خواندن معماري؛ چيستي، چرايي و چگونگي در جستجوي مدلي براي آشنايي با تاريخ معماري ايران و نقش آن در سپهر معماري

Reading Iranian Architecture: In Search of a Comprehensive Model for Understanding the History of Iranian Architecture

آشنايي با «شجره‌نامۀ معماري ايران» و بهره‌گيري از «مباني، اصول و الگوهاي» پايدار نهفته در آن، در مرحلۀ نخست نيازمند خواندن صحيح معماري ايران مي‌باشد. در فرايند خواندن معماري با سه پرسش اصلي روبه‌رو هستيم. نخست اينكه چه چيز را بخوانيم؟ (به چه وجوه و ابعادي از معماري توجه كنيم؟). دوم اينكه چرا بخوانيم (هدف و محصول خواندن معماري چه بايد باشد؟). و در نهايت چگونه بخوانيم؟ (چه مسير و روشي براي رسيدن به هدف در پيش بگيريم؟). نوشتار پيش رو، در پژوهشي كيفي با تجزيه و تحليل گفتارها و بيانيه‌هاي «پژوهشگران و طراحان» معاصر و سپس طبقه‌بندي و مدلسازي داده‌ها تلاش دارد راهي براي نزديك شدن به پاسخ اين سه پرسش در پيش گيرد. براي اين منظور، پس از بررسي ديدگاه اين دو گروه، مدلي مفهومي طراحي مي‌گردد كه در آن سعي شده تعريفي نسبتاً جامع از معماري ايران بر اساس علت‌هاي چهارگانه و بسترهاي سه‌گانۀ مؤثر در تشكيل و تغيير معماري معرفي شود. اين مدل به منزلۀ پاسخ به «چيستي معماري» و چهارچوبي براي «چرايي و چگونگي» خواندن آن مي‌باشد. سپس چرايي يا اهداف و كاربردهاي خواندن معماري تبيين مي‌شود. مرحلۀ‌ بعد به توضيح چگونگي خواندن معماري و مسير و روش اين فرايند مي‌پردازد و سپس پيشنهادي در قالب يك جدول از فهرست فعاليت‌هاي لازم براي خواندن معماري و پيش‌بيني روش‌هاي انجام آن ارائه مي‌گردد. در پايان نتايج و كاربردهاي اين پژوهش در پنج عرصۀ «سپهر معماري»، بيان شده است.

Understanding the invaluable history of Iranian architecture and utilizing its sustainable bases, principles and patterns can help us improve architecture both in the present and in the future. To understand Iranian architecture, it is essential that we can read it thoroughly and correctly; but before that, we need to have a comprehensive definition of it. So, the main question of this research is: How should we read Iranian architecture? an‎d that question gives rise to two more questions: What is Iranian architecture? an‎d why should we read it? To answer these questions, we first surveyed experts (in two groups: researchers and designers) for their viewpoints on Iranian architecture. The collected data were analyzed, categorized and codified in three groups: the definition, the necessity and the method of reading architecture. The findings are presented below as based on the three research questions: 1. What is Iranian architecture? The resulting data were coded into five categories: architect, goal, material, form and context. In this step, based on the codes, we adapted Aristotle’s theory of the “four causes of being” to develop a conceptual model of architecture including its four causes (material, formal, efficient and final) and its different types of contexts (natural, social and formal/physical). This model is aimed at finding an answer to the question “What is Iranian architecture?” and serves as a framework for the other two questions. 2. Why should we read the history of Iranian architecture? The collected data about the necessity of reading architecture were coded into three categories: extracting the principles, exploring the patterns and utilizing those principles and patterns in contemporary architecture. 3. How should we read Iranian architecture? By answering the previous two questions, we have approached the answer to the third question. Identifying the goals of reading and the relevant factors will guide us in reading architecture. To reach a practical method for reading architecture, we have drawn on our experiences in teaching university courses in architectural history as well as student activities. We will propose a five-stage reading process (description, analysis, criticism, instruction and practice) and three stages of reading (before, during and after visiting a building). Finally, we will present a checklist of the necessary activities for reading Iranian architecture and lay out the results of using the proposed reading method in five areas of architecture including education, research, production, media and policy-making.