perACECRمطالعات شهر ایرانی-اسلامی2228-639X2980-94282026-111763122articleHadi Soltanifardhsoltanifard@gmail.com1Gazaleh RafieeG.rafiee66@gmail.com2Associate Professor, Faculty of Geography and Urban Planning, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Razavi Khorasan, IranResearch Assistant, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Razavi Khorasan, Iran<p>The garden-tomb is an important typology of the Persian-Islamic garden, in which garden design, architecture, nature, and religious and symbolic meanings are integrated into a spatial and commemorative system. Despite numerous studies on Persian gardens and prominent garden-tombs, multidimensional comparisons of this typology with examples beyond the geographical boundaries of Iran, particularly within the context of Mughal garden design, have received relatively little attention. This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the Qadamgah Garden-Tomb in Neyshabur and the Taj Mahal complex in Agra, identifying their similarities, differences, and patterns of continuity and transformation. In terms of purpose, the research is applied, while its methodological approach is descriptive-analytical and comparative. Data were collected through library research, historical documents, maps, visual materials, and field observations of Qadamgah Garden, and were analyzed and compared across four dimensions: physical and spatial structure, water and irrigation systems, planting systems, and spatial details and ornamentation. The findings reveal that the two complexes share several characteristics, including the centrality of the tomb, spatial hierarchy, the integration of garden and tomb, geometric order, and the meaningful presence of natural and architectural elements. However, the ways in which these principles are realized differ according to topographic context, environmental conditions, scale, and historical development. At Qadamgah, topography plays a more significant role in spatial organization, water movement, and the functional role of planting. At the Taj Mahal, by contrast, axial geometry, elevated platforms, visual framing, controlled planting, and the extensive use of ornamentation are more prominent. Accordingly, the continuity of the garden-tomb tradition at the Taj Mahal can be understood not as an exact reproduction of Persian forms, but rather as the preservation of certain underlying organizational principles and their adaptation and reinterpretation in response to the Mughal Indian context.</p>http://iic.ihss.ac.ir/Article/52243Garden-tomb Persian garden Qadamgah Taj Mahal Comparative StudyperACECRمطالعات شهر ایرانی-اسلامی2228-639X2980-94282026-1117633156articleShakiba AziziShakibaazz@shahroodut.ac.ir1Maliheh Javidmehrm.javidmehr@shahroodut.ac.ir2M.A. Student in Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, IranAssistant Professor, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran<p>Houses are reflections of their inhabitants&rsquo; culture, lifestyles, values, and everyday practices, and their formation is profoundly influenced by the social conditions of each historical period. Among the key factors shaping domestic space, women&rsquo;s social status and lifestyles may be reflected in the spatial organization of houses, an aspect that has received relatively little direct attention in architectural research. This study examines the relationship between transformations in women&rsquo;s social roles, status, and lifestyles and the spatial organization of selected elite houses from the late Qajar period to the First Pahlavi period. To address this aim, two key research questions are posed: (1) How were transformations in women&rsquo;s social roles, status, and lifestyles during the late Qajar and First Pahlavi periods reflected in the spatial organization of selected elite houses? (2) How did these reflections manifest in the physical and spatial characteristics of elite houses across the cities and regions under study, what distinctive differences and patterns can be identified, and which factors contributed to their formation? The research adopts a historical-interpretive approach. Data were collected through the examination of historical sources, architectural documents and records, and the analysis of documented examples of houses dating from the two periods. The findings indicate that, in the cases examined, changes in women&rsquo;s social roles, status, and lifestyles were accompanied by transformations in entrance hierarchies, degrees of introversion, gendered spatial domains, and the location and status of the kitchen. However, these transformations did not occur uniformly or simultaneously across different cities and regions; rather, they emerged through interactions with factors such as climate, modes of livelihood, social class, and processes of modernization.