Frontiers of Architectural Research (2016) 5, 341–352

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Frontiers of Architectural Research

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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Privacy at home: Analysis of behavioral patterns

in the spatial configuration of traditional
and modern houses in the city of Hamedan
based on the notion of space syntax
Saeid Alitajern, Ghazaleh Molavi Nojoumi

Art and Architecture Faculty, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

Received 22 April 2015; received in revised form 10 February 2016; accepted 28 February 2016

KEYWORDS Abstract
Privacy; The Iranian concept of home goes far beyond physical aspects, and its essence is interwoven
Spatial configura- with the spiritual nature of humankind. This concept has gained new meanings with the
tions; modernization and industrialization of societies. In Iranian architecture, every need is realized
Space syntax; in socio-physical systems as well as in design issues. Therefore, spatial relationships are central
Pattern of behavior;
to architecture, especially residential architecture that addresses a great proportion of an
Hamedan;
individual's daily life.
House
Space syntax seeks to explain how spatial configurations express social or cultural meanings.
One such meaning is confidentiality, which was mainly introduced into Iranian architecture as a
result of religious beliefs. In Iranian architecture, confidentiality is viewed from the aspect of
privacy.
This study is a case study that makes use of description, analysis, and logical reasoning. The
objective is to analyze behavioral patterns in the spatial configurations of traditional and
modern houses in Hamedan. In so doing, library research, software simulation with the UCL
Depthmap package, and comparison techniques are utilized.
The findings indicate that the spatial configurations of houses have changed in the course of
time. In terms of the indices of spatial configurations, however, the striking difference between
traditional and modern houses in Hamedan revolves around the integration and equivalence of
all spaces in a house. In other words, the hierarchy of access to spaces and the recognition of

n
Corresponding author. Tel.: +98 9188124473.
E-mail address: [email protected] (S. Alitajer).
Peer review under responsibility of Southeast University.

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342 S. Alitajer, G. Molavi Nojoumi

territories are limited in modern houses. Hence, privacy in modern houses fades.
& 2016 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under
the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

