A Landscape Design Process Based on Alexandrian Theory (An Iranian Academic Study)

The author in this research has tried to link the Alexander pattern language theory, which is based on human oriented and spatial factors, to landscape design, which could come to a cyclic model of “A Pattern Language for Landscape Design” in Iranian schools of architecture. So, a landscape design process based on the value of Human-Oriented approach, which is extracted from other values, and the theoretical crisis in this area is discussed in this paper. The author has called this the “Socio-Cultural” approach. Many researchers such as Alexander (1977), Hillier & Hanson (1984), Norberg- Schulz (1984), Rapoport (1998) and Fathy (2000) have debated on the position and the value of human (Socio-Cultural approach) during design activity and thinking. The purpose of this research is to achieve an academic design process for “Landscape Design” in Iran, based on Pattern Language theory. In fact, achieving such a design model seemed impossible, if no relationship was found between the mentioned theory and Landscape Design. In the end, using a comparative study, some models were achieved. The research method is a survey implemented to collect data from 129 master students of landscape architecture, studying at various schools of architecture in Tehran. The sampling method was based on the stratified random sampling. A 49-itemed questionnaire was used to collect data, where the reliability of all subscales was more than 0.80, estimated from Cronbach alpha test. Hierarchical Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to analyze data by the LISREL 8.72 software. Results of the analysis statistically confirmed the model of “A Pattern Language for Landscape Design”.