Explanation of a Model to Predict Place-Based Affordance of Mosques in Tehran, Iran

This study aimed to investigate the spatial perception and evaluation of the place-based affordance of mosques in Tehran. Reviewing the literature and applying Gibson`s affordance and Canter`s place theory, the new model called place-based affordance is proposed. In this model, each location contains two potential types of symbolic and behavioural affordance. Accordingly, throughout history, behavioural affordance of mosques including the holding of worship and civic-social activities and their symbolic affordance, including identity, sense of place and community. In this research, to identify the factors that affect the perception and evaluation of behavioral and symbolic affordance of mosques, correlation method or multiple regressions was used. On this basis, four contemporary mosques in Tehran were randomly selected with regional performance and worshipers` responses to the questionnaires were analysed. Research findings indicate that the perception of place-based affordance of mosques, respectively, is influenced by three factors: the physical characteristics, characteristics of perceiving person`s perception and context features. Using the proposed model, the place-based affordance of mosque can be identified and particularly the efficacy of affordance for each place, in general, based on cognitive processes and interactions with the environment can be analyzed.