Journal of Researches in Islamic Architecture

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Developing knowledge and novelty are the main objectives of educational system. A lot of factors are needed to satisfy the above mentioned requirements. Factors such as quality enhancement of educational space.It should be noted that educationis notonlyinfluenced by the teacher's teaching, butalso touched byeducational spaces. Relating factors, includingeducational environment,play an important roleintransmitting the information to a person. It will leavebehind the significant effectsonthe learning.Therefore, anyproject aboutthe process of student’s learning will be incompleteand inefficient regardless of theeducational spacein which itislocated.Architectural environment superioritycan play an educational performance in training environment, with respect to intuitive, intellectual, and perceptual recognition effects. Investigations don on the effects of educational systems, dealing with open spaces, confirm the possibility of group work rehearsal, increase of students’ collaboration, space flexibility and higher development. They can increase the enthusiasm of students for learning. As a result, a direct relationshipbetweenthe open educational space and the learningof the studentscan be discovered. Expression of Problem: ContemporaryIranian civil societyneedsto expand the education as a whole, andpublic education in specific. Ignoring all of the effective factors will leads tothe construction ofseveralschools withouta constructive and positiveroleinthe development oftheeducationprocess. Despitemanychanges anddevelopmentsin the content ofeducation, the spatial pattern ofschoolshave been experienced nopositive changesand development inthe lasthundred years. The dominantpatterninthe currentschooldesign,regardless of theeducationalcapabilities ofopen space, is related to an emphasis onentertainment andfunaspect, such as arelativelysmallspaces. This pattern is similar to Residentiallandscapingin which ground is covered byasphalt. There are limitednumber ofelements and leisure equipmentfor kids’ play andphysicalactivities. Therefore, the problem of this study is investigating the degree of integration educational system with open space properties in the history. The objective: Determining the diversity of Iranian school’s open spaces and their role in regards to the transition of educational system at different time periods. Question of this study: What is the influence of different educational systems in shaping the characteristics of an space and the educational role of the Iranian school’s open space? What is the influence of the emergence ofneweducation systemin the educational role of Iranian school’s open space incontemporaryschools? Research Methodology of this study is the Combinational Method that isIncluded Descriptive-Analytical Methods and Logical reasoning, considered as a procedure of open, semi-open space evolutions and their educational role with respect to educational revolutions. General procedure of the study is about the origin of the revolution in physical space of schools. It is referred to transformations of the educational system and the function of school yard in teaching and learning.Methodology would be evaluated by applying the environmental psychology, Observation, Study, Simulation with space syntax Software and Comparative method in educational point of view. In this article,the education role of the open spacein schools is investigated by three levels of large, middle and small scale. In the large-scale, Relationship between building and city is discussed. In the middle-scale, circulation and role of the semi-open space in flexibility of educational environment is studied. In the small-scale, Active participation and teamwork is investigated. The topics thatwill bediscussedat everyscale, are selected with help of the analysisandstudyofissuesof environmental psychologyand theories ofurban planning, which issummarizedinthetheoreticalbeginning of eachsubject. Case studies: For this purpose, three school yards are selected for further investigations. Which are Chaharbagh as a conventional school, Darlolfonoun as a first educational structure in modern style, and Alborz as the transformed index of new schools in Iran. Conclusion: According to the result ofanalysisby space syntaxsoftware, it is indicated thatopenand semi-open design in traditionalschool have more degree of “integration” and “connectivity”. One of themost influentialform of “connectivity” is thatitcan create a high level ofaccess. Educational space in the traditional school is more flexible than classroom in contemporary school. As a result,due to thecommunication andinteractionwith theeducation system,studies elaborate the pattern of the traditional school in Iran which is formed regarding to the active rule of the education in open and semi-open environment. It acts as an educational tool during the training and it creates a center for social interaction. Inthese schools, bondingand interaction betweenopenandclosed spaces are so strongthat iftwo spacesare separatedfrom each other, their structuralconcepts andmeanings willget lost and cannot be identified. The pattern of school design at the contemporary time includes the uniform row of classrooms in the plan, typical and uniform of windows in view, typical and uniform seat arrangement of the classroom that are based on the invariable teaching methodology. Therefore, only the closed and inflexible environment of the classroom would be suitable for education based on the passive behavior of students. Moreover, if we consider having no semi-open space, open space ofthe school will become only the place to regulate the time of entrance and exit, entertainment and an escape from the pressures of teaching in the classroom and because ofits incongruity of dynamics and mobility properties, it cannot play the required educational role.

