Spatial perception in historic urban squares extends beyond merely physical or functional analyses, emerging instead from a complex interplay between lived experience, collective memory, and multisensory engagement. These spaces, particularly within historic contexts, serve as platforms where bodily, mental, and emotional dimensions of human presence converge. Tehran’s 15 Khordad (Arg) Square, as one of the city’s historical squares, exemplifies such a setting through its Iranian garden-inspired structure, proximity to governmental institutions, the bazaar, and Golestan Palace. The presence of natural elements such as water, vegetation, ambient sounds, and diverse textures, combined with coherent spatial geometry, facilitates a multi-layered spatial experience. In this context, exploring the perceptual qualities of the square offers not only insights into the human–space relationship but also proposes a framework for the regeneration of historic public spaces—one rooted in sensory perception, memory, and landscape qualities.

This study investigates the sensory-spatial experience of users in 15 Khordad Square and responds to the question: How do natural, geometric, and perceptual elements in Arg Square shape users’ spatial experience? Employing a qualitative methodology based on a phenomenological approach, data were collected through field observations, semi-structured interviews, and sensory evaluations in the domains of smell, hearing, and touch. These were then analyzed using open coding.

Findings indicate that despite certain shortcomings, 15 Khordad Square, through a design inspired by the Persian garden, succeeds in creating a multisensory spatial experience. The natural sound of water, the scent of plants and soil moisture, tactile interactions with water, and tree-shaded areas contribute to an environment perceived as calm, familiar, and memory-laden. Sensory-spatial assessments reveal that areas around the pools, water channels, and green spaces receive the highest user engagement, offering tangible, embodied, and emotional experiences. Despite issues such as weak visual connections, limited color diversity, and inactive facades, the square retains qualities that can inform the revitalization of other historic urban spaces. Conscious application of its perceptual and sensory characteristics provides a pathway for designing spaces that simultaneously address functional, aesthetic, and experiential needs.