Applying the “Iconology” Approach in Reading Architectural Ornaments (Case Study: Facades of Qajar Houses in Tehran)

Abstract

The contemporary identity crisis in Iranian architecture has intensified the need to reinterpret historical decorative systems, especially those from the Qajar period. Using Panofsky’s three-tier iconological framework, this research analyzes the façade ornamentation of four major Qajar houses in Tehran: Dabiralmolk, Ghavam-od-Doleh, Firoozkouhi Alley, and Imam Jom’eh. Data were collected through field observation, photographic documentation, and qualitative coding. Findings reveal that Qajar ornamentation functions not merely as aesthetic embellishment but as a dense semiotic network of cultural, social, and historical meanings. Open and axial coding revealed three core components: “Beauty and Identity,” “Impact and Imagination,” and “Change and Continuity.” These components were then translated into a conceptual model applicable to contemporary façade design. The study demonstrates that revitalizing architectural identity does not rely on superficial imitation of the past but on decoding and reactivating the symbolic logic embedded in historical ornamentation.