A Comparative Study of the Altar Design Content of the Jame Mosque and the Vank Church of Isfahan

This study aims to examine the design of the altars of the Jame mosque and the Vank church of Isfahan and explicate the similarities and differences of the two structures. The present comparative study shows that the aesthetic expression and visual art are different in the Islamic and Christian art. This means that the Islamic art lays more emphasis on isolated elements rather than tangible elements and the reality. This arises from the beliefs and Islamic teachings based on reluctance to iconography. In contrast, the creation of art is objective in the Christian art. On the other hand, both religions, despite their differences, have mysterious formal expressions in their manifestation. In this study, in addition to document collection for the written source, field survey, personal observation and photography of the mentioned altars have been conducted. The study results and comparison of the altars showed that religious beliefs have a significant role in the altar of the Jame mosque and Vank church of Isfahan. The Islamic art in comparison to Christian art has led to abstraction and avoidance from any portraits and iconography, while in Christianity, imaging and visual art are organized based on incarnation of God. Thus, expression and excellence in the Islamic art is the replacement of embodiment and reincarnation in its Christian counterpart

Explaining the Concept of Flexibility in Urban Spaces

Nowadays, comprehending urban spaces and the appropriate design of space is a way toward meeting the diversified needs of each citizen. Among this, attention to the flexibility principle as a dynamic of qualified urban space creation can facilitate spaces to provide multiple opportunities for the general public. Accordingly, this study attempts to address the concept of flexibility and realization of it in urban spacing. In order to achieve flexibility in urban space, a new pattern is presented. It is notable that achieving the space at first needs prerequisites including permeability, adaptability, legibility followed by body requisites such as positive outdoor spaces, spaces with multimodal behavioural patterns, multiuse buildings, active frontages and fine amenities. These include constructive elements like activity, place and people. Through preparing such elements, flexibility can emerge in urban spaces into three classes; versatility, convertibility and expansibility at micro and macro scales

Regeneration of Distressed Areas of the Central District of Ahvaz City via the Sustainable Development Approach

Central city districts and their old roots in history have high potentials in terms of their geographical centrality, easy accessibility, as well as historical and cultural characteristics. Despite their positive characteristics, those districts suffer from physical problems (e.g., urban distressed fabrics), environmental issues, poor infrastructures, etc. Ahvaz is one of those cities with these characteristics whose urban fabric is distressed and needs strategic plans and executions. The aim is to direct the central district of Ahvaz towards sustainability with strategies and plans based on the sustainable development approach and using systematic vision models. Thus, the issue of regeneration of distressed areas is very significant in this regard.The research used the random sampling method to select the participants. The research analysis was conducted using Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat, Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix, Oregon Model and Quality Function Deployment (QFD) model approaches. The study is an applied, descriptive-correlational research. The data were collected via the library research and field study techniques. After analyzing and investigating the data comprehensively, the research offered executive strategies for the success of sustainable development of the study area. The most important strategies obtained from the analysis are constructing green spaces such as green belts in the riverbank of the Karun River, improving the state of paths leading to historical monuments to the tourists’ access, and beautifying walls of buildings near the riverbank

Evaluating and Analyzing Child Friendly City for Enhancing Creativity in Children (Case Study: Yazd City)

Nowadays, with increasing development, cities lack favorable urban spaces. The space consistency with residents’ needs has attracted experts’ attention. Urban spaces have a unique role in realizing social and personal needs of children. These spaces cover a large part of everyday life of the residents, particularly children. According to humanity engineering, enhancing quality of these spaces can be effective in health and development of physical abilities, reinforcement of social interactions, and growing creativity in children. The method employed is descriptive-analytical and the data collection is based on library, documentary, and field studies. The study, extracts the data by a participatory method such as questionnaires and interviews with 384 children in Yazd city, regarding urban spaces and their activities. To investigate the correlation, SPSS software and Spearman correlation model were used. To prioritize criteria effective in creating a child-friendly city and enhance creativity, the AHP model was employed. In this study, different dimensions are available to discuss the child friendly city and creativity, five criteria affecting child friendly city, i.e. location of playing, social interactions, accessibility, participation, security and safety. The three criteria affecting creativity includes sensual, physical, and behavioral creativity identified based on previous studies and using surveys of the experts. After evaluating and administering appropriate tests, it was concluded that, among the criteria of child friendly city, the criteria of security and safety has the highest significance and lowest significance for location of playing. The sensual dimension of the criteria of creativity has the highest and physical dimension has the lowest significance