1. Introduction Hanson, 2008). In addition, the needs and abilities of

residents also change in time (Baldwin and Tomita, 2007).
Houses have always been built according to the needs of Hence, privacy needs vary within individuals at different
their inhabitants. However, in recent decades, irregular and times and within cultures at different historical periods
undesirable changes that are not based on real needs but because of changing social customs and taboos (Newell,
are mere imitations have been applied to buildings. The 1994). Under this context, a study on the concept of privacy
beginning of this trend can be traced back to the introduc- and its influence on the spatial configurations of traditional
tion of western architecture to Tehran by the first genera- and modern buildings is important. The basic hypothesis in
tion of Iranian architects during the reign of Naser-oddin the present study is that given the current need for privacy
Shah in the second half of the 19th century (Alalhesabi and in the spatial organization of modern buildings, privacy has
Korrani, 2013). These architects were mainly concerned not been widely recognized as a behavioral pattern that
about promoting modernist architecture in Iran, specifically may influence the spatial configuration of a living space.
in the Pahlavi period. Therefore, Iranian modernization in The research questions are as follows:
architecture is rooted in the works of these architects (1) In what ways do the spatial configurations of tradi-
(BaniMasoud, 2009). As a result, Iranian architecture, which tional and modern residential buildings in the city of
was closely interwoven with rich Iranian traditions, and the Hamedan meet the essential need for privacy?
quality of residential buildings were transformed after the (2) Do the spatial configurations of residential buildings
return of Iranian architects who were sent to Europe to change in the course of time in terms of behavioral
study architecture (Alalhesabi and Korrani, 2013)1. patterns? If yes, in what ways?
The number of residential buildings has increased bec-
ause of the urgent housing needs of the growing population. 2. Review of literature
A very good example of a large-scale construction in Iran is
the recent project of Maskan-e Mehr. This nationwide Thus far, much research has been conducted into the
project is carried out by the government to build inexpen- meanings of privacy and its determining factors. However,
sive residential complexes in large quantities for families in terms of architecture, accessing the interior environment
with no permanent places of residence. Maskan-e Mehr of private houses to improve design quality comes with
buildings are representative of the contemporary style of serious limitations. A solution to this problem is using
residential architecture in Iran. Mostly constructed in living specialized software packages for analysis and simulation.
quarters on the outskirts of cities and towns, these buildings The idea of space syntax was first introduced in Iran
represent an unprecedented experience in affordable hous- by Abbaszadegan (2002) and Memariyan (2002). Subse-
ing. The main objective of the Maskan-e Mehr project is to quently, this concept was applied to research into the urban
provide housing within a short period and with the lowest structure in Iran (Yazdanfar et al., 2008; Rismanchiyan and
construction costs (Nastaran and Ra'naee, 2010). Bell, 2010, 2011; Mokhtarzadeh et al., 2012). Kamalipour
Obviously, the inappropriate design of living spaces may et al. (2012) categorized the formal composition of native
be physically and mentally harmful to inhabitants who houses in Kerman and studied the spatial configuration with
spend a remarkable portion of their time in these spaces. regard to the arrangement of land for the parlor in
A much discussed notion in the field of environmental traditional houses in Kerman. However, a gap exists in the
psychology is the notion of privacy conceived as an urgent application of this approach to architecture with a special
need of individuals in artificial environments. To obtain a emphasis on environmental psychology.
desirable state of privacy, each individual resorts to certain
means depending on their sociocultural milieu. One impor-
tant means is the appropriate design of living space and 3. Definition of key concepts
environment.
The organizing principles of space signify interpersonal “Housing is a crucial site in the day-to-day life of most
relationships as much as they indicate the general state of individuals for the distribution of wealth, control over life
mankind (Tuan, 1977). Therefore, lifestyle highly depends circumstances, access to social resources, important factor
on one's ownership of a private space (Rossler et al., 2005; in processes of social identity formation, and the establi-
shment and maintenance of social relationships” (Dunn,
1 2000). Hayward identified nine meanings of home by asking
In that period, the entrance of Shams-ol-Emareh under the reign
the study subjects to sort statements related to home. The
of Naser-oddin Shah was changed. The entrance, which was
previously accessible through the corner gates, was changed into
meanings include social relations, social networks, self-
a flight of stairs. This change stood in such a stark contrast to identity, privacy, continuity, personalization, activity base,
traditional Iranian architecture that the stairs were removed in the childhood homes, and physical structures (Shin, 2014).
period of Pahlavi I and the entrance was again possible only through According to Hanson, a house is a dynamic structure that
the corner gates on both sides of the building. grows and changes in size and configuration according to
Privacy at home: Analysis of behavioral patterns in the spatial configuration of traditional and modern houses 343

