A Study on the Spatial Organization of Post-Revolutionary Houses in Tabriz (1980s)

• Main Authors: Maryam Golabi, Fatma Cana Bilsel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: KARE Publishing 2020-12-01
• Series: Megaron
• Subjects: domestic architecture; islamic revolution; socio-cultural values; spatial organization.
• Online Access: https://jag.journalagent.com/z4/download_fulltext.asp?pdir=megaron&un=MEGARON-15931

The present study aims to explore how socio-cultural values of post-revolutionary period influenced the spatial organization of dwellings in Iran. The Islamic revolution of Iran (1979) extremely changed many aspects of Iranians' private and public life due to its religious nature. The notions of ‘social space', ‘physical space', and ‘habitus' -practice of everyday life- proposed by Pierre Bourdieu are used as conceptual tools in this research based on a case study. The attempt is to understand how the structure of social space, which was influenced by the ideology of the new state was mirrored in the domestic architecture. Vali-asr district in Tabriz, the planning and construction of which began during Pahlavi period, but predominantly developed after the Islamic revolution was selected as the focal point of the study. The houses that constitute the sample of this study were analyzed based on their architectural drawings, photographs, and interviews made with house developers and architects. Research findings highlight that most design principles implemented in the spatial organization of the houses studied are congruent with the Islamic ideology of the state. The separation of public rooms from the private rooms in the interiors of houses, the introversion of plans, the provision of a transition space between domestic realm and the street, and a walled courtyard are examples of those design principles that are consistent with the Islamic life style emphasized by the new regime.