Re-reading Spatial Identity in Contemporary Iranian Mosque Architecture: The Integration of Tradition and Modernity in Form and Meaning

Abstract

Mosques in the tradition of Iranian Islamic architecture have not merely functioned as physical structures; rather, they have consistently embodied sacred and identity-forming spaces in which geometric elements, light, ornamentation, and spatial organization evoke a multilayered experience of presence and meaning. This spatial quality is clearly perceptible and identifiable in historical mosques such as the Jameh Mosque of Isfahan, Jameh Mosque of Yazd, and Goharshad Mosque, where form and function, aesthetics and meaning, are integrated within a coherent framework. Moreover, through a structured spatial order, these environments guide users toward active participation in a sacred and collective experience. In contrast, the architecture of many contemporary mosques in Iran, due to transformations or deficiencies in their physical structure, has developed a certain distance from this tradition. Dominant approaches in the design of new mosques tend either to focus solely on form and function or to employ traditional elements in a superficial, diminished, and purely decorative manner. This outcome has not only weakened the sense of belonging and psychological tranquility but has also distanced these spaces from the cultural memory of society. The present study, adopting an interdisciplinary and comparative approach, re-examines the spatial identity of contemporary Iranian mosques and seeks to propose a conceptual model for integrating tradition and modernity in mosque design. In this regard, three fundamental layers—spatial-physical identity, perceptual-psychological identity, and cultural-semiotic identity—are analyzed in an integrated manner. By comparing historical and contemporary examples, the study extracts both theoretical and practical dimensions of these layers. The findings indicate that the re-creation of spatial identity in contemporary mosques becomes feasible when tradition and modernity are positioned not in opposition but in constructive interaction, enabling mosque architecture to reestablish its authentic role as a sacred, identity-bearing, cultural, and social space within the context of contemporary life.