The identification of relationship between privacy and changes in the space organization of Houses in Birjand City during the transition era

Special spatial organization is required in a house to separate public and private spaces, considering the family as a system based on internal and external relations. Thus, space is organized and functions are placed to demonstrate the "Principle of Confidentiality." During the transition era, political, social, and economic changes resulted in significant alterations to the way of life and subsequent modifications to the spatial arrangement of buildings, including houses. The objective of this research is to examine how spatial organization changes during the transition era (late Qajar and first Pahlavi era) affected the level of privacy in houses located in Birjand city. The researchers are investigating how the spatial organization of Birjand houses changed during a certain transition period and how these changes affected the level of privacy in the households. They are seeking answers to this question through their research.

The research applies historical and descriptive-analytical methods, using a positivist approach. Data collection utilized documentary and field procedures. Hence, all houses registered under national authority are considered as part of the selected population era. The Qajar, Qajar-Pahlavi, and Pahlavi eras had 9, 8, and 8 houses respectively.

Research indicates that in the transition era, the average area of each house has decreased from 360 square meters to 223 square meters. Additionally, it has become more common to place the Mass on three or both sides of the space. The hierarchy of movement shows the removal of filters and intermediaries like porches and corridors. There have been several changes made to the space. These include a reduction in the amount of mass compared to the amount of space, rearrangements of the mass and space, alterations to the entrance and vestibule areas, updates to the filters and mediators in the courtyard, and changes to the function of the courtyard. There has been a shift in the movement hierarchy pattern from public spaces to rooms, indicating decreasing confidentiality.

The physical changes in the spatial organization of houses during the transition from the Qajar to the Pahlavi era in Birjand caused a decrease in privacy, as confirmed by the results. During the transition era, the architecture of Birjand houses experienced changes in various components and elements, including mass-space ratio, movement hierarchy, entrance, porch, courtyard, and filters. As a result, the long-standing tradition of privacy in Iranian architecture, which has lasted for thousands of years, has declined. Upon comparison with other studies, it is evident that Birjand city experienced fewer and more subdued changes compared to cities like Mashhad, Tehran, and Isfahan. This could be attributed to religious influences and the fact that Birjand was located far away from the cultural and lifestyle changes that occurred in other major cities during that time, including the provincial capital.