Mass-Space Dynamics in Qajar-era Vernacular Housing of Isfahan

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Department of Architecture and Tourism, Architecture and Urban Research Center, ISF.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
10.48311/bsnt.2025.75047.0
Abstract
Aims: The study prioritizes examining valuable historical architectural patterns as integral aspects of cultural identity within the architectural modernization process. It focuses on mass-space organization as a basis for developing sustainable design standards aligned with native identity, thereby promoting equilibrium between mass and space in urban textures.
Methods: The research is based on a quantitative analysis of data extracted from 17 vernacular Housing units in Qajar-era Isfahan. The objective was to establish the relationship between the space-to-mass ratio and three key variables: land area, plot location, and building orientation.
Findings: The space-to-mass ratio in contemporary housing has increased compared to the Qajar period. However, due to the increase in the number of floors and residential units, the per-capita open space for each unit has decreased. Furthermore, in contemporary houses, the massing configuration and the placement of the courtyard in the initial layers have reduced its importance, transferring its role to other spaces. It can be concluded that the courtyard in Qajar-era housing functioned as an organizing element, whereas in contemporary housing, it acts merely as a transitional or circulation space.
Conclusion: In contemporary housing, the space-to-mass ratio correlates solely with plot size, showing no significant relationship with building orientation or plot location. This oversight constitutes a major shortcoming in current design regulations. In contrast, the Qajar-era housing pattern demonstrated a more nuanced approach, where the built mass occupied a smaller portion of the land at the beginning and end of an urban block compared to plots in the middle.

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  • Receive Date 30 July 2025
  • Revise Date 23 October 2025
  • Accept Date 25 October 2025