Recognition of the legibility concept In the perception of Residential complexesCase studies: Ekbatan Residential Complex

Legibility concept added to the terminology of the spatial quality after Kavin Lynche's efforts. However, extensive research is done regarding this concept in different disciplines the legibility has less been studied as an individual subject of study. Even though legibility is introduced as a perception-related concept, the intention to define tangible measures for legibility has led to a concentration on physical characteristics. However, if we consider spectators` imagination as the criteria to assess legibility over the physical image, then other factors that affect legibility could be found. This research aims to define a comprehensive and multi-faceted indicator of legibility based on the mental imagination. The research question is, what is the perceptual process of creating a clear, coherent image of the environment in the observer's mind? This is qualitative research that uses a content analysis method to develop a conceptual framework that explains the relationship among the mental imagination criteria and utilizes logical reasoning to connect those criteria to the legibility concept. Then, evaluating it in a quantitative framework within a residential complex through survey, questionnaire, and confirmatory factor analysis in LISREL software, while elaborating its theoretical framework for the validity of legibility assessment. The results showed a correlation between the data and the validity between the components. They indicated the simultaneous effect of spatial, temporal, and emotional layers on the perception of the physical environment. Therefore, the perceived legibility of the physical environment, in addition to the creation of spatial imagination, is subject to the nature of temporal and emotional mental imagery.