Contemplation on Meaning Process of Historical Complex of Qazvin Saad-al-saltaneh and its Present Identity Reading from the View of Phenomenology

A semantic look at an architectural space and analyzing its various layers of abstraction and objectivity are among significant areas in architectural studies. Regarding the current intellectual and philosophical methods for the in-depth analysis of the architectural space meaningfulness, a phenomenological approach to location includes a wide range of phenomena. Such an approach has a significant role in the accurate legibility of a place by considering the concepts of location, the centrality of human role, and human experiences. Therefore, a phenomenological method was used in this study to determine the relationship between the reflection of meanings of a historical environment and its identity for the legibility of the Historical Complex of Qazvin Saad-al-Saltaneh. This historical Complex was used as a caravansary in the Safavid Dynasty. Since it was renovated in recent years, it has been considered a dynamic site of architecture in a new form. The study aimed to determine how much different meaning aspects of Saad-al-Saltaneh affected the current importance and specific identity of the case study in comparison with other historical sites in an urban environment.
Accordingly, it is assumed that what brings about the dynamism and livingness of the current identity of Saad-al-Saltaneh is the affinity with social contexts resulting in cultural implications with subjective and perceptual interpretations of the site in addition to the creation of a rich sensory experience. Moreover, the valuable physical status of this historical complex is important in the phenomenological legibility of its identity, the specific aspects of which can be sought in subjective and conceptual implications.
According to the proposed hypothesis, this study aimed to analyze the roles of conceptual, subjective, social, cultural, and historical contexts of the site in relation with personal and perceptual experiences of the physical values of the Historical Complex of Saad-al-Saltaneh. The contexts were to be analyzed in phenomenological aspects to determine the causes of its sustainable identity in the present time.
Therefore, the necessity of meaning interpretation plays a major role as a research principle along with physical and social analyses. Accordingly, this is a qualitative study with a first-person and existential phenomenological approach to spatial foundations. The qualitative research methodology was selected by using a descriptive-analytical technique and employing open, axial, and selective coding methods.
The phenomenological legibility of the specific identity of Saad-al-Saltaneh indicated the important interactive relationship and amalgamation of this historical site with subjective-behavioral, cultural, and social implications of citizens. In fact, general features of historical sites such as visual attractions and architectural values affected the specific identity and public memorability of the case study in relation to meaningful attributes as well as the experiences and perceptions of the audience.