The Role and Impact of Spatial Organization on Changes in the Physical Enclosure of Houses in Mashhad During the Transitional Period
Keywords:
Physical Enclosure, Spatial Organization, House, Mashhad, Transition PeriodAbstract
The political, social, and cultural transformations of Mashhad during the transition from the Qajar period to the Pahlavi era led to profound changes in lifestyles, social values, and urban residential patterns. These transformations were directly reflected in residential architecture, resulting in alterations in the spatial organization of houses and in the perception of their physical enclosure. Since spatial organization is considered one of the primary components shaping enclosure in Iranian architecture, examining its changes within a historical context is essential. The present study, drawing on space syntax theory, conducts a comparative analysis of houses from the Qajar and Pahlavi periods in Mashhad in order to achieve its main objective: explaining the relationship between spatial organization patterns and the perception of physical enclosure in houses during the transitional period of Mashhad. Accordingly, the study seeks to answer the following question: What role does the spatial organization of houses in Mashhad during the transitional period play in the formation and transformation of physical enclosure? The research adopts a descriptive–analytical approach and utilizes quantitative data. Data were collected from architectural plans of fourteen historical houses, documentary sources, and field observations. Three spatial indicators—depth, connectivity, and integration—were calculated using spatial analysis software. The findings indicate that Qajar houses, characterized by high spatial depth and low integration, exhibit an introverted and enclosed structure, whereas Pahlavi houses, with reduced depth and increased integration, tend toward a more open spatial organization with lower levels of enclosure. The results suggest that transformations in spatial indicators reflect broader changes in values and lifestyles across historical periods. Reinterpreting these patterns can contribute to the restoration of historical architecture and provide inspiration for contemporary design.
Downloads
References
1. Amirkhani A, Rafieian M. The Perceived Spatial Enclosure in Urban Spaces. Urban Design. 2017.
2. Mousavi S, Tabassi M, Mehdizadeh Seraj F. Reading the Spatial Organization of House Architecture in Mashhad During the Transition Period with Emphasis on the Concept of Privacy: Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Faculty of Art and Architecture; 2022.
3. Parhizkari Z, Vasegh B, Salehi Marzijarani S, Teymouri M. Analysis of Architectural Patterns of Rural Areas of Ilam Province in the Spatial Organization of Houses in Western Iran. Islamic Art Studies. 2025;22(58):161-85.
4. Naseri Azghandi H, Tabassi M, Rezaei H. Identifying the Relationship Between Privacy and Changes in the Spatial Organization of Houses in Birjand During the Transition Period. Haft Hesar Environmental Studies. 2023;11(45):71-88.
5. Rapoport A. The Nature of the Courtyard House: A Conceptual Analysis. Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review. 2007:57-72.
6. Lang JT. Creating Architectural Theory: The Role of the Behavioral Sciences in Environmental Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold; 1987.
7. Montgomery J. Making a City: Urbanity, Vitality and Urban Design. Urban Studies. 1998;35(5-6):931-60.
8. Habibi SM, Maghsoudi M. The Space Syntax of Traditional Iranian Houses. Journal of Iranian Architecture Studies. 2002;3(1):25-39.
9. Bonyadi N. Transformation of Urban Conservation. Iran Architectural Repository. 2012.
10. Mousavi Nasab M, Taghvaei V, Mazhari ME. Analysis of the Andaruni-Biruni Pattern as a Hidden Spatial System Using the Space Syntax Method in Late Qajar and Early Pahlavi Houses in Behbahan. Culture of Architecture and Urbanism Quarterly. 2021(9):375-93.
11. Ahouei S, Ahmadi Disfani Y, Kalantari Khalilabad H. Re-Identification of the Identity of Traditional Iranian Houses Based on Physical, Social, and Cultural Identity-Making Elements. Islamic Art Studies. 2021;18(41):45-68.
12. Mousavi S, Tabassi M, Seraj FM. Reading the Architectural Spatial Organization of the Houses of Mashhad During the Transition Period, Emphasizing the Concept of Privacy. Creative City Design. 2022;5(3):43-60.
13. Kiani Y, Shaterian B. Reading the Architectural Spatial Organization of the Houses of Mashhad During the Transition Period, Emphasizing the Concept of Privacy. Iranian Journal of Architecture. 2022;10(2):45-62.
14. Groat LN, Wang D. Architectural Research Methods: John Wiley & Sons; 2013.
15. Rapoport A. House Form and Culture: Prentice-Hall; 1969.
16. Nasar JL. Environmental Aesthetics: Theory, Research, and Applications: Cambridge University Press; 1988.
17. Ewing R, Handy S. Measuring the Unmeasurable: Urban Design Qualities Related to Walkability. Journal of Urban Design. 2009;14(1):65-84.
18. Stamps AE. Enclosure and Safety in Urbanscapes. Environment and Behavior. 2005;37(1):102-33.
19. Gehl J. Cities for People: Island Press; 2013.
20. Rapoport A. Human Aspects of Urban Form: Pergamon Press; 1977.
21. Mousavi S, Tabassi A, Seraj A. Privacy in the Houses of Eastern Parts of Iran During the Transition Period with an Emphasis on the Architecture of Housing Entrances. Creative City Design. 2020;3(3):1-18.
22. Hillier B, Hanson J. The Social Logic of Space. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1984.
23. Ziari K, Istgeldi M, Abbaszadeh G. Measuring Factors Affecting Social Capital in the Central Fabric of Mashhad. Geography and Regional Development. 2013;11(21):247-74.
24. Haeri Mazandarani M. The Role of Space in Iranian Architecture. Tehran: Cultural Research Bureau; 2009.
25. Norberg-Schulz C, Shirazi M. Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture. Tehran: Rokhdad-e Now; 2009.
26. Taheri Sarmad F, Karami A. Analysis of the Hierarchy of Privacy in Traditional Iranian Houses Based on Plan Structure with a Space Syntax Approach. Armanshahr. 2024(47):17-31.
27. Ebrahimi S, Eslami SG. Iranian Architecture and Urban Planning in the Transition Period. Hoviat-e Shahr. 2009;4(6):3-14.
28. Rapoport A, Afzalian K. Anthropology of Housing. Tehran: Herfeh Honarmand Publications; 2009.
29. Hasani M, Parva M, Heidari AA. Analysis of Transparency in Qajar Houses Using the Space Syntax Model: Case Study of Historical Houses of Tabriz. Islamic Art Studies. 2023;20(50):161-85.
30. Altman I. The Environment and Social Behavior. Monterey, California: Brooks/Cole; 1975.
31. Bafna S. Space Syntax: A Brief Introduction to Its Logic and Analytical Techniques. Environment and Behavior. 2003;35(1):17-29.
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Fatemeh Cheraghchi Masjedi (Author); Mohsen Tabassi; Vahid Ahmadi (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
