samira adeli

This research, concerning the effective presence of the concept of affordance in contemporary architectural discourse, addresses the overemphasis placed on practical aspects of the concept of affordance and the ignorance of theoretical thinking about this concept and the inevitable conceptual evolutions which emerge. Consequently, the concept of constraint is going to be introduced and clarified while providing a theoretical basis in reference to a more developed understanding of the concept of affordance in architecture. The research concentrates on explaining a clear ontology and introducing a conceptual structure for the concept of constraint, which leads to a comprehensive typology of architectural constraints. This research is conducted through a qualitative approach and relies on the most recent scientific theories to develop a compatible concept of affordance in architecture. Furthermore, based on logical thinking and analytical methods the concept of constraint is going to be developed. At the first step the concept of affordance is developed based on the Heideggerian point of view. Consequently, a theoretical basis is established to introduce and clarify the concept of constraint through developing the concept of niche into architectural interaction field. (A.I.F). Then a three-dimensional conceptual structure based on the origin, function and domain of the architectural constraints is organized. The results of this research provide the basic theoretical knowledge required to have a deeper understanding of the two fundamental concepts of contemporary architectural discourse: affordance and constraint. The study confirms the undeniable essential role of constraint in the perception and creation of architecture. Constraints are the value of the architectural characters, being put by the members of A.I. F. Constraints guarantee the affordances architectural work is going to afford. Consequently, they guarantee the meaning and the truth of architecture. Thinking on constraint brings about the potential to prove a new perspective in theoretical aspects of architectural knowledge and consequently affects the practice of architecture.

Widely interpreted through different architectural discourses, form has emerged as a dynamic and slippery concept. Aiming at a rethinking of the concept in contemporary architectural discourse, the present paper explains theoretical bases and conceptual framework of considering form as an affordance. In order to do so, the paper starts with exploring some transforming influences on the contemporary concept of form, and moves on to introduce affordance as an interpretation of form corresponding the above influences. It then expands on the concept of affordance in order to explain some conceptual evolutions of its presence in the architectural discourse.
The paper ascertains a key role for the concept of meaning in rethinking form, and that with the introduction of affordance in architecture’s conceptual constellation comes a clarification of the meaning, providing responses to two key problems of meaning, namely, interactions between the subject and the object, and having a holistic view. This will result in a new understanding of the physical and the functional, aspect of architecture making way to go beyond their perceived schism. It is owing to drawing up new concepts of affordance, and the arousal of new concerns and considerations in architectural thought. Attempts are made here, therefore, to introduce concepts of action field, affordance layers, affordance domain, affordance quality, and affordance polarity, each reflecting the recent developments in architectural thought encountering the concept of affordance.

Form is a fundamental concept in the discourse of architecture that has been affected by the evolutions of architectural thinking. The non-systematic accumulation of form concepts results in ambiguity in contemporary discourse. On the other side, disregarding the dynamic nature of form, and poor identification of the factors influencing its evolution, and its application domains have made form a frozen concept and have reduced its effectiveness in responding to today’s architectural issues.

this paper concentrates on clarifying and organizing the diverse concepts of the form. Besides a theoretical framework is provided to guarantee the conceptual dynamism of the form.

Present research is conducted based on Foucault’s genealogy approach. First, the original conditions of the first appearance of form in philosophical thinking are examined, then based on the results obtained, is referred to revolutionary theories of architecture. The fundamental evolutions of the concept of the form will be analyzed, and finally, a critique of today’s form status is provided.

According to the findings, the evolution of the concept of form is originated from the evolutions of philosophical knowledge of architecture from at least three perspectives: ontology, aesthetics, and epistemology. Among these factors, epistemological approaches have made the most substantial contribution to the evolutions of form, from pre-modern to the contemporary era. The evolution of philosophical knowledge of architecture has led to the formation of six conceptual limits of form, including appearance, idea, type, structure, meaning, and affordance. Each of these concepts has limited the architecture to specific aspects; however, introducing the concept of “form field” helps to gain a comprehensive understanding of architecture while providing a framework for organizing the form concepts. It also ensures the dynamics of this concept in line with the evolutions of philosophical knowledge of architecture.

