Analysis of the Structural and Formal Systems

Nature is the source and a symbol of existence. It is a sacred being in which all the organs are in order and balance. In gardens, our relation with the nature is in extreme. Meanwhile, Iranian landscape architecture and the gardens particularly crystallize the mystical balance of the world. This landscape design is in fact an old primary pattern to provide the human being with his complicated wills. It reflects the hidden aspects of an unvisual splendor which ends in peaces and complacency. The scope of this article is to analyze the structural and formal systems in Iranian landscape architecture in order to achieve a better understanding of the relationships between the ethical concepts and the formation of the Persian green space design. Herein, the ethical believes of the main two religions of Iran (Zoroaster and Islam) are of a greater importance. Considering these relations between the ethics and architectural design could indeed increase the quality of sensible green spaces in the context of Islamic cities. The research method of this article is analytical and descriptive. The contents rely heavily on three bases: 1) the information provided by observational methods during several inspections of the old Persian gardens before and after Islam (as a part of the authors` field work) 2) The consultancy of leading experts on landscape design and Iranian ethical architecture specialists from the University of Tarbiat Modares in Tehran. 3) Historical documents and travel accounts concerning the traditional design techniques and the architectural heritage of the Iranian region. The results show that the affection from different ethical concepts could increase the quality of design conformed to the country`s religious thoughts. And this could indeed provide a better condition for the survival of our landscape design.