Abstract: (10 Views)
Spatial organization in architecture, especially in religious buildings, refers to the organization and arrangement of different spaces within a structure, significantly impacting the user’s experience and perception of the space. In mosques, this spatial organization specifically functions to create a spiritual connection between the outer and inner aspects of the space. Qajar-era mosques in Shiraz are particularly prominent examples of such spatial organizations, where concepts of privacy and visual connectivity are more strongly expressed compared to other structures. The main objective of this study is to identify and analyze the key components of the spatial organization in Qajar mosques of Shiraz and assess how these components influence the design of contemporary religious spaces.
To achieve this goal, the research methodology was designed in two phases. In the first phase, a researcher-developed questionnaire was completed by 10 architecture experts familiar with Qajar mosques to identify and weight the key components of the spatial organization. The experts were selected using the snowball sampling method. In the second phase, spatial organization analysis was conducted using space syntax methodology and Depthmap software, with 10 mosques randomly selected from a total of 22 Qajar mosques in Shiraz. This phase aimed to obtain the spatial organization scores of the mosques under study. Subsequently, the data were analyzed.
The findings of this study revealed that two key factors, privacy and visual connectivity, have the greatest influence on shaping the spatial organization in Qajar mosques of Shiraz. These factors were extracted and evaluated through architectural plan analysis and questionnaire data. Among the spatial components, legibility and privacy had the most significant impact on the spatial organization, while visual connectivity and spatial depth showed the least impact. These findings can be effectively applied to the design of contemporary mosques to improve and enhance the spatial organization of religious spaces.
To achieve this goal, the research methodology was designed in two phases. In the first phase, a researcher-developed questionnaire was completed by 10 architecture experts familiar with Qajar mosques to identify and weight the key components of the spatial organization. The experts were selected using the snowball sampling method. In the second phase, spatial organization analysis was conducted using space syntax methodology and Depthmap software, with 10 mosques randomly selected from a total of 22 Qajar mosques in Shiraz. This phase aimed to obtain the spatial organization scores of the mosques under study. Subsequently, the data were analyzed.
The findings of this study revealed that two key factors, privacy and visual connectivity, have the greatest influence on shaping the spatial organization in Qajar mosques of Shiraz. These factors were extracted and evaluated through architectural plan analysis and questionnaire data. Among the spatial components, legibility and privacy had the most significant impact on the spatial organization, while visual connectivity and spatial depth showed the least impact. These findings can be effectively applied to the design of contemporary mosques to improve and enhance the spatial organization of religious spaces.
Type of Study: Research |
Received: 2024/10/26 | Accepted: 2025/08/23 | ePublished ahead of print: 2026/08/15
Received: 2024/10/26 | Accepted: 2025/08/23 | ePublished ahead of print: 2026/08/15
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