An Interpretation of the Resident–Dwelling Relationship through Gibson’s Theory of Environmental Affordances in the Qajar Houses of Shiraz

Subject Areas :

ّّّFARIBA FATHI ¹ , vida Taghvaei ² , Mohammad Ibrahim Mazhari ³

1 -
2 - Associate professor of department of Architecture, Shariaty Technical College and Technical and Vocational University,Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of Architecture, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Shahid Chamran university of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.

Received: 2025-07-18 Accepted : 2025-09-13 Published : 2025-09-16

Keywords: Traditional Iranian housing, Dwelling of historical houses, Affordance, Sensory and meaningful perceptions, Qajar houses of Shira.,

Abstract :

The relationship between humans and their environment—particularly within the context of housing—is a fundamental aspect of human life, deeply influencing the quality of everyday living. Housing is not merely a physical shelter but a dynamic setting for emotional, social, and cultural interactions between individuals and their surroundings.

This study aimed to investigate the reciprocal relationship between inhabitants and dwellings in the historical Qajar-era houses of Shiraz, drawing on James Gibson's theory of environmental affordances. Data were collected through library research and in-depth semi-structured interviews with individuals who had lived experiences in these houses. Participants were selected using snowball sampling, and data analysis was conducted through a three-stage coding process (open, axial, and selective).

The findings led to a conceptual model in which residents’ needs, motivations, and activities—as internal factors—were shown to interact continuously and constructively with spatial, semantic, and place-based elements of the residential environment. Within Gibson’s framework, sensory perception was identified as a crucial mediator in this process, shaping human behavior in architectural spaces. The Qajar houses of Shiraz, in addition to meeting functional needs, were found to embody profound cultural and historical meanings expressed through the lived experiences of their residents. This multilayered relationship was shown to contribute significantly to the formation of spatial behavior and identity, underscoring the importance of understanding environmental affordances to preserve and enhance both the physical and symbolic identity of these houses.

Overall, the proposed conceptual model can serve as a practical and theoretical guide for architects and researchers in designing sustainable, context-sensitive, and human-centered environments.

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