The Study of Spatial Evolution in the Traditional Houses of Iran with Emphasis on the Aspects of Physical and Spatial Relationship using the Space Syntax (Case study: Qajar and Pahlavi houses in Tabriz)

Iranian houses have changed physically and communicatively over the years. The turning point of these changes can be seen in the architecture of houses of the Qajar and Pahlavi periods. In order to examine these changes, eight houses of Tabriz were selected in this study. Four of them belong to the Qajar period and the other four to the Pahlavi period. One of the houses, which belong to the transitional period between these two eras, was analyzed due to its noticeable changes. The purpose of this article is to compare and evaluate the spatial structures of Iranian houses in the two periods of Qajar and Pahlavi by studying and analyzing the selected houses in Tabriz from the aspects of physical layout and spatial relationships. To serve this purpose, a mixed research method is used based on historical approach and interpretive and comparative strategy. Desk studies and filed studies were both used for data collection. Since the results of the research are qualitatively based on having a quantitative analysis of data, analysis has been done in the qualitative part by comparing ground floor plans and extracting effective spaces from the quantitative analysis of the spaces by the method of space syntax and with the help of Auto Cad, A-Graph and Depth Map software. After that, the obtained data was compared, and aspects of physical layout and spatial relationship were described based on the process of changes made in the selected houses. The results of the study showed that the entrance, Hashti (vestibule), outer courtyard, Tanabi (a type of hall) and inner courtyard are the influential factors of physical changes in the Qajar and Pahlavi periods, evident in the plan of the selected houses. Some of the main spatial elements, form, shape and elongation of houses, spatial hierarchy, constructed facades, building orientation, neighborhoods, the place of the entrance and its multiplicity, and the place of spatial elements have the greatest impact on spatial relationship and human behaviors in comparison with the main and secondary axes in the selected houses from the Qajar and Pahlavi periods.