Abstract: (14 Views)
Introduction: The proper function of environment, the response of urban spaces to the needs of users depends on the perception of urban spaces. Regarding to the behavioral inconsistencies observed across many historical areas of Qazvin, it is essential to develop a set of tourism-related behaviors and activities that align with the historical character of these spaces. Achieving this objective requires an evaluation of tourists' perceptions of environmental legibility. The degree to which tourists comprehend and navigate these environments significantly influences the nature and diversity of their behaviors within historical contexts. This study aims to analyze how environmental features of selected historical complexes in Qazvin are perceived—utilizing a semiotic approach—and to explore the relationship between these perceptions and tourists' behavioral patterns.
Methodology: This study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. Drawing on theoretical foundations and relevant literature aligned with the study's core concepts, the researcher formulated a conceptual model that includes criteria for perceiving environmental legibility from a semiotic standpoint, and examines their relationship with the form and nature of tourist behavior. A validated questionnaire served as the primary instrument for collecting tourists’ views on their perception of semiotic elements within the historical context of Qazvin. Quantitative data analysis was performed using SPSS software, employing multivariate regression analysis to determine the relative importance and influence of each semiotic criterion across the five chosen tourist sites. To validate and cross-check the questionnaire findings against real-world conditions, the behavioral patterns of tourists as they interacted with the historical complexes were directly observed.
Results: The statistical analysis of questionnaire responses revealed different levels of significance for each indicator related to the perception of environmental legibility. In comparing the complexes, formal-physical distinction scored lowest in the Qajar Bath-Museum (significance = 0.033) and highest in the Chehel Sotun Museum and Shahrbani Complex (significance = 0.002). For the criterion of wayfinding signs and referential markers, only Chehel Sotun and Aliqapu showed strong significance (0.005), likely due to the clarity and symbolic strength of their forms, which were less evident in other sites. Regarding structural prominence—alignment with main routes—Chehel Sotun and Aliqapu again scored highest, while the Qajar Bath-Museum (0.08) lacked significance, possibly due to its location on a secondary street. In terms of semantic prominence, or the visibility of historical-cultural meaning, all complexes except the Qajar Bath-Museum (0.235) were considered legible and meaningful by tourists due to their clear expression of age, culture, and history in their physical appearance. Furthermore, based on the data presented in the final evaluation table, the highest degree of behavioral and activity diversity among tourists and space users was observed in the historical complexes of Chehel Sotun Museum, Saad al-Saltaneh Palace, Mosque al-Nabi, Ali Qapu Mansion, and finally, the Qajar Bath-Museum respective.
Conclusion: In conclusion, a comparison between the semantic values of legibility perception indicators and the corresponding observed behaviors within each complex highlights a direct correlation between environmental affordances and legibility perception with the range of user behavior. overall, the greater the presence of meaningful environmental features and legibility cues within a complex, the broader the variety of tourist and user activities observed in that space. Among the historical complexes, those exhibiting higher and more consistent scores in the legibility indicators—namely formal-physical distinction, structural prominence (place), semantic prominence, and functional visibility—offer a more accessible and intuitive environmental perception for visitors.
Methodology: This study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. Drawing on theoretical foundations and relevant literature aligned with the study's core concepts, the researcher formulated a conceptual model that includes criteria for perceiving environmental legibility from a semiotic standpoint, and examines their relationship with the form and nature of tourist behavior. A validated questionnaire served as the primary instrument for collecting tourists’ views on their perception of semiotic elements within the historical context of Qazvin. Quantitative data analysis was performed using SPSS software, employing multivariate regression analysis to determine the relative importance and influence of each semiotic criterion across the five chosen tourist sites. To validate and cross-check the questionnaire findings against real-world conditions, the behavioral patterns of tourists as they interacted with the historical complexes were directly observed.
Results: The statistical analysis of questionnaire responses revealed different levels of significance for each indicator related to the perception of environmental legibility. In comparing the complexes, formal-physical distinction scored lowest in the Qajar Bath-Museum (significance = 0.033) and highest in the Chehel Sotun Museum and Shahrbani Complex (significance = 0.002). For the criterion of wayfinding signs and referential markers, only Chehel Sotun and Aliqapu showed strong significance (0.005), likely due to the clarity and symbolic strength of their forms, which were less evident in other sites. Regarding structural prominence—alignment with main routes—Chehel Sotun and Aliqapu again scored highest, while the Qajar Bath-Museum (0.08) lacked significance, possibly due to its location on a secondary street. In terms of semantic prominence, or the visibility of historical-cultural meaning, all complexes except the Qajar Bath-Museum (0.235) were considered legible and meaningful by tourists due to their clear expression of age, culture, and history in their physical appearance. Furthermore, based on the data presented in the final evaluation table, the highest degree of behavioral and activity diversity among tourists and space users was observed in the historical complexes of Chehel Sotun Museum, Saad al-Saltaneh Palace, Mosque al-Nabi, Ali Qapu Mansion, and finally, the Qajar Bath-Museum respective.
Conclusion: In conclusion, a comparison between the semantic values of legibility perception indicators and the corresponding observed behaviors within each complex highlights a direct correlation between environmental affordances and legibility perception with the range of user behavior. overall, the greater the presence of meaningful environmental features and legibility cues within a complex, the broader the variety of tourist and user activities observed in that space. Among the historical complexes, those exhibiting higher and more consistent scores in the legibility indicators—namely formal-physical distinction, structural prominence (place), semantic prominence, and functional visibility—offer a more accessible and intuitive environmental perception for visitors.
Type of Study: Research |
Received: 2025/08/16 | Accepted: 2025/10/10 | ePublished ahead of print: 2026/08/15
Received: 2025/08/16 | Accepted: 2025/10/10 | ePublished ahead of print: 2026/08/15
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