Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities

Abstract The sense of place, as an inherently interdisciplinary and multilayered concept, occupies a central position in understanding human lived experience. This study adopts a qualitative approach and employs comparative analysis to examine the factors that shape the sense of place within the realms of architecture and cinema. By leveraging the analytical capacities of interdisciplinary inquiry, it proposes a comprehensive framework for interpreting this phenomenon. The primary objective of this research is to explicate the common foundations of sense of place within an interdisciplinary approach. This study serves as an example of applying an interdisciplinary approach in the humanities, contributing both to the development of interdisciplinary research methodology and to a deeper understanding of the concept of sense of place. In this regard, three levels, physical, activity-based, and semantic, have been selected as the main dimensions of analysis. The results demonstrate that despite the media differences between architecture and cinema, the mechanisms of sense of place formation in both domains follow a similar pattern and lead to an integrated experience through the interaction of physical, behavioral, and semantic elements. This research emphasizes the synergistic capacity of architecture and cinema in creating meaningful and narrative-oriented spaces, and introduces the interdisciplinary approach as an effective tool for understanding the complexities of place experience in contemporary cultural and social contexts.

Abstract The study of historical wisdom concerning the relationship between humans and the ecosystem is of fundamental importance for understanding sustainable modes of human settlement within the natural environment in the past. The present research introduces the features of this wisdom and explores how it can be studied within the conceptual framework of “Eco-oriented Wisdom,” drawing upon insights from the two research domains of “Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)” and “Ecological wisdom (EW).” It then turns to the concept of ābādānī (prosperity), a recurrent notion in ancient Iranian and the early Islamic texts, in order to explicate the human–environment relationship. This article seeks to demonstrate that ābādānī, within the ecological civilization of ancient Iran, constitutes a dimension of the eco- oriented wisdom framework and can be analyzed accordingly. The research method adopts an interdisciplinary approach and employs content analysis of textual sources. The findings reveal that ābādānī can be interpreted through the four features of eco- oriented wisdom—holism, careful observation, action-orientation, and value-orientation—and can be examined on three levels: worldview, interaction, and environmental knowledge, within the context of ancient Iran. Positioned at the intersection of landscape architecture, history, and ecology, this study contributes to the conceptual framing of the components of ecological civilization in ancient Iran.

Abstract Emotional feedback or the possibility of emotional sharing with every phenomenon around a person can be an indicator his liveliness. The ability of humans to interact with their surroundings has always been of great importance because its realization increases the quality of human life. In Christopher Alexander's theories, the degree of aliveness of space and the perception of it through emotion is considered important. On the other hand, the animation of space is also discussed in the empathetic domain, and the function of the mirror neurons of the brain in architectural spaces and the ability of human beings to imagine vividness in relation to it, enables them share the emotion. Given the importance of living space and human interaction with it, this research seeks to find the differences and similarities of these two perspectives so that ultimately the conceptual and practical model derived from these two theories can help design living spaces. This research is qualitative and descriptive-analytical type, which compares these two attitudes by examining the main features of living space in Alexander's "Self-Mirror Test" and "Empathetic Architecture" through inductive reasoning and logical analysis. The findings show that a living space in empathy theory can reflect a range of good and bad feelings, but in the mirror self-test, spaces with good feelings are more alive and provide the quality of innate human presence. This research can assist in designing spaces that not only meet the practical needs of individuals but also take into account the emotional and affective aspects of their lives. Considering the emotional and experiential characteristics of space, the design of empathetic and vibrant environments can have more positive effects on human psychology.

Abstract During the Qajar to Pahlavi period , mosques with special and beautiful decorative features were built in Kermanshah , and during the Islamic Republic , many mosques were built in Kermanshah due to the existing needs , and in the Islamic Republic period , many mosques were built in Kermanshah according to the existing needs . This study seeks to classify the characteristics of mosques in Kermanshah according to their physical and spatial characteristics . This research seeks to answer two questions : What are the elements of the Qajar , Pahlavi and Islamic Republic mosques of Kermanshah ? How Qajar , Pahlavi and Islamic Republic mosques of Kermanshah are physically and spatially divided ? The method of data collection is field and documentary (library) and the research method is descriptive-analytical . According to the study of the building , 9 mosques related to the Qajar period , 3 cases related to the Pahlavi period and 7 cases of Islamic Republic mosques were selected from the studied mosques . In this research , their characteristics will be categorized and identified . The results show that Qajar mosques in Kermanshah generally have a nave and from three models of courtyard mosques with courtyards , central courtyard mosques with rooms and porches , central courtyard mosques with rooms and in the Pahlavi period nave mosques with central courtyards with rooms and porches And extroverted mosques were observed and many elements of mosques were seen in them .In addition, various decorations such as tiling , brickwork and solar and Islamic designs were observed in traditional mosques in Kermanshah in the Qajar period mosques