</p>http://iic.ihss.ac.ir/Article/53881Women Lifestyle Qajar Period Early Pahlavi Period Historical-Interpretive Analysis Elite HousesperACECRمطالعات شهر ایرانی-اسلامی2228-639X2980-94282026-1117635780articleAbolfazl Rezaeea_rizaee@yahoo.com1Hossein Kalantari KhalilabadH_kalantari2005@yahoo.com2Maryam RazghiRezghi.maryam@yahoo.com3PhD Candidate in Urban Planning, Amol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Amol, IraProfessor, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Member of the Urban and Regional Planning Group, Research Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Tehran, IranAssistant Professor, Department of Urbanism, Amol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran<p>The corridor connecting the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Masoumeh (SA) to the Holy Jamkaran Mosque in Qom is one of the most heavily trafficked pilgrimage routes in Iran. Despite its prominent religious and social significance, it lacks a comprehensive and integrated framework for context-sensitive planning that addresses the corridor&rsquo;s climatic and managerial characteristics and organizes pilgrims&rsquo; pedestrian movement. With an approximate width of 90 meters and an arterial function, the corridor accommodates large numbers of pilgrims on foot during major religious occasions, particularly the mid-Sha'ban celebrations. However, the construction of the boulevard has been accompanied by criticism concerning disruptions to the hierarchy of access, impacts on the spatial organization and heritage of the historic Qajar urban fabric, and extensive physical interventions. This study aims to develop an appropriate planning model for a religious pedestrian corridor along this route, employing a grounded theory approach. Data were collected through 30 semi-structured interviews with urban managers, religious authorities, traffic experts, business owners, residents, and pilgrims; systematic field observations under both normal and peak-demand conditions; and an examination of urban planning documents and schemes. Purposive sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. The data were analyzed using MAXQDA through open, axial, and selective coding. The credibility of the findings was further enhanced through member checking, peer debriefing, and research auditing. The findings indicate that improving the quality of pilgrimage routes is not merely a physical intervention, but rather an interdisciplinary and multi-institutional process requiring synergy among managerial, religious, and social institutions. The conceptual model identifies climatic and physical, socio-cultural, service-related, managerial, and technological components as the principal dimensions of planning religious pedestrian corridors in pilgrimage cities.</p>http://iic.ihss.ac.ir/Article/52054Religious Pedestrian Corridor Qom Jamkaran Context-Sensitive Planning Grounded TheoryperACECRمطالعات شهر ایرانی-اسلامی2228-639X2980-94282026-11176381102articleMarziyeh Shahroudi Kolourm.shahroudi.k@gmail.com1Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, Apadana Institute of Higher Education, Shiraz, Iran. <p>Urban space, beyond its physical function, is a dynamic arena for social, political, and cultural interactions, playing a key role in the formation and perpetuation of the discourse of resistance. Despite extensive research on the political and social dimensions of this discourse, the role of physical and architectural components has received comparatively little attention. This study aims to critically examine the role of urban space in advancing the discourse of resistance from an architectural perspective, with particular emphasis on Islamic countries and Iran. The central research question is: How do the physical and spatial components of the city become instruments for expressing and reinforcing the objectives of resistance? Here, resistance refers not only to acts of protest but also to the broader concept of the Axis of Resistance against domination and colonialism. This qualitative study employs critical discourse analysis at three levels&mdash;description, interpretation, and explanation&mdash;combined with thematic analysis and case studies of three urban spaces: Azadi Square in Tehran, Tahrir Square in Cairo, and the southern suburbs of Beirut. Data were collected from documentary sources, visual materials, and field observations. The findings indicate that urban design elements, including scale, access routes, and physical symbols, facilitate the organization of collective action, while actors imbue these spaces with new meanings through appropriation, representation, and symbolization. The case studies differ in their modes of agency: state-led in Iran, grassroots and spontaneous in Cairo, and hybrid in Beirut. The study's originality lies in integrating the three levels of critical discourse analysis with the physical, functional, and semantic dimensions of space within the context of the Axis of Resistance. The findings underscore the need to recognize the political role of space in urban design.</p>http://iic.ihss.ac.ir/Article/51686Axis of Resistance spatial appropriation symbolization collective memoryperACECRمطالعات شهر ایرانی-اسلامی2228-639X2980-94282026-111763articleSonia Akbari Shahraksonia.akbarishahrak@iau.ac.ir1Mojtaba Rafiianrafiei_m@modares.ac.ir2Mehrnoush Hassanzadehm_hassanzadeh@iau.ac.ir3Ph. D. candidate, Department of Urban Planning and Design, ST.