The Role Of Spatial Structure In Shaping Users’ Mental Maps; A Comparative Study Of Tehran’s Traditional Bazaar And Iran Mall

Subject Areas :

Elmira Saaveh ¹ , Mohammadreza Pakdel Fard ² , Hasan Sattari Sarbangholi ³

1 - Department of Architecture, Ta.C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
2 - Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Ta.C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
3 - Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Ta.C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.

Received: 2025-10-06 Accepted : 2025-11-09 Published : 2025-12-16

Keywords: Spatial Structure, Perceptual Experience, Tehran Traditional Bazaar, Iran Mall.,

Abstract :

The perception and representation of space arise from the interaction between the physical-spatial structure of the environment and users’ cognitive mechanisms. Within urban public spaces, this interaction shapes distinctive mental maps that reflect the spatial configuration, perceptual experience, and cultural systems of each setting. This study aims to investigate the role of spatial structure in shaping users’ mental maps through a comparative and mixed-method approach. Two urban spaces with contrasting spatial and cultural characteristics were purposively selected: Tehran’s Traditional Bazaar, representing the continuity of historical-spatial patterns, and Iran Mall, exemplifying the reproduction of modern spatial order. A mixed research methodology was employed, combining documentary analysis of architectural plans and spatial configuration with fieldwork involving 60 participants who produced mental maps and completed spatial perception questionnaires. The conceptual framework is based on the interplay of three variables—spatial structure, environmental legibility, and mental representation—analyzed through four key indicators: movement hierarchy, spatial connectivity, identity markers, and users’ perceptual orientation. Findings indicate that Tehran’s Traditional Bazaar, with its organic and multi-centered structure, generates flexible, multi-layered mental maps, whereas Iran Mall, with its geometric organization and linear pathways, fosters focused and controlled spatial perception. Comparative analysis suggests that differences in spatial configuration reflect two contrasting patterns of environmental experience: one rooted in cultural continuity and historical legibility, and the other based on modern spatial order and perceptual control.

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