Abstract Architecture, as a knowledge that provides a suitable space for human life, is so intertwined with the various dimensions of human existence that any creativity in it due to its vastness and complexity, inevitably pay attention to a wide range of disciplines and fields of knowledge. Thus, creativity in architecture is inherently an interdisciplinary category, and any analysis and evaluation will be inefficient and ineffective without considering this feature. This descriptive-analytical research aims to provide an interdisciplinary model for measuring the architectural creativity using the logical reasoning process. According to its findings, measuring the creativity of architecture with an interdisciplinary approach is the application of different sciences to achieve an integrated knowledge in order to evaluate the novelty of solutions offered by architecture to meet different human needs to live in that space. Accordingly, creativity has two basic dimensions of innovation and usefulness. According to the model proposed in this article, in order to measure architectural creativity, first the human needs and desires of an architecture with a specific use should be determined, then the level of satisfaction with its responses should be measured according to the needs. In the next stage, architectural innovation is evaluated to meet these needs in a 7-step range of materials used (minimum innovation) to create a new function (maximum innovation).

Abstract The contemporary architectural knowledge is affected by the dominance of centrist hegemonies as well as the swarm of information technology that have captured the human soul and consequently led to the crystallization of new forms of individual creations other than the actual creativity. This study aims at changing the learning process of human architect by freeing the mind from the accumulated information and reading of effective teachings handed down through human lived experiences that embrace spirit and emotions. This study has been carried out through a documentary research method to identify the relationship of humans with the environment and examine the works of phenomenologists in the domains of human, mind and imagination as well as the within-border roots contributing to connect humans with native phenomenon such as literature. Going through ontology and Axialism attitudes, we could infer the lost facets of “how to become human”. The intellectual-philosophical movement of phenomenology, which emerged at the dawn of the twentieth century, considered lived experience as the basis of ontology. Thereafter, it was rerouted from pure philosophy to the realm of “thought” hence, it found its way into schools of architecture by establishing a multi-faceted link between disciplines and lived experiences. The findings revealed the self-discovered process of “human architect” in acquiring experiences toward creating human architectural phenomena. This was studied from two aspects: reading rich sources and within-border roots; and learning of “how to think” as a universal viewpoint. The reading of Hafez’s poetry and his lived experience in the process of learning architecture contributes to self-discovery and mental purification and human, in this way, gains consciousness.

Abstract Islamic architecture is considered as an important and significant historical tradition. For Iranians, this tradition is more than historical and is mentioned as a part of the identity of architecture in Islamic Iran. Many theories have tried to explain Islamic architecture but could only determine a part of its coordination possibly due to their adopted methods. These theories have lost their capability of effective application because they have neglected the practical and concrete aspects (which all can be named under the title of “lifestyle”). The goal of this article is to include the concept of lifestyle in the definition of Islamic architecture, after presenting and criticizing theories mentioned in the research literature. This article emphasizes that lifestyle is the missing element of theories on Islamic architecture and that Islamic architecture can be applicable in the social life of the Iranians by including lifestyle in its definition.

Abstract Secularism is one of the most important components of west contemporary civilization. The role of this system of thought, which emerged as a reaction against the function of religious institutions in the West, especially the church in the Middle Ages, is so prominent in contemporary civilization that its effects on political, social, cultural conditions and relationships can be clearly identified, and the geography of Iran is no exception. After a brief introduction and brief explanation of the foundations of secularism, this paper focuses on the issue of the effects of secularism on contemporary architecture and urban planning, and in particular the physical-spatial transformations of Iranian contemporary cities. A composite method is used: archival research for data collection and qualitative content analysis for data analysis. Our findings indicate that since architecture, urban planning and relevant issues (including spatial and physical transformations) are influenced by different social and cultural relations, Iranian contemporary architecture and urbanism are affected by secularism and its foundations. In order to prove this issue, objective examples and evidence are presented as part of analytical discussions.

Abstract In this research this question is addressed: are the physical-spatial changes in contemporary markets of Iran, as a pioneer in promoting the noble values of Islam, in accordance with Islamic principles and values? In this article, through an analysis of religious texts, using qualitative content analysis, four physical-spatial indicators are deduced for markets; these indicators include the need to mention spiritual truths in physical-spatial structure of market, avoiding the collective social spaces in the market, the alignment of physical market patterns with Islamic identity, and locating the market in meta-local situations. An interdisciplinary analysis was carried out which indicated that the decline in these indicators in contemporary markets is rooted in the contemporary intellectual foundations of the West, whose economic impacts have resulted in the liberal capitalist economic system; one of the most important features of this system is the promotion of the culture of consumerism and a decline in Islamic physical-spatial indicators in contemporary markets, which is in accordance with the requirements of this culture.