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, IranProfessor, Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IranAssistant professor, Department of Urban Planning and Design, ST.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran<p>Despite having lost part of its former role in organizing the structure of the contemporary metropolis, the Grand Bazaar of Tehran remains an influential component of the city&rsquo;s historical memory, economic activity, and spatial organization of its historic center. The central issue addressed in this article is how the bazaar&rsquo;s position within Tehran&rsquo;s urban structure has evolved and which dimensions of its role have persisted or transformed across different historical periods. The study adopts a historical-analytical approach, drawing on the morphological interpretation of historical maps, documentary research, and library sources. The data are analyzed with particular attention to the bazaar&rsquo;s relationships with the Jameh Mosque, the Arg (citadel), urban neighborhoods, city gates, the street network, and emerging urban centers. The Safavid, Qajar, First Pahlavi, Second Pahlavi, and contemporary periods are compared using consistent spatial-physical, functional, connective, and identity-related indicators. The article&rsquo;s contribution lies in combining the morphological reading of historical maps with a diachronic analysis of the bazaar&rsquo;s role, providing a theoretical basis for understanding it as an &ldquo;active historical infrastructure&rdquo; within the city center. The findings indicate that, in the traditional city, Tehran&rsquo;s bazaar served as a connecting axis linking economic, religious, social, and governmental functions and constituted one of the principal elements of the city&rsquo;s urban structure. With the introduction of new streets during the Pahlavi period, urban expansion, and the relocation of some administrative and economic centers, the bazaar&rsquo;s role in organizing the city as a whole diminished. Nevertheless, its capacity to sustain historical identity, concentrate economic activities, and support the regeneration of Tehran&rsquo;s historic center has persisted. Accordingly, this article conceptualizes the Grand Bazaar of Tehran not merely as a historical feature, but as a spatial, economic, and identity-based asset for the regeneration of the contemporary city center.</p>http://iic.ihss.ac.ir/Article/54143Grand Bazaar of Tehran Spatial Organization Urban Structure Urban Morphology Historic City CenterperACECRمطالعات شهر ایرانی-اسلامی2228-639X2980-94282026-111763articleAkbar Talebpoura.talebpour@alzahra.ac.ir1Seyed Yaghoub MousaviY.mousavi@alzahra.ac.ir2Neda Dadfardadfarneda99@gmail.com3Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, IranM. A. of Local urban development, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran<p>Urban space is a source of identity, and through this potential, urban symbols can foster a sense of distinction and identity among citizens. Regardless of their specific functions and purposes, urban symbols influence both citizens&rsquo; cultural perceptions and the identity of cities. Given the disruptive effects of urbanization on the formation and continuity of urban identity, as well as the role of urban symbols as identity-forming elements, this study examines the contribution of Milad Tower to the sustainability of Tehran&rsquo;s urban identity from the perspective of experts, across five dimensions: physical-spatial, socio-cultural, economic, environmental-ecological, and political-strategic identity. A qualitative thematic analysis approach was employed. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 17 experts and specialists in art, culture, urban planning, architecture, and urban sociology. Participants were selected through purposive theoretical sampling, and interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached. The findings indicate that Milad Tower, despite its status as a major symbol of Tehran, has not fulfilled its expected role in sustaining the city&rsquo;s identity. From the perspective of physical-spatial identity, the tower was primarily constructed to serve telecommunications purposes and lacks the necessary characteristics of an effective urban symbol. In terms of environmental-ecological identity, its negative impacts include inappropriate site selection, insufficient consideration of seismic zoning and fault lines, disregard for the area's ecological carrying capacity, degradation of the surrounding hills&rsquo; natural environment and vegetation, and increased pressure on water resources. Regarding socio-cultural identity, the tower&rsquo;s high admission fees, association with conspicuous consumption, and limited inclusiveness have hindered the development of an emotional and mental connection with the public.</p>http://iic.ihss.ac.ir/Article/54488Urban Symbol Ecological Sustainability Thematic Analysis Milad Tower