changes in the household (Omer, 2011). In summary, a home privacy can help counterbalance the power imposed by
entails a physical space that influences the emotional and other individuals in a high social status (Kelvin, 1973).
mental needs of individuals (Saruwono, 2012) and is orga- The privacy of individuals is a fundamental characteristic
nized according to a certain order of social principles (Reis, of all human cultures. This privacy should not be violated
2003).Thus, spatial relations must be considered in the without reason (Hanson, 2008). The concept of privacy in
design of living spaces, especially in houses where indivi- Islam refers to the segregation between males and females.
duals perform many of their daily activities. It involves the segregation of private and public spaces to
provide security for family members. Islam only allows free
social interaction between males and females who are
3.1. Space syntax
known as mahram,2 which refers to a family member
(Mortada, 2003).
Space syntax, which is based on graph theory, is mainly used
As a result, achieving privacy in a house requires the
to analyze spatial configurations (Jeong et al., 2014). This
interior space to be invisible to strangers and the spatial
theory was developed by Hillier and Hanson in 1984 in
configuration to be appropriate to provide efficient com-
London. In this year, Hillier and Hanson published The Social
munication within the house (Naghi Zadeh, 2008).
Logic of Space, in which they outlined a syntactic theory for
To this end, people usually tend to use various behavioral
the organization of spaces in buildings and settlements. In
mechanisms, including verbal, non-verbal, or environmental
the book, they argued that buildings, towns, and cities
(such as marking a personal territory) behavior, as well as
exhibit particular spatial properties that translate to soc-
cultural norms and actions (Altman, 1975). Environmental
iological rules, which affect how people relate to one
mechanisms are the topic of the present work.
another. Within this framework, the spatial configuration
An environment can either facilitate or inhibit certain
of a dwelling or settlement is believed to present a fairly
behaviors, cognitive processes, moods, and so on (Rapoport
precise map of the economic, social, and ideological rela-
and El Sayegh, 2005); such effect is obvious in the case of a
tions of its inhabitants (Hanson, 1998; Dawson, 2002).
house, which is a primary territory for most individuals in
This theory assumes that space is the primary core of
relation to daily activities, privacy, and social interactions
sociocultural events. However, as space is in turn shaped
(Rahim and Hashim, 2012). Infact, the architectural privacy
throughout social, cultural, and economic processes, it is
configuration of physical factors contributes to how indivi-
usually regarded as invisible, and its form is not taken into
duals establish and maintain control over their accessibility
account (Makri and Folkesson, 2000). In the theory of space
(Laurence et al., 2013).
syntax, spatial and social forms are in such a close relation-
Buildings, especially traditional ones, are basically orga-
ship that a certain spatial configuration may define a
nized on the basis of people's beliefs; one such belief among
number of social patterns, including the distribution pattern
Iranians is respect for private life and self-esteem (Pirniya,
of land use, movement, urban crimes, and location of
1387: 35).
immigrants (Hillier, 2007).
The entrance of Iranian houses has a particular spatial
Previous methodologies based on space syntax initially
character and is not usually connected to the yard and
neglected all design traditions, and by providing quantita-
interior houses directly but by means of intermediate spaces
tive solutions, these methodologies restricted the applica-
(Haeri Mazandarani, 2009). One of these intermediate
tions of the theory. However, scholars such as Kasemook
spaces is called 'hashti' which usually has an octagon shape
illuminated various methodological aspects of this theory
(as the Persian word hasht means 'eight'). Hashti comes out
and proposed qualitative approaches to society, human
of the interior space and is the only place which is
beings, and to the relationship between humans and the
connected to the outdoor space (Pirnia ,2005). This space
physique of a city (Kasemook, 2003). A considerable number
prevented the 'sacred' interior from being seen by strangers.
of research and publications have indeed shown that pre-
Among the interesting functions of hashti are spatial divi-
vious space syntax studies focused on real environments and
sion, pause, and a waiting room (Memariyan 1386). After
identified the intrinsic nature of man-made environments
hashti,3 one had to go through the yard, parlor, and
(Mustafa and Sanusi Hassan, 2013). A prominent showcase of
andaruni and then through twisty corridors which were
the use of space syntax for buildings is the evaluation of
called dalan (Pirnia, 2004). In fact, it is undeniable that,
design proposals for the Tate Britain in London in 2002
in an architectural arrangement, weaker connection of a
(Dursum, 2007).
space to other spaces and, thus, greater depth of a space
compared to other spaces denotes that the accessibility of
3.2. Privacy and space configurations that space is more difficult and its spatial intimacy is higher.
In space syntax theory, the following indices are used to
Privacy is vague and ambiguous (Margulis, 1977), and a study the social aspects of subjects (Jiang et al., 2000;
precise conception cannot be determined because any such Klarqvist, 1993; Lima, 2001).
conception is bound to reflect the ideas of a particular
society at a given time (Westin, 1970; Fischer, 1971; Kelvin 2
Mahram means a person who is in a degree of consanguinity,
1973; Mellors, 1978). This term is usually used in at least affinity, or fosterage precluding marriage (Hussin and Zawawi,
four different senses: freedom to select seclusion, freedom 2012). In Moein Persian Dictionary, mahram is defined as follows:
to engage in undisturbed intimacy with a group of selected (1) a close relative to whom marriage is prohibited; (2) wife;
individuals, freedom to remain anonymous to others, and (3) kin, relative; (4) an acquaintance (Moein, 2010).
freedom to remain protected by not revealing any personal 3
As some traditional houses were small, they did not have hashti,
information (Forgas, 1994). Consequently, sustaining one's and one would enter the dalans immediately after the entrance.
344 S. Alitajer, G. Molavi Nojoumi

+ 2)(3)  1)
3.2.1. Connectivity where D = 2{n(log((n
2 +1)}[(n 1)(n 2)], n is the
It is defined as the number of points at which a space is number of points, and MDi is the average depth from the
directly connected to other spaces. For instance, the i-th point (Khalesian et al., 2009).
connectivity of a room with two entrance doors to adjacent In addition, space syntax is related to three concepts:
spaces is equal to two according to Eq. (1): convex space, isovist field, and axial line (Hoeven and Nes,
Ci ¼ K ð1Þ 2014).
Convex space is a space where no line between two
where k is the number of points that are directly connected points goes outside the perimeter. Axial space is a straight
to the intended point and Ci refers to the connection at the sight-line and possible path. An isovist is the field of view
i-th point (Khalesian et al., 2009). from any particular point.

