The Logic of Contextual Architecture A Model of Thought for Urban Architectural Development

Iran is a rapidly developing country and its architecture is struggling to keep up with the pace of modernization. The question of what is context and how it relates to modernity is an issue that has produced a variety of theoretical and practical responses, with varying degrees of rigor and success. The complexity of this issue is most evident when design intervention goes beyond a self-centered act to one that begins to define, affect and interact with its surroundings. In a developing country where construction and reconstruction occurs with greater speeds, the role of architecture in the development of meaningful urban spaces becomes increasingly important.This paper looks at Tajrish as one of the historic centers of Tehran and traces its development over the past years. The analysis is carried out using a model of thought, which is proposed as a helpful tool to understand the fabric of most urban settings. In this process, Tajrish's urban fabric is dissected into two layers: natural context (man and nature relationship) and historical context (man and manmade relationship). A study of the these different spaces, their relationship with each other and their development through time shows that in many instances appropriate significance is not given to a particular layer, resulting in chaos, confusion and unpleasant experiences. Therefore, this paper argues that successful modernization only occurs when the correct hierarchy is maintained between these layers, regardless of whether modernization occurs in a small plot of land or over a large section of the urban landscape.

کلیدواژه ها:

Architecture ، Context ، Urban Design ، Modernization ، Tradition ، Ecology