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Mosque is one of the most important Muslims' buildings and one of the best expressions of Islamic community (Ummah). In spite of considerable architectural history of the mosque in Islam and Iran, it seems that there are significant questions about the ideal mosque in Islam. For example "open space" (or courtyard), regarding its undeniable importance according to Islamic tradition (Sirrah & Sunnah) and architectural history of the mosque, has being weakened. The open space in mosque which not only improves the quality of architecture but also worshiping within has a special significance. Neglecting this importance has led to gradually reducing or even eliminating the open space in the mosques. In this regard, a combined style was choose to examine the originality of open space, using historical interpretation and content analysis methods about the main references of Islam (the Quran, Hadith and life of Prophet (PBUH)). Therefore, the original mosques of centers of Islamic territory from the beginning of Islam to the sixteenth century and also mosques without open space were reviewed. Then Masjid an-Nabawi considering the approach of the Prophet (PBUH) about its architecture and Masjid al-haram were added to the analysis.

Despite of common categorizing of mosques based on closed spaces, the masjid An-Nabawi which had been built by supervising of the last Prophet (PBUH) hadn’t any closed space. Considering the hard climatic requirements, available roof construction technics and user requests (based on historical texts), prophet's decision to not making a hard roof is a major reason of priority of open space in mosque. Masjid al-haram as an ancient religious Islamic site and one of the most symbolic aspects of Islam has always been in open space and even hadn’t had roof itself during thousands years.

 There are also many prayers and Islamic rites which should be - or is better to - done under sky, especially not personal ones like Hajj, Fitr Salah, Qorban Salah. This could be remarked as a presentation of public aspect of worship in Islam in contrary of the isolation in some other religions (e.g. Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism). It is more impressive by attention to mosque's major function: daily congregational prayer (Salaat Al-Jamaah). Also there is some Islamic advises about not making roofed mosque. The important point about these sentences is removing any obligation about building mosques with or without roof which could cause many difficulties. But it doesn’t mean there is a neutral viewpoint. Advises is showing the priority of open space to closed spaces.

Regarding the pattern of masjid An-Nabawi, open space is always noticeable part of architectural history of mosque, especially in major mosques of main centers of Islamic territory during more than fourteen hundreds years. It could be more significant by attention to their various climatic, cultural, architectural, historical, technical differences in a vast geography and long time period. It could be led us to re-categorize mosques not only based on closed space but also caring open space changes. There are also many evidences showing mosque yards as a place for saying prayer and worship.

The most opposite point of the importance of open space in mosques are some mosques without open space. These mosques which are totally closed space might be referenced as contravention to open space based mosques. In analyzing these samples two points must be considered: first is the flexibility of Islamic sentences especially in form design and Islamic accommodation with local properties. Second is capacity of these mosques to be referenced via masjid An-Nabawi. However by studding about these samples we could categorizing them in three: first are very little mosques which usually are consist of one or two rooms and direct access from outdoor in which preparing open space isn’t possible. These are neighborhood chapels that could be developing into mosques in future. Second are large mosques that are transformed from churches or other religion's temples e.g. Hagia Sophia & Al-Aghsa. These types usually conserve their structural and architectural specifications but there are examples which open space had been attached to them e.g. Yazd-Khast and Jame-Neireez. Third are special ones which had been built for specific purposes or particular condition such as Sheikh-Lotf-Allah mosque. These ones couldn’t be referenced as major movement in mosque design.

By analyzing these evidences, it is obvious that open space shouldn’t be neglected or reduced to a division junction and light-supplying space. It is a heritage and beyond; one of the major parts of mosque. Imagining the closed space as main space of worships in mosque can cause many problems such as costly construction, time-consuming build programs, circulation and space access difficulties, ventilation and light-gaining challenges and isolation effects on users.

As result, the collected evidences show not only open space in the mosque is a section or basic part of mosque, but also open space has originality in the mosque design and the worship within is a forgotten aspect of this fundamental part.

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Gender has a key role in Islamic thought and considers it as an aspect should be trained. Now a days in light of psychological and social studies, there are more information about gender differences. These differences influence education and training via “gender identity” and “sex-typing”. So it’s essential to consider gender differences in out door open spaces design. The goal of this study concentrated on the effect of gender differences in Islamic thought on outdoor open space design. Reviewing mental differences and growing and structural aspects between boys and girls, we have built a frame for open interview which concluded to Delphi process. The study is a qualitative and operational and conducted a Delphi process between 7 psychologists and 15 architecture experts. The result is an applicable list of architectural considerations for outdoor planning. Using hot and bright colors, suitable areas for congregation, simple geometry, curved corners and miniature elements can be suggested for girls. Mild colors, encounter space, sophisticated geometry, expert and job acquaintance dedicated space, different levels, ballgame space are suitable for girls.

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