3.2.2. Control
It is a parameter that specifies the degree of privilege of
one point over its immediate neighbors. In other words, a 4. Methodology
lower degree of choice of one point with regard to a specific
point means that the former has a lower amount of control Given the limitations in the direct access and observation of
over the latter (Kamalipour et al., 2012). According to Eq. the interior spaces of inhabited houses, a useful method can
(2), be used to simulate and model such spaces.4 UCL Depthmap
Xk is a specialized software package that contributes to the
Ctrl i : j¼1
¼ 1=cj ð2Þ identification and evaluation of spaces. Depthmap was crea-
ted by Alasdair Turner at University College London. It is
where k is the number of points immediately connected to
used to perform visibility analysis in architecture and urban
point i and Cj refers to the connection at the j-th point. Ctrl
planning.
i denotes the amount of control at the i-th point (Khalesian
The systems of syntactic analysis include the following:
et al., 2009).
(1) Axial line analysis: in this system, elements are linear
when the subject of study is movement (Hillier, 2004). A
3.2.3. Choice
connection graph is defined depending on how each line
It is a general measure that can be best understood as
connects to its surrounding lines. This system is usually used
“water flow in space.” In fact, space offers a high-degree of
in the analysis of structures in cities, villages, or neighbor-
choice when a large number of shortest connection paths
hood units (Jiang et al., 2000; Montello, 2007; Klarqvist,
intersect that space (Jiang et al., 2000; Klarqvist, 1993;
1993; Penn, 2011).
Lima, 2001).
(2) Convex space analysis: when dealing with social
interactions, spaces are convex (Hillier, 2004). Convex
3.2.4. Depth spaces are analyzed from two aspects: (a) spaces exhibiting
It is not a main parameter in space syntax, but it is central non-linear behavior and the (b) buildings and common
to the calculation of integration at a specific point. It is spaces among them, as well as the interior arrangement
basically illustrated as the number of steps one must take to of houses (Jiang et al., 2000; Klarqvist, 1993).
pass from one point to the other points. A point is (3) Visibility graph analysis (including single isovists and
considered deep when a large number of steps lies between isovist fields: visibility graph analysis is utilized in cases in
this point and the other points (Jiang et al., 2000; Klarqvist, which the subject of study shows complicated patterns of
1993; Lima, 2001). For example, if di,j is the shortest behavior (Hillier, 2004). Underlying this analysis are fields of
distance between points i and j in Graph G, then the view that are visible from a particular point. Therefore, this
following equation holds (Jafari-Bahman and Khaniyan, model of analysis is based on the reflection of light and
2012: 292): determines the patterns of motional behavior of people in
Pn
j ¼ 1 d i;j
the environment (Bendikt and Burnham, 1985; Gibson,
MDi ¼ ð3Þ 1979; Jiang et al., 2000; Turner and Penn, 1999; Montello,
n 1
2007; Wineman et al., 2006).
where MDi is the average depth from the i-th point, n is the
(4) Agent analysis: in agent-based analysis, virtual “peo-
total number of points, and di,j is the shortest path between
ple” (called agents) are released into the environment, and
points i and j (Khalesian et al., 2009).
they make decisions on where to move within such
environment.
3.2.5. Integration
The integration of a point indicates the degree of connec- 4
The simulation and modeling of spaces are performed using
tion or separation between one point and the general various software applications and different approaches. The output
system or the subordinate system. A space exhibits a high- can then be presented either graphically (e.g., by UCL Depth Map)
degree of integration when it is assimilated with other or through diagrams (e.g., BDSR). These two types of output differ;
spaces. This index is linearly related to connectivity; hence, that is, graphical analysis exactly specifies the cause and the
high-integration equates to high-connectivity (Kamalipour number of the factor in question and illustrates conceptual ideas
et al. 2012). Integration can be measured by relative in a qualitative form, whereas diagrammatical and numerical
asymmetry or real relative asymmetry as follows: analysis only evaluate the number of factors compared with other
spaces and do not reveal the cause (for example, spatial boundary
2ðMDi 1Þ RA
RAi ¼ and RRAi ¼ ð4Þ may not be evenly distributed in an entire space to be described by
n 2 Dn numbers and diagrams).
Privacy at home: Analysis of behavioral patterns in the spatial configuration of traditional and modern houses 345

