Search published articles
Showing 2 results for Ayvazian
Volume 14, Issue 3 (Fall 2024)
Abstract
Aims: As an urban component, architecture has continuously played an effective role in the quality of Urban public spaces and the promotion of civility in them, which has diminished in recent decades due to reasons such as the dominance of the economic dimension of space and the culture of consumerism. This study tries to present a theoretical model to explain the position of architecture in improving the physical qualities of urban public spaces.
Methods: The present study examines the cause-and-effect between architectural elements and the physical qualities of public space in the form of positivist paradigm logic and presents a coherent theoretical plan in this connection using a descriptive-analytical method.
Findings: The physical system of the city is studied in three scales: macro, medium, and micro. The micro-scale is related to how architecture plays a role in the physical quality of public spaces. This role of architecture is realized through five general categories of physical elements, i.e. body, mass and dialectical space inside and outside, size of space, and components of space, which directly affects three general categories of physical qualities of public spaces, i.e. the nature of elements )accessibility and flexibility), relationships between elements (confinement, continuity, mobility) and sequencing (sequence, hierarchy, and contrast).
Conclusion: Architecture and urban public space are two important contemporary urban heritages. The expression of the city's identity depends on establishing a proportional and correct ratio between the physical system of architecture and the quality of social life in the city.
Volume 15, Issue 3 (In Press 2025)
Abstract
Aims: Ekbatan Town in Tehran, recognized as one of the prominent legacies of contemporary Iranian architecture, has consistently attracted attention for its distinctive network of public spaces. This study seeks to offer an interpretive analysis of the semantic system embedded in these public spaces, drawing on the lived experiences and meaning-making practices of its residents.
Methods: This study adopts an ethnographic approach within the interpretive-constructivist paradigm. Field observations and interviews with residents of Ekbatan Phase 1 were conducted to explore their lived experiences, which were subsequently analyzed to interpret the semantic constructs they had developed.
Findings: The semantic system within Ekbatan's public spaces is shaped by meaning-making elements such as language, context, history, and symbols. These elements were analyzed through semantic units, which led to identifying initial and core themes, ultimately culminating in extracting semantic constructs. Key constructs identified include spatial identity distinct from the city, narrative and spatial experiences, urban civility and social activism, as well as the historical characteristics of the space and its architecture in daily life.
Conclusion: The lived experiences of Ekbatan residents underscore the critical role of public spaces in residential complexes in shaping social and cultural semantics. This research illustrates that attention to the semantic systems of public spaces can enhance the quality of life, strengthen urban identity, and promote the long-term well-being of residents in social housing projects across the country.