In the contemporary era, modern approaches to architecture, taking account their growing shortcomings in providing appropriate environment for human inhabitation and interaction with nature, lead to crisis in human life e.g. water, soil and air pollution. Therefore, new theories with various approaches are proposed primarily to improve, firstly, the relationship between man and nature and secondly to revive the presence of nature in the architecture. One of these leading theories is the concept of sustainability and sustainable architecture which attempts to decrease destructive issues of modern architecture and make a friendly relationship between architecture and nature aiming for contemporary and future generations to benefit from the natural environment properly. Even though sustainability has been successful to some extent in improving and enhancing of architecture approach to nature in some scopes, it seems that in the relation between human-made environment and human and nature, fundamental concepts and principles are ignored. Instead, much attention is attracted to limited aspects and consequently superficial concepts are addressed deeply to the extent that sometimes the status of nature is reduced to an ecosystem and a mere material phenomenon. Explaining dimensions and aspects of natural manifestation in traditional architecture, this research aimed to find a way out of problems caused by sustainability approach, to deal with its challenges and shortcomings, and finally to promote this concept. In order to achieve this aim, the appropriate relation between nature and architecture based on true understanding of nature is argued. Firstly, sustainable academic texts as well as Iranian historic ones, through Content Analysis method was studied while environmental sustainable architecture is criticized; secondly, based on Logical Argument method, the missing point of sustainable architecture approach is revealed; thirdly, Iranian traditional architecture was surveyed through the Grounded Theory method, focusing on the relationship between this architecture and nature. The study of traditional Architecture in Iran reveals clearly the consideration of three basic dimensions of nature: first, the physical dimension including natural elements, e.g. water, soil, trees, second, the intrinsic dimension (the essence of nature) including the qualitative properties of natural phenomena, on the one hand, and rules and principles of nature on the other hand, and finally, the symbolic dimension of the nature which represents a part of the beliefs of traditional mankind, employing some patterns and figures abstracted from the nature. Consequently, a new approach is employed considering not only nature, but also the essence and the symbolic dimension of nature. In this regard, architecture establishes a constructive dialogue with nature based on its triple dimensions. It seems interaction and relation between architecture and nature will improve. The manifestation of nature in architecture, based on its three aspects is illustrated with some cases from Iranian traditional architecture. This architecture as history testifies, through harmonic and evolutionary approaches, makes a true relationship with nature which not only derives benefits from nature, but also conserves and enhances it.

Balancing development with conservation is a matter of long-running debate within the domain of urban literature، Since the beginning of the modern movement, different theories have been developed on urban conservation and development، Concomitantly, a broad spectrum of approaches have emerged to relief this challenge، One underlying trend is based on the conflict between conservation and development، From this perspective, within the context of a city a dichotomy exists between the conservation of the old parts and the need for development، Two controversial points of view get involved in this school of thought، From the first point of view, development is the necessity, while conservation is considered as a great and insurmountable barrier to urban development; from the other viewpoint the primary concern is conservation, addressing the worrying trend of urban development toward removing the cultural and traditional values from our living environment، However more recently a new and balanced approach is adopted, emphasizing on the integration of urban conservation and development as a prerequisite for the survival of a city, yet it has not represented practical solutions to the issue. City as a living environment is subjected to development, thus effective and workable solutions to meet the challenge between development and conservation can be provided by considering a well-tested model of development in terms of the interaction between conservation measures and development strategies، A well- experimented and effective development model, concerning conservation, is going to be analyzed, as a case study, with reference to the historic city of Yazd with its long-term survival from 11 to 19 century، An interpretive-historical method has been adopted، Data were collected by field observation and literature review, then discussed thorough logical argument، From this scrutinizing study, the conservation characteristics of Yazd development model have emerged. Six main steps could be recognized in Yazd physical development model, from 11 to 19 century, occurring in the inner and outer parts of the city، The model involves four intervention categories: 1- Preservation and restoration of the old buildings, 2- Rehabilitation of the old fabric, 3- Construction of new buildings in the inner part, and 4، New attachments to the city in the outer part، The first 3 steps are in direct relationship with the concept of conservation as an operation to prolong the life of the city، In fact, These interventions turn the challenges to interaction opportunities. Based on the adopted developmental measures, the main and distinguishing characteristics of Yazd development model have been revealed as follows: 1- Enhancing the active role of the old part, 2- Providing an essential change opportunity, 3- Decreasing the extra loads on the old part, 4- Centrality of the old part in the city development, and 5- Creating a relationship between the old and new part، Yazd development model can be considered as a conservation-oriented development، In this development model, conservation is adopted as the main and effective development strategy, which not only contributes largely to upgrading environmental quality and physical improvement but also serves as a fundamental catalyst for change،