Among the types of analysis described above, axial line 6.1. Connectivity
analysis is the most common one. However, given that our
objective is to perform an analysis on an architectural level, 6.1.1. Traditional houses
visibility graph analysis is adopted to study space syntax. In the Ghomi House (Table 1), high-connectivity is observed
The outcome of the analysis is a map of color spectrum, in in the yards and corridors, whereas minimal connectivity is
which each index is represented by a color from red (i.e., observed in the pastoos and storerooms.
the maximum value) to blue (i.e., the minimum value). In the Khalabani House, the yard shows the highest
connectivity, whereas the seyzan, storeroom, hozkhaneh,
room, and dalan show the lowest connectivity.
The outer yard in the Naraghi House shows the highest
5. Results connectivity, whereas the kitchen, toilet, bathroom, parlor,
sedari rooms, and summer rooms show the lowest conn-
The present research was conducted to examine the tradi- ectivity.
tional and modern residential buildings in the city of In the Parsiavashan House, the yard exhibits the highest
Hamedan. Hamedan is a good case because the traditional connectivity, whereas the pastoos, storeroom, and rooms
houses in the center of the city (red parts) have maintained exhibit the lowest connectivity.
their physical aspects, whereas more recently built fabric
(yellow parts) in the outer ring incorporates both traditional 6.1.2. Modern houses
and modern buildings (Figure 1). In the 30-unit Maskansazan Mehr Complex, connectivity is
The history of habitation in Hamedan goes back to highest in the living room and lowest in the bathroom and
thousands of years ago, particularly during the rule of toilet.
Deioces, the first king of Medes. Developed in 1928 as the In the 1910-unit Mehr Complex, the highest connectivity
first comprehensive urban plan in Hamedan, the structure of can be observed in the living room, corridor, and hallway. A
the city is a combination of radial and ringed structures. It is lower level of connectivity can be observed in the bath-
composed of concentric circles that are connected by six room, toilet, and kitchen. The lowest connectivity is
main radial streets, which all lead to the central square. observed in some bedrooms.
The streets divide the circles into sectors (Jafari-Bahman In the 72-unit Mehr Complex of Ma'loolin, connectivity is
and Khaniyan, 2012). highest in the division space of the bedrooms, followed by
the terrace and hallway. The bathroom, toilet, bedroom,
and kitchen show the lowest connectivity.
In the 236-unit Mehr Complex, connectivity is lowest in
6. Analysis the bathroom, toilet, and the corner of the kitchen. The
living room, hallway, and corridors exhibit the highest
On the basis of the graphical analyses obtained with the UCL connectivity.
Depthmap, we examined the traditional and modern houses
of Hamedan in terms of the indices of connectivity, integra- 6.1.3. Comparative analysis of connectivity in the
tion, and depth. A remarkable point in this comparative traditional and modern houses
analysis is the difference in the analytical spectra. As shown In the traditional houses, connectivity is maximal in the
in Tables 1 and 2, the traditional houses demonstrate a yards and corridors between andaruni5 (the inside) and
specific spectrum, whereas the modern houses do not show biruni6 (the outside) and minimal in the rooms, lavatories,
such spectrum ( Tables 3 and 4). storerooms, and pastoo.7 In the modern houses, the highest
connectivity is found in the living rooms, hallways, and
corridors, and the lowest connectivity is found in the
lavatories, bathrooms, and corners of terraces. Next to
the latter spaces, some bedrooms and kitchens show the
lowest connectivity.

6.2. Integration

6.2.1. Traditional houses

In the Ghomi House, the highest integration is observed in
the yards and corridors that connect the yards. The lowest
integration is observed in the pastoos and storeroom.

5
Andaruni: In Iranian traditional architecture, it is a part of the
house only allocated to the inhabitants and mahrams (i.e., relatives
before whom a woman is religiously allowed to uncover her hijab).
6
Biruni: an area of the house where strangers and non-mahrams
are received.
Figure 1 The situation of the two cases of our study within 7
Pastoo: a small space behind the main space of the house that is
Hamedan (Google Earth 2012). usually used as a storeroom.
346 S. Alitajer, G. Molavi Nojoumi

Table 1 Visibility graph analysis based on the indices of connectivity, integration, and depth in traditional houses
(performed by the authors).

