Architectural and Environmental  Research

Architectural and Environmental Research

Spatial Pattern Analysis of Pahlavi II–Period Residential Houses in Ahvaz’s Amaniyeh Neighborhood

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Master’s Degree, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
3 Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Shahid Chamran University of .Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
Abstract
The houses of the Pahlavi II period in the Amaniyeh neighborhood of Ahvaz are organized based on the structural interaction of three spatial layers—open, covered, and enclosed spaces. This configuration departs from the traditional central‑courtyard pattern and is instead grounded in a linear–entrance organization with an intermediate covered layer. Analysis of 38 existing houses shows that the courtyard determines the building’s orientation and entrance axis, covered spaces such as service yards-back yards-, terraces, and balconies function as transitional mediators between outside and inside, and enclosed spaces—including bedrooms, living rooms, reception areas, and kitchens—form the residential core of the house. The typology of interior subspaces further indicates that these spaces are arranged according to recurring patterns shaped by functional differentiation between everyday and formal domains, maintaining a direct relationship with the three‑layer spatial structure. The aim of the study is to identify and explain the spatial organization patterns of these houses and clarify how the interaction among open, covered, and enclosed layers relates to the configuration of interior subspaces. This objective is achieved by defining patterns as generative mental structures of spatial relations and by integrating three‑layer spatial analysis with subspace typology. Despite limitations such as reliance on existing samples and restricted access to some buildings, coherent spatial patterns were extracted, enabling a more precise understanding of residential structure in this period. The findings show that the identified patterns can be applied in comparative studies across different neighborhoods of Ahvaz or other cities of the Pahlavi II era and may serve as a basis for future analyses concerning repetition, climatic variation, and socio‑economic influences on the spatial organization of housing in this period.
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