Journal of Iranian Architecture & Urbanism(JIAU)

Abstract Light plays a profound role in evoking meaning through architectural spaces. This has been strikingly manifested in the architecture of religious monuments particularly in mosques. From long ago, architects and builders have been exploring lighting effects reflected in many mosques and religious monuments, while figuring out the created meaningful visual effects in such architectural spaces. From an insightful perspective influenced by Islamic teachings, Iranian architects consider light a spirit casted on the structure to create a meaningful depiction. This paper attempted to examine how the concept of light in Quran has influenced the Iranian architectural style. It is assumed that implications from Quranic verses portray a transition from darkness to light and the contrast between light and dark, which can be considered a valuable role-model in the Iranian architecture. The research methodology involved an interpretivequalitative approach, and content analysis of Quranic scripture. The results of research indicate that the contrast of light and darkness, as well as involvement of light and shadow (dark) in architecture and the guidance through darkness to the light are amongst valuable concepts manifested in Iranian architecture, the concepts which are repeatedly referred to in Quranic instructions and have been of a great value in creating spiritual space. Light and shadow function as an allegory of the two valuable
concepts of light and darkness in Quran, and guidance from shadows (darkness) to light, besides physical and spiritual aspects, is semantically worthy of consideration.

Abstract The present research emphasizes on the importance of educational spaces, their role in increasing the creativity and learning ability of students as the capitals of a country, also on searching for patterns to improve the current conditions of schools and to create a desirable educational space with consideration of the needs and opinions of students as the main users of such spaces. To achieve these goals and to find an answer to questions regarding how students imagine an ideal school along with the role and possibility of collaboration between educational space designers and students as their users in addition to the possibility to adjust the opinions of the two groups (designers and students) while designing a school, five girls’ elementary schools in Bandar Anzali were studied using descriptive-survey method. Opinions related to an ideal school were obtained as paintings and texts describing such a school. In all, 208 paintings were received and collected information was analyzed and encoded using MAXQDA software. Results showed that students were not satisfied with current school conditions; they needed to spend more time outside classrooms and that a special attention had to be paid to the relationship between nature and architectural spaces. Based on these findings and adjusting them to children’s opinions, the researchers tried to create an environment as wished, so that by respecting the desires of the users of the said spaces, the quality of educational environments could be improved. The innovation of adjusting novel points of view and opinions on designing an ideal school to what students imagine such a school would be is an ideal. Thus, the authors of this chapter have presented some common views.