Note: In the above plans, the red color indicates the maximum amount of connectivity, integration, and depth, and the blue color
indicates the minimum amount of these indices.
Privacy at home: Analysis of behavioral patterns in the spatial configuration of traditional and modern houses 347

Table 2 Visibility graph analysis based on the indices of connectivity, integration, and depth in modern houses (performed
by the authors).

Note: In the above plans, the red color indicates the maximum amount of connectivity, integration, and depth, and the blue color
indicates the minimum amount of these indices.

In the Khalabani House, the yard shows the highest 6.2.2. Modern houses
integration, whereas the seyzan, storeroom, hozkhaneh, In the 30-unit Maskansazan Mehr Complex, the highest level
rooms, and dalan show the lowest integration. of integration can be observed in the parlor, whereas the
In the Naraghi House, the yards and corridor between lowest integration is noted in the bathroom, toilet, bed-
them exhibit the highest integration, whereas the kitchen, rooms, and hallway.
toilet, bathroom, parlor, sedari rooms, and servants' yards In the 1910-unit Mehr Complex, the level of integration is
exhibit the lowest integration. highest in the parlor, hallway, and corridors and lowest in
The lowest level of integration in the Parsiavashan the corners of the kitchen and some bedrooms.
House belongs to the storerooms, pastoos, and rooms. The In the 72-unit Mehr Complex of Ma'loolin, the lowest level
highest amount of integration in this house is observed in of integration belongs to the parlor, the division space of
the yard. bedrooms, terrace, some kitchens, hallway, and corridors.
348 S. Alitajer, G. Molavi Nojoumi

Table 3 Agent count analysis in traditional houses (performed by the authors).

① Hallway, ② Dalan, ③ Sedari room, ④ Kitchen, ⑤ Pastoo, ⑥ Yard (biruni), ⑦ Storeroom, ⑧ Toilet, ⑨ Bathroom, ⑩ Room,
⑪ Corridor, ⑫ Yard (andaruni), ⑬ Seyzan, ⑭ Yard, ⑮ Hozkhaneh, ⑯ Summer room, ⑰ Hall, ⑱ Parlor
Note: In the above plans, the red color indicates the maximum amount of movement, and the blue color indicates the minimum
amount of movement.
Privacy at home: Analysis of behavioral patterns in the spatial configuration of traditional and modern houses 349

Table 4 Agent count analysis in traditional houses (performed by the authors).

① Hallway, ② Parlor, ③ Kitchen, ④ Bedroom, ⑤ Toilet, ⑥ Bathroom

Note: In the above plans, the red color indicates the maximum amount of movement, and the blue color indicates the minimum
amount of movement.
350 S. Alitajer, G. Molavi Nojoumi

The highest integration is observed in the bedrooms and 6.4. Agent count
bathroom.
In the 236-unit Mehr Complex, the parlor, hallway, and 6.4.1. Traditional houses
corridors show the highest level of integration, whereas the The highest agent count in the Ghomi House can be
corners of the kitchen and terrace show the lowest degree observed in the corridor between the yards, followed by
of integration. dalan, yards, sedari room, and kitchen. It is the lowest
around the yards and rooms.
6.2.3. Comparative analysis of integration in the In the Khalabani House, agent count is highest in the yard
traditional and modern houses and lowest in the storeroom, kitchen, and surrounding
In the traditional houses, the yards show a high degree of spaces.
integration. In the modern houses, such integration can be In the Naraghi House, the storerooms show the lowest
observed in the entrance halls, corridors, parlors, and some agent count, whereas the yards and corridors between yards
bedrooms. The least amount of integration in the traditional show the highest agent count.
houses is found in the pastoo and rooms. In the modern Similar to that in other traditional houses, the highest
houses, the least amount of integration is found in the agent count in the Parsiavashan House is observed in the
lavatories, bathrooms, corners of terraces, some kitchens, yard, whereas the lowest agent count can be observed
and some bedrooms. around spaces.

