جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه "tacit knowledge" در نشریات گروه "هنر و معماری"

Architectural historiography deals with understanding and explaining architectural practices (and their results and products) as they have been realized through history. To do this, the architectural historian should acquire a historical understanding of the knowledge on which the architectural practices had been based. According to a knowledge classification model proposed by Harry Collins, the sociologist of science, the concept of ‘somatic knowledge’, is a kind of tacit knowledge. This concept can be applied to architecture and regarded as a kind of knowledge upon which the architectural practice is based. In the historiography of somatic knowledge in architecture, obtaining historical evidence is the most crucial methodological obstacle; because this knowledge is inexplicable, and its evidence is not clear. Each piece of evidence can only be seen when the historian asks questions about it based on his/her preconceptions. Thus, the prior somatic knowledge acquired through practical architectural experience is highly likely to affect the discovery and interpretation of the evidence of historical somatic knowledge. The question is, therefore, about the ways in which this prior knowledge makes its marks. In this paper, an epistemological idea of the ‘Web of Belief’ is considered for answering this question. According to this idea, the architectural historian acquires new beliefs about the past agents’ somatic knowledge through three ways: recalling personal somatic memory, replicating the past somatic experiences, re-enacting them, and making inductive hypotheses based on his/her somatic expectation. When each of these newcomer beliefs enters the architectural historian’s web of belief, they may be confirmed by his/her prior somatic beliefs, may be rejected, or may turn into non-beliefs. The new belief intervenes in the historian’s understanding of historical practices if accepted in the architectural historian’s web of belief and given it a new coherence.

The concept of ‘tacit knowledge,’ first introduced by Michael Polanyi in the mid-twentieth century, has been used in several academic fields and developed in some approaches. However, in architectural theory, it has maintained its commitment to Polanyi’s original definition as a type of mysterious knowledge on which designers work. This article aims to apply one of the developed tacit knowledge approaches to architecture and examine its potentials and limitations. This approach is of Harry Collins in the field of sociology of science, as it is represented in some of his latest written works. Knowledge is transmittable based on Collins’ model. The one that can be transmitted through physical means is called explicit knowledge, while tacit knowledge is the knowledge that cannot be explicated or is not explicated and can only be transmitted through hanging around with others who already have it. There are three types of tacit knowledge. The first type is called “the Relational Tacit Knowledge,” which includes the knowledge remaining unspoken due to some social contingencies. The second type is “the Somatic Tacit Knowledge,” inscribed in the human body and brain’s natural substance. The third type is “the Collective Tacit Knowledge,” which is stored in the society and can be transmitted through sustained living in it.Applying this model to architecture, the transmittable part of architectural knowledge divides into two parts: explicit and tacit knowledge. The architectural tacit knowledge involves the somatic and the collective types. The architectural somatic knowledge is stored in the architect’s body and brain and can be transmitted to him/ her through individual contact with the other agents who have it. However, it can also be acquired through practical experience, try and error, and so on, without having any human sender. Architectural collective knowledge is the knowledge that is mostly stored in the collective memory of three groups: the colleagues group, the architectural community, and the society. It includes these groups members’ expectations and their values about pleasant and desirable architectural practices. Nonetheless, it seems that architectural practice is based on some kinds of tacit knowledge which are neither somatic nor collective. This issue makes this question still open: Is architectural tacit knowledge only composed of somatic and collective types? If it is not, which theoretical basis can be used for discerning the other types/ aspects of architectural tacit knowledge.

