Redefinition of Dimensions and Qualities of the Garden Alley as a Pattern in Iranian Villages and Cities

The gardenalley is popular, poetic, and full of natural and literary feelings that has a prominent place in poetry and literature. Alleyways in traditional architecture and urban gardens are also considered authentic patterns, beautiful, artistic, poetic, and relaxing spaces. The pattern in the present era has been replaced by non-western and western-style urban architecture and decay. In traditional Iranian cities, most residential contexts had gardens that transformed residential textures into neighborhood gardens or a combination of buildings and green areas.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the gardenalley as a model of urban design in Iranian cities. In this regard, the most important question of this article is: What is the position of gardenalleys in the design of local and urban contexts in Iran? The research method used in this research is historical-analytical with a logical reasoning approach based on documentary study methods. Library and case studies have also been carried out.

Evaluation criteria can be considered in the mentioned design with slight changes. These changes are limited to adding a literary component and separating function into two components: land use and activity, and access and movement. Therefore, the dimensions of the present research are historical, literary, spatial-physical, semantic, environmental, objective, mental, access, movement, use, activity, cultural, social, and spiritual-psychological perspectives. The resulting conceptual framework can be used to evaluate case studies from the perspective of users and clients. According to the results of the analysis of questionnaires and research surveys, the Sardrood Garden Alley had a high average score in terms of environmental quality. The average score of the respondents on the human and environmental qualities of the garden alleys was between 90% and 100%. This evaluation indicated the high human and environmental qualities in the garden alley pattern and showed the satisfaction of users in various human and environmental dimensions.

The results of the present study indicated that garden alleys in the traditional Iranian architecture and urban design have been integral parts of the urban texture which are still considered as a part of many rural and urban contexts. The artificial texture of the villages and towns has been gradually established through garden alleys to the texture of the gardens and fields. With a humane, literary, and nature-based approach to the spaces of villages, towns, and cities, we can help to institutionalize the pattern of garden alleys through planning and designing strategies. These include: preserving the natural heritage of the gardens and the alleyways of the garden, observing privacy and ownership, streamlining the gardens with a catering garden pattern, urban design of the alleyways, creativity in the design of the garden alley, and anticipating the garden alley in urban recreation.