Analyzing the Evolution of Spatial Organization and Privacy in the Historic and Contemporary Houses of Ferdows: A Space Syntax Approach Towards a Model for Contemporary Housing

Abstract

This study aimed to quantitatively investigate the evolution of spatial organization and privacy systems in the houses of Ferdows from the Qajar period to the contemporary era and to develop a conceptual model for contemporary housing rooted in local identity while responding to modern living requirements. A comparative-analytical research design with a quantitative Space Syntax approach was employed. The sample consisted of 11 historic Qajar-era houses and 10 contemporary houses in Ferdows. Data were collected through architectural surveys, field observations, and plan documentation. The spatial configurations were modeled in DepthmapX software, and key indices including Integration, Mean Depth, Control, Connectivity, Movement Circulation, and Visual Entropy were calculated and analyzed. The results revealed a significant transformation from a homogeneous, hierarchical, and privacy-oriented spatial structure in historic houses to a fragmented and polarized configuration in contemporary dwellings. Average integration values increased and mean depth decreased in contemporary houses, indicating a tendency toward more open and accessible spaces. However, the substantial increase in the standard deviation of spatial indices demonstrated strong spatial polarization and greater variability among contemporary housing patterns. Functional analysis further showed that collective spaces such as living rooms became more open and accessible, whereas private spaces including bedrooms and sanitary areas became deeper, more secluded, and more strongly protected. These findings indicate a shift from an integrated privacy-based system toward selective and activity-oriented privacy strategies. The evolution of residential architecture in Ferdows reflects not the disappearance of privacy but its reconfiguration into differentiated and function-based spatial strategies. Based on the findings, a “Balanced and Flexible Hierarchy” model is proposed, emphasizing multilayered privacy cores, intermediary spatial filters, activity-based privacy differentiation, and the integration of climatic and social considerations. The model provides a framework for designing contemporary housing that preserves local identity while accommodating contemporary lifestyles.