During recent decades، tourist industry remarkably achieves an explosive growth all over the world; nevertheless، each destination can only sustain a specific level of acceptance of tourism development beyond which further development can result in socio-cultural deterioration or a decline in a quality of the visitors'' experience. The social carrying capacity of a destination is the ability to absorb tourism development before negative impacts are felt by the local residents and the host community ceases to satisfy and attract tourists; consequently، the concept of social carrying capacity is strongly associated with residents'' attitude toward tourism. Drawing from current literature، residents'' attitude toward tourism development and its following impacts are proposed، being preceded by detecting tourism impacts classified under three different groups including socio-cultural، economic and environmental consequences. Furthermore، focusing on how tourism is perceived by residents، the present study is going to analytically discuss the factors influencing on residents` attitude toward tourism and its consequences. Accordingly social exchange theory is adopted as a theoretical framework for developing an understanding of residents'' attitude toward tourism، and the Maslow''s hierarchy of needs is going to be tested to demonstrate whether it can support residents'' attitude toward tourist impacts in this specific situation or not. The study was conducted in March 2010، the peak tourist season، at Fahadan district، a heritage urban fabric located in historic city of Yazd. Two hundred thirty-six respondents in Fahadan arranged in three different groups including residents، shopkeepers and public sector providers complete the survey. The research shows that respondents support the current magnitude of Tourism and favor its expansion. The result is strictly generalized to all three different groups of research sample population. The findings of this research reveal that residents'' perception of benefits from tourism is closely associated with their attitudes toward tourism in a positive direction which confirms the usefulness of social exchange theory in explaining residents'' perception toward tourism development; however، no specific and clear proportion is found between the resident- evaluated impacts and those derived from Maslow''s theory، mainly because some of the socio-cultural aspects of their residential environment beside the sense of identity are of more importance than some difficulties that may hinder residents'' routine life. This true fact indicates that Maslow''s hierarchy of needs is not the proper theoretical framework to explain the whys and the wherefores of residents'' evaluation of tourist impacts in this specific situation. Tourist environmental benefits are the most significant factors influencing Fahadan residents'' support of tourism development. Furthermore، the results show that there is a direct relationship between the attitudes of the host community and the benefits they gain through tourism، their attitude toward the future of destination influenced by tourism، dependence of destination to tourism impacts، and finally the level of community concern about cultural issues and identity crisis. The study also emphasizes that the host community is mainly concerned about man-made environmental values and the authorities'' primary focus on the touristic aspect of their environment instead of the residential aspects of the place they live in.

Trying to propose a harmonious interaction between human and Nature, new ontological theories have been developed in the course of recent decades, resulting in different approaches to nature in architecture. The multiplicity and variety of these theoretical and practical frameworks is a definite confirmation of the unclear understanding of Nature and its interaction with architecture.This paper addresses the question what is the true interaction between Nature and the built environment? Clarifying such a relationship between Nature and architecture, different aspects of Nature’s manifestation in the built environment and architectural approaches to Nature will be explored both in theoretical and practical points of view. Investigating Islamic doctrine via deductive argument, it is going to be proven that the quality of architecture depends on the quality of its relation to Nature at different levels and aspects. Accordingly, different types of Nature manifestation and architectural approaches to Nature will be presented. Achieving this aim, the approaches of Iranian traditional architecture will be studied by concentration on four houses in Kashan, Naeen and Yazd and using the ground-based method of research. As a result, this paper is going to emphasize the all-embracing presence of different aspects of Nature through two fundamental architectural notions, i.e. perfection and harmony.

Effect of spraying zinc sulphate (ZnSo4) on yield and yield components of three soybean varieties wasstudied. A factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with four replications was carried out at the Islamic Azad University Research Farm, Khorramabad region, in 2009. Factors were three varieties of soybean named, m7, m9, L17 and zinc sulphate solution spray at three levels of 0, 0.002 and 0.004 kg/l that applied at flowering and pod stages. Characteristics like seed yield, biological yield, oil percentage, oil yield, number of nodes per stem, average length of mid-node and harvest index were measured. The results showed that genotypes had a significant effect (p≤0.01) on seed yield, oil yield and biological yield (p≤0.05). Comparison of means (using Duncan's multiple range test) indicated that the highest seed yield (2130.9 kg /ha) and biological yield (2452.3 kg/ha) were obtained for the variety L17. The effect of different levels of ZnSo4 spraying and their interaction with variety showed significant differences (p≤0.05) on oil percentage and its value was reduced. The main effect of zinc sulphate spraying, variety and their interactions were not significant for the traits like stem diameter, number of nodes per stem, average length of mid-node and harvest index. Indeed, application of zinc sulphate solution on seed yield was not statistically significant.