Volume 15, Issue 56 (9-2026)
Haft Hesar J Environ Stud 2026, 15(56): 107-124 |
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Norouzi A, Ardalan D, Khatibi S. Revisiting the Spatial Structure of Iranian Caravanserais and Assessing Their Spatial Transferability to Contemporary Terminals: A Comparative Space Syntax Study
(Case Study: Tehran’s Intercity Bus Terminals). Haft Hesar J Environ Stud 2026; 15 (56) :107-124
URL: http://hafthesar.iauh.ac.ir/article-1-2422-en.html
URL: http://hafthesar.iauh.ac.ir/article-1-2422-en.html
Abstract: (10 Views)
Introduction: Intercity bus terminals, as movement-oriented public environments, play an important role in structuring mobility, organizing access, and shaping the spatial legibility of transportation settings. In many contemporary terminals, particularly in Tehran, recurring problems such as weak spatial legibility, fragmented movement routes, interference between pedestrian and vehicular circulation, unclear access hierarchy, and limited environmental coherence suggest that performance depends not only on functional provision, but also on the configurational logic of spatial organization. In this context, Iranian caravanserais, as historical environments associated with movement, temporary stay, exchange, and spatial control, offer coherent and hierarchically structured spatial systems. Rather than serving as formal precedents, they can be examined as configurational models whose spatial logic may inform the organization of contemporary intercity terminals. Accordingly, this study investigates the spatial structure of Iranian caravanserais and examines the extent to which their configurational principles may provide transferable insights for the analysis and redesign of intercity bus terminals in Tehran.
Methodology: The study employs a mixed qualitative–analytical and quantitative approach grounded in space syntax as an analytical tool. The case studies were selected through purposive, criteria-based sampling. The historical sample included caravanserais with reliable architectural documentation, typological comparability, and relevance to the Safavid and Qajar periods, while the contemporary sample included three major intercity bus terminals in Tehran—South, West, and Beyhaghi—selected based on functional significance, plan availability, and variation in spatial organization. After scale unification and analytical simplification, the plans were modeled in DepthmapX. Syntactic indicators such as integration, connectivity, depth, permeability, and intelligibility were measured and compared, and the results were interpreted through qualitative analysis of spatial structure and justified graph representations.
Results: The findings show that Iranian caravanserais tend to demonstrate a more coherent spatial configuration through features such as centralized organization, controlled entrance sequences, gradual access hierarchy, and regular distribution of surrounding spaces. These characteristics indicate stronger configurational potential for structural legibility, controlled permeability, and organized movement distribution. By contrast, terminal layouts lacking clear spatial hierarchy, continuity of routes, and balanced centrality tend to exhibit greater depth and lower configurational intelligibility. Among the examined terminals, those with a more balanced relationship between integration and route distribution appear to offer stronger spatial potential for legibility and orientation within the overall layout.
Discussion: The study argues that the relevance of Iranian caravanserais for contemporary terminal design lies not in the replication of historical forms, but in the reinterpretation of underlying spatial principles such as hierarchy, centrality, continuity, and controlled permeability. Based on these findings, a set of design principles was derived to help translate syntactic analysis into practical guidance for terminal planning and redesign. More broadly, the study situates space syntax findings in relation to wider concepts such as legibility, wayfinding, and environmental cognition, thereby linking configurational analysis to broader architectural and transportation-environment discourse. Nevertheless, the conclusions remain at the level of spatial and syntactic capacity rather than direct evidence of actual user behavior, and further field-based studies are needed to validate these implications empirically.
Methodology: The study employs a mixed qualitative–analytical and quantitative approach grounded in space syntax as an analytical tool. The case studies were selected through purposive, criteria-based sampling. The historical sample included caravanserais with reliable architectural documentation, typological comparability, and relevance to the Safavid and Qajar periods, while the contemporary sample included three major intercity bus terminals in Tehran—South, West, and Beyhaghi—selected based on functional significance, plan availability, and variation in spatial organization. After scale unification and analytical simplification, the plans were modeled in DepthmapX. Syntactic indicators such as integration, connectivity, depth, permeability, and intelligibility were measured and compared, and the results were interpreted through qualitative analysis of spatial structure and justified graph representations.
Results: The findings show that Iranian caravanserais tend to demonstrate a more coherent spatial configuration through features such as centralized organization, controlled entrance sequences, gradual access hierarchy, and regular distribution of surrounding spaces. These characteristics indicate stronger configurational potential for structural legibility, controlled permeability, and organized movement distribution. By contrast, terminal layouts lacking clear spatial hierarchy, continuity of routes, and balanced centrality tend to exhibit greater depth and lower configurational intelligibility. Among the examined terminals, those with a more balanced relationship between integration and route distribution appear to offer stronger spatial potential for legibility and orientation within the overall layout.
Discussion: The study argues that the relevance of Iranian caravanserais for contemporary terminal design lies not in the replication of historical forms, but in the reinterpretation of underlying spatial principles such as hierarchy, centrality, continuity, and controlled permeability. Based on these findings, a set of design principles was derived to help translate syntactic analysis into practical guidance for terminal planning and redesign. More broadly, the study situates space syntax findings in relation to wider concepts such as legibility, wayfinding, and environmental cognition, thereby linking configurational analysis to broader architectural and transportation-environment discourse. Nevertheless, the conclusions remain at the level of spatial and syntactic capacity rather than direct evidence of actual user behavior, and further field-based studies are needed to validate these implications empirically.
Keywords: Space Syntax, Spatial Integration, Pattern Adaptability, Iranian Caravanserais, Bus Terminal
Type of Study: Research |
Received: 2026/09/10 | Accepted: 2026/09/1 | Published: 2026/09/1 | ePublished: 2026/09/1
Received: 2026/09/10 | Accepted: 2026/09/1 | Published: 2026/09/1 | ePublished: 2026/09/1
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