Qualitative analysis of principles of environmental sustainability in Iranian garden architecture (case example: Safavid and Qajar period gardens)

Subject Areas :

Malek Rashidi ¹ , Mehrvash Kazemi Shishavan ² , Elham Hatami Golzari ³ , Amir Haghjo ⁴

1 - Ph.D. Student, Department of Architecture, Shabestar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shabestar, Iran.
2 - Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Shabestar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shabestar, Iran.
3 - Assistant Professor Department of Architecture, Sardroud Center, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sardroud, Iran.
4 - Assistant Professor Department of Architecture, Shabestar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shabestar, Iran

Received: 2024-03-06 Accepted : 2024-06-11 Published : 2024-12-11

Keywords: Environmental sustainability, architecture, phenomenology, Iranian gardens.,

Abstract :

The relationship between architecture and nature has experienced various ups and downs throughout history, so that in some periods, architectural approaches are formed based on attention to nature, and in others, nature is neglected. In between, as a model from the perspective of history and ancient cultural heritage, the Iranian garden, while adapting to the physical and psychological needs of humans, has adapted to the natural and native conditions of this land and created a quality space for its audience. Therefore, the recognition of these gardens can be considered as a model for improving the quality of living space and sustainable development. In this regard, the paradigm of phenomenology with an interpretive approach with an emphasis on ontology seeks to know the factors affecting environmental sustainability in the architecture of Iranian gardens. Knowledge in this view is not objective and material and has different dimensions and interpretations. In this regard, the aim of the present research is to emphasize the phenomenological approach in order to discover the principles of environmental sustainability in the architecture of Iranian gardens. The interpretation system and approach of the present research is phenomenology, and its analysis system is qualitative methodology, and the grounded theory method has been used to analyze the information and present the final theory. For this purpose, the architectural space of these gardens as a model has been examined part by part under the three components of building architecture, methods of irrigation and vegetation and planting; At this stage, the researchers have collected information by being present in the research areas and the environmental sustainability of the studied elements and components has been identified and coded under 16 basic concepts; In the next step, each of the criteria of environmental sustainability, under each of the three phenomena of reducing energy consumption, reducing environmental pollutants, and sustainability, has been interpreted and defined at several phenomenological levels using central and selective coding. Finally, 6 major influential categories: benefiting from native and flexible materials and increasing the lifespan of buildings and their elements; reducing the need for non-renewable energy; The appropriate link between architecture and nature and the vitality of the space with regard to the elements of water, plants and trees; controlling the intensity of sunlight, humidity, temperature and wind flow; The architecture and lasting design of the garden; And the constant greenness of the garden space has been identified and compiled on the environmental sustainability of Iranian gardens in the Safavid and Qajar periods. Then in the final stage, by integrating, comparing and reflecting on the categories obtained in the previous stages, a core category titled "Architecture and design compatible with the environmental conditions of the field and region and the use of natural energy in order to reduce environmental pollutants and energy consumption and Benefiting from traditional patterns of Iranian-Islamic architecture in combination with natural elements and resistant to all kinds of crises" has been selected as the main factor of environmental sustainability of Iranian gardens of the Safavid and Qajar eras based on the phenomenological approach.