Throughout the history, interventions by masons and local builders have played a major role in the creation and continuity of Iranian architecture. Masons’ understanding and knowledge of conservation and architecture have been derived from experience and practice over the years. Nonetheless, conservation researchers have paid little attention, if any, to the masons’ knowledge, which can be seen in the contemporary literature of conservation. Moreover, local knowledge or indigenous know-how is often not registered except in the masons’ mind, which greatly contributes to the problem that the knowledge of this field is gradually fading away and we seem to be moving towards losing this invaluable information. Presently, and for different reasons, the remaining generation of vernacular architects or masons in Iran is at risk of disappearing. Furthermore, paying attention to masons - as one of the architecture and conservation’s oral resources- can be a valuable reference for identifying and explaining the paradigm of conservation intervention in the past, since this tacit knowledge could be extracted and possibly applied in today’s conservation.
This research is to focus on masons’ tacit knowledge and their position in conservation interventions. The paper seeks an answer to the following questions in the context of Iranian Architecture: “What purpose did the masons’ conservation intervention serve? How and under what conditions were the decisions made?” Therefore the paper aims at explaining the paradigm of conservation intervention in the past”. With this intention at the focal point of this research, a group of experienced masons (20 Persons) in southern Khorasan, Iran, were identified, from whom data was collected through conversation as well as semi-structured interviews. Employing a combination of historical, descriptive, survey, and field study research methods, data were gathered through and then analyzed using Grounded Theory (GT) approach. This was done through coding for interviews text using MAXQDA 10 software.
Analyzing the masons’ tacit knowledge, it is concluded that a wide spectrum of intervention could be identified. Which in general can be classified into three categories: namely “conditions”, “strategies”, and “consequences”. Each of which are further described and categorized. The toned for periodic repairs and maintenance, preventive conservation and stabilization, changes to accommodate changing life styles, emergency conservation, and beliefs are example of causal conditions. Contextual conditions also are: materials and architecture changing, values, norms, and problems and limitations. Degree and level of mason’s -that provided by their practices in architecture and conservation- and education process are the intervening condition. Among other measures, conservation strategies include repair, adaptation, renovation, and reconstruction. Continuity in function as well as structural stability can be considered as the main aims of conservation intervention, which are called “consequences” in this paper.

Rural regions have a significant role in preservation of environmental values، folklores and tacit knowledge of nations. Herein، the potentials of natural environment mainly the ways by which a rural landscape can be manipulated by applying natural elements is of major consideration. Based on past and current studies، exploring this area of research can clearly delineate some of the ecological aspects of landscape، while it presents the state of equilibrium and sustainability of natural elements in specific climatic conditions of each region. From a Landscape Architecture point of view، the article aims to present part of carried out studies and researches within the cognition of identity of specifications embedded in rural landscapes with a primary focus on aspects of natural environment and therefore، it’s relevant to specific ecological circumstances. Including both national and international case studies، the research methodology rests on the studies of creditable bibliographies penned in the field of rural areas and countryside regions. More، with respect to the significance of “Ecology”، geographical conditions and social customs in the identity and formation of rural landscape، the article has its main concerns on the land manipulation and the role of natural elements in doing so. On the other hand، “neo-naturalism” approaches were taken into account whereas they have caused documentaries، fundamental studies and re-cognition of vernacular patterns in manipulation of rural landscape. Furthermore، such considerations are of more importance in Iranian plateau due to its specific climatic features and unique vernacular methods; there are plenty of outstanding exemplars of sustainable habitations in central parts of the plateau confirming such claim. Accordingly، the study attempts to answer the following questions:  What is the rural landscape and what are its features in terms of habitation and environmental values?  What is the role of natural environment and geographical space in the articulation of Rural Landscape?  What are the lessons taken from tacit knowledge and the manipulation of rural landscape? The studies confirm the important role of tacit environmental knowledge and ecological tendencies of people in benefitting from natural potentials and cultural values in order to shape habitation clusters and manipulate the landscape of any rural region. Consequently، some of the definitions and specifications regarding rural landscape، as well as scholars’ viewpoints of natural environmental capacities، habitation; the geographical space of a village، economy، lifestyle and eventually the cultural aspects of rural landscapes have been presented in this paper. Some case studies from Kharaneq، Maymand and Al-kas have been provided as in order to support the theories and discussions.