Elucidating the Structural Relationships of In-Between Spatial Systems in Relation to Presence Quality: A Multi-Layer Perceptual–Spatial Configuration Approach (Case Study: Qeysarieh District, Isfahan Bazaar)

Subject Areas : Sustainable Development

Ehsan Zarei ¹ , Jamaledin Mehdinejad Darzi, ^{2 *} , Hamed Moztarzadeh ³ , Vahideh Hojjati ⁴

1 - Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
2 - Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning Engineering, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
4 - Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

Received: 2025-08-19 Accepted : 2025-09-01 Published : 2025-10-05

Keywords: In-Between Spatial Systems, Presence Quality, Public Realms, Traditional Bazaar of Isfahan – Qeysarieh Precinct,

Abstract :

This research examines the role of in-between spatial systems in enhancing presence quality, taking the Qeysarieh precinct of the Isfahan Bazaar—one of the principal connectors between Naqsh-e Jahan Square and the historic bazaar network—as the study area. The precinct was selected owing to its high density of pedestrian flows, adjacency to tourism–service–commercial land uses, and diversity of intermediary spatial elements. The study adopted a mixed-methods (quantitative–qualitative) approach. In the quantitative component, perceptual data from 351 users regarding four dimensions—environmental, physical, functional, and psychological—were collected through a standardized questionnaire and analyzed using the one-sample t-test and Friedman test. In the qualitative component, the spatial structure was evaluated through a space-syntax approach at four levels: axial analysis (Integration, Choice, Mean Depth), visibility analysis (VGA) and isovists, agent-based simulation, and assessment of overall intelligibility. Quantitative results indicated that psychological, functional, and environmental dimensions were assessed above baseline, whereas the physical variable showed no significant difference. Syntactic analysis showed that the Zarrabkhaneh route and Qeysarieh Chahar-Suq exhibited the highest centrality and distributive roles, and that chahar-suqs exerted greater influence on movement and stopping than corridors. The low coefficient of determination for intelligibility (R² = 0.11) indicates a need to improve perceptual guidance within secondary networks. Integrating quantitative and qualitative findings suggests three principal strategies whose implementation, by aligning form, function, and perception, can increase the sustainability of presence quality and enhance user experience within historic urban fabrics.

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