the data and intervene in the architecture. The simulations were performed using Energy Plus software version 8.7.0 and the existing weather data (regarding the literature). Also, the simulations were calculated linearly and thermodynamically by TARP thermal model method prepared by Walton (1983) in the software. The Fangar comfort model, PMV index, and PPD were used in the next step of data analysis. Finally, the experimental data were compared to the simulated data to investigate research validity and reliability. Thus, the research method is a combination of experimental strategies, simulation, and a case study. Bibliographic studies, field observations, field measurements, and simulations were used as research tools.Findings: In this study, four different models of solar chimneys on a specific day were studied to investigate the effect of geometry on the model discharge. Also, the thermal comfort (of the first model) was studied on a specific day of the year. (The reason for choosing this model is to investigate the chimney effect on the whole space). The simulation data of the first model with dimensions of 1 × 1.16 × 11.60 showed that the thermal comfort level in this type of solar chimney is close to the allowable limit in March, April, May, June, October, and, November, December. According to the diagrams, using this type of chimney is unsuitable in July, August, and September, so this model is not approved. On May 1st, the effect of the number of floors on the thermal performance of the first model was investigated. The results showed that the solar chimney discharge does not always lead to acceptable thermal comfort conditions. Also, four specific geometries were compared regarding the effect of geometry on the solar chimney discharge. According to findings, the solar chimney height was more effective in determining the maximum and average solar chimney flow than its width. According to the results, the third model has a more powerful airflow but drops to zero at certain hours and has no night ventilation. So, having a chimney with a maximum flow is not necessarily appropriate. The best model, according to the comparative method, is the second model with dimensions (2 × 1.16 × 11.60), and then the third model with dimensions (1 × 1.16 × 23.20), with strong airflow powers.Conclusion: By examining the airflow and thermal comfort conditions in solar chimneys, it was determined that the airflow could create suitable comfort conditions in the building annually. Therefore, the solar chimney with dimensions of 2 × 1.16 × 11.60 (model 2) is suitable for equator-facing rooms with dimensions of 3.5 × 5.9 meters in Ahvaz and can provide comfort levels in the mentioned months. According to the results, this system is needed all year round. When there are no comfort conditions, it is recommended to benefit from mechanical systems, ventilation and air conditioning, green space, and natural ventilation systems for comfort conditions.

Volume 14 (2023)

Volume 13 (2022)

Volume 12 (2021)

Volume 11 (2020)

Volume 10 (2019)

Volume 9 (2018)

Volume 8 (2018)

Volume 7 (2017)

Volume 6 (2016)

Volume 5 (2015)

Volume 4 (2014)

Volume 3 (2013)

Volume 2 (2011)

Volume 1 (2010)

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract