The Relationship between Spatial Configuration and Social Interaction in Tehran Residential Environments: Bridging the Gap between Space Syntax and Behaviour Settings Theories

Abstract

Designing settlements and their formation patterns has always been one of the controversial topics in the field of architecture and planning, but it is the implications of these patterns on forming spatial structures in residential layouts which is the focal point of this research. The main aim of the current paper is to scrutinise Space Syntax theory and criticise its origins and fundamental thoughts. In order to do so, the paper uses computational models of three residential settings in Tehran, Iran. The main question is how deeply is Space Syntax able to predict movements and behavioural patterns of residents in a residential layout. In other words, this research explores whether Space Syntax computational models can fully cover behavioural patterns or does it leave gaps. The hypothesis is that although the configuration of settlements is the basis for movements, it demands Behavioural Settings theory to interpret the behavioural-movement patterns. In order to answer the main question, three relevant residential layouts have been chosen in Tehran: Narmak, Yousef Abad, and Shahrak-e Gharb. Moreover, current situation of these communities in terms of private, semi-private, and public spaces were modelled in the Depth Map software, which is developed by Space Syntax Research Group at UCL. Afterwards, these settings were observed during a four-months period. The subsequent comparison between the results obtained from Depth Map models and observations reveals the gaps between Space Syntax theory and the reality. It reveals that the configuration of residential layouts`layouts`has a causal relation with the formation of spatial-physical structure. The integration analysis, based on the Space Syntax