6.3. Depth 6.4.2. Modern houses

Living room, corridors, bedrooms, and some kitchens shows
6.3.1. Traditional houses the highest level of agent count in the Maskansazan Mehr
In contrast to the connectivity and integration in the Ghomi Complex. The lowest agent count is observed around
House, depth in this building is the lowest in the yards, the spaces.
corridors between them, and dalan, and highest in the In the 1910-unit Mehr Complex, the highest level of agent
pastoos, some parts of the kitchen, and rooms. count is observed in the living room, division space of
In the Khalabani House, only the storeroom shows the bedrooms, hallway, and corridors, whereas the lowest agent
highest depth, whereas the yard shows the lowest depth. count is observed in the corners of spaces.
In the Naraghi House, the corridors that connect the In the 72-unit Mehr Complex, the highest agent count can
yards exhibit the lowest depth, whereas the pastoos, be observed in the division space of the bedrooms, terrace,
followed by the sedari rooms, parlor, kitchen, toilet, and hallway, and corridors. No part of the building shows a low
bathroom, show the highest depth. agent count.
In the Parsiavashan House, the highest depth is observed in In the 236-unit Mehr Complex, the corridors, hallway,
the storerooms, whereas the lowest is observed in the yard. living room, and some kitchens show the highest level of
agent count, whereas the corners of spaces show the lowest
6.3.2. Modern houses agent count.
In the 30-unit Maskansazan Mehr Complex, the highest
depth is noted in the bathroom, toilet, and corners of
bedrooms, whereas the lowest depth is observed in the 6.4.3. Comparative analysis of agent count in the
living room and some kitchens. traditional and modern houses
In the 1910-unit Mehr Complex, the kitchens show the In all the analyzed traditional houses, the yards and
lowest level of depth, whereas the bedrooms, bathroom, corridors between andaruni (the inside) and biruni (the
and toilet show the highest depth. outside) are characterized by the frequent use and move-
In the 72-unit Mehr Complex of Ma'loolin, the highest ment by inhabitants. The same is true for the hallways,
depth is observed in the bathroom and bedrooms, and the corridors, living rooms, and kitchens in the modern houses.
lowest is noted in the division space of the bedrooms, Notably, the presence and movement of a virtual agent are
terrace, hallway, and corridor. not observed around the spaces in any of the houses.
In the 236-unit Mehr Complex, the highest depth is found
in the kitchen, bathroom, toilet, and corners of the terrace 7. Conclusion
and bedrooms, whereas the lowest depth can be observed in
the living room, hallway, and corridor. Any architectural structure has in its heart various spaces in
which humans spend their lives. These spaces are designed
6.3.3. Comparative analysis of the traditional and according to a number of factors, such as culture, religion,
modern houses economy, and politics, and they are transformed over the
In the traditional houses, the highest depth is observed in course of time. The importance of home as a private
the rooms, lavatories, kitchens, and pastoos, whereas the territory is beyond its use as a mere shelter and is deeply
lowest depth is found in the yards and corridors between rooted in the psychological and spiritual aspects of human-
andaruni (the inside) and biruni (the outside). In the kind. Spatial relationships, social events, and their inter-
modern houses, the highest depth can be observed in the relation are issues, which, if carefully explored, may help in
hallways, corridors, living rooms, terraces, and some bed- achieving realistic conceptions, plans, and knowledge to
rooms, whereas the lowest depth can be observed in the improve the quality of residential construction. The follow-
bathrooms, lavatories, corners of terraces, and some parts ing conclusions can be inferred from the findings of the
of the bedrooms. analyses performed in this study.
Privacy at home: Analysis of behavioral patterns in the spatial configuration of traditional and modern houses 351

(1) The entrance of a traditional house shows little traditional houses is necessary. A comprehensive examina-
connectivity and integration in comparison with that of a tion of this type of architecture to extract and redefine
modern house. This characteristic indicates that the concepts that are lacking in contemporary life will definitely
entrance of a modern house carries the same value as the contribute to meeting the essential needs of society as
corridors. This equivalence means that the privacy of well as increase the degree of confidentiality in the spa
families is gradually declining. \tial organization of contemporary architecture. We suggest
(2) In modern apartment buildings, the highest connec- that any building project should be simulated in the initial
tivity in lobbies occurs in cases in which the doors of phase to analyze the indoor behavior of inhabitants and
apartment units on the same floor directly face one another. thereby eliminate problems and improve construction
In other words, when doors are open, the inside of houses is quality.
visible from other apartments and thus affects the privacy
of families.
(3) As shown in the analyses, some bedrooms in the References
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