Comparative Studies of Tekyeh Dowlat in Tehran and Royal Albert in London
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Vol.14/No.54/Dec 2017 Received 2017/02/20 Accepted 2017/08/08 Persian translation of this paper entitled: بررسی تطبیقی دو بنای تکیه دولت تهران و رویال آلبرت هال لندن is also published in this issue of journal. Comparative Studies of Tekyeh Dowlat in Tehran and Royal Albert in London Saber Asadi* Ahmad Aminpoor** Yazdan Mansurian*** Abstract Problem statement: The building of Tekye h Dowlat in Tehran has always created many arguments and questions among the researchers in conservation and architecture history. The main axis of these questions relates to the building’s history and the relationship between Royal Albert Hall and Tekyeh Dowlat building. There are conflicting statements approving and neglecting Tekye h Dowlat architectural originality within researchers. A number of people referred to the trip of Nasereddin Shah to Europe and his visit to Royal Albert Hall building and believed he wanted to construct a similar building in Iran. Others deny this idea believing that this trip occurred after the construction of Tekye h Dowlat, thus this reasoning is wrong. Research goal: the main aims of this research is explaining the role of Tekyeh Dowlat in Iranian architecture history by comparing the construction technique to Royal Albert Hall.Research Methodology: In the present study tries to find evidence about building construction techniques for both buildings through historical studies and comparative-historical analysis of the documents, especially those dealing with the architecture and structure of Royal Albert Hall – that was found in British history archive –and finally answer the question “what is the relationship between Tekyeh Dowlat and Royal Albert Hall buildings. Research result: Results from this study suggest that despite the similarity of Tekye h Dowlat and Royal Albert Hall, Tekye h Dowlat building is recognized as a valuable and important example in Iranian architecture history due to its use of construction technique derived from Iranian architecture. Tekye h Dowlat’s construction began a year after Royal Albert Hall’s on 1868. Based on this result, the present study emphasizes on the role of construction technique studies for answering architectural history questions and considering it as an unlimited component of architecture history studies, especially the history of Iranian architectural evolution. This study means to eliminate the existing weaknesses in Iranian architectural studies, trying to find logical and rational answers about construction date of historical buildings in general and Tekye h Dowlat in particular, avoiding myths and providing a general method for similar studies Keywords Historical/Comparative Studies, Tekyeh Dowlat, Royal Albert Hall, Construction Technique. *. Ph. D. Condidate of Repair and Renovation of Historical Constructions, Isfahan Art University Corresponding author. [email protected] **. Assistant professor, Academy of Architecture, Isfahan University of Art [email protected] ***. Assistant professor, College of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Kharazmi [email protected] .......................................21.. .. ........... ........ ....... .......... The Scientific Journal of NAZAR research center (Nrc) for Art, Architecture & Urbanism Saber Asadi, Ahmad Aminpoor, Yazdan Mansurian/ Bagh- e Nazar, 14 (54):21-32 Introduction terms as an important component in architectural Explaining the usage of comparison tools and the history studies, especially Iranian architecture role of comparing construction technique structure history, thus evaluating its usage along with other in answering architectural history questions aspects of comparison. In different periods of history, Tekyeh Dowlat has always been interesting for various groups of Methodology (Theoretical Explanation) researchers in the fields of architecture and history, The present study can be classified as a qualitative and even due to its special use cases, performing study in the area of architecture. It attempts to answer arts and theaters. Studying conducted studies and questions about the role of Tekyeh Dowlat in Iranian published papers regarding Tekyeh Dowlat suggests architectural history using comparative tools of the different views and sometimes serious disagreements two buildings of Tekyeh Dowlat and Royal Albert between researchers. Despite different materials Hall. Since historical events and subsequently, investigated, there are still many questions regarding factors contributing to development of historical this valuable establishment. One of the most buildings often need complex explanations, it is important questions is whether Tekyeh Dowlat is a very hard to obtain such explanations based on structure derived from Iranian architecture or one conventional rules in architectural studies. Therefore, inspired by Western architecture. it is necessary that comparative tools be used. In this The aim of this study is to clarify some dark corners comparison, all the factors influential in formation of Iranian architectural history with comparative of the two buildings are compared (Regan, 2009: methods in considering building construction 45). Thus, first comparative method must be defined techniques in order to answer architectural history and the conditions for its usage in the present study questions. In this method, it is attempted to specified. Accordingly, comparative method refers comparatively investigate building construction to comparison of two or more phenomena (subject techniques over construction periods along with or problem) in a specific area (by determining the comparing other social and architectural aspects. The principles explored among its various aspects) in next step would be explaining building development order to discover commonalities and their disparities reasons and exploring various evidences regarding the to achieve the study goal. Hence, comparison is a tool construction quality of the technique, and eventually, to build experimental regularities and evaluation and find a due and reasonable answer to unanswered interpretation of cases with regard to a theoretical or or unsatisfied questions with regard to the studied realistic criterion (Regan, 2009: 31). phenomena. The present study is based on the idea In comparative study, first, comparability of the of continuity of construction technology evolution items that are supposed to be investigated must be and impossibility of its one-time improvement over proved, that is, whether a common aspect between a historical period. Therefore, it tries to reach an the items that are to be compared can be found. accurate evaluation of how to build each of these In the present study, by using comparative tools buildings, thus clarifying the relationship between in architectural history studies and investigating these two, in order to answer the main question of the architectural, historical, and social aspects, and study. Along with answering the questions regarding especially construction technique, which is the main ........... Tekyeh Dowlat, it attempts to explain the quality of area of comparing these two architectural buildings, using comparative tools in architectural, social, and answers are given as to whether the Tekyeh Dowlat .......... constructional terms in architectural history studies. building is built after Royal Albert Hall or is a ........ Therefore, in the present study, effort is made to building with independent structure and identity, with ....... present comparative tools especially in technical significant role in the evolution of Iranian architecture. ...... ............................ ............................................................. 22 ... The Scientific Journal of NAZAR research center (Nrc) for Art, Architecture & Urbanism .... Saber Asadi, Ahmad Aminpoor, Yazdan Mansurian/ Bagh- e Nazar, 14 (54):21-32 Like most comparative studies, first, background of date (1285 AH) and its chronological precedence to the study is explored and the problem is scrutinized. Naser al-Din Shah’s first trip (1290 AH), has rejected After that, in the second step, major information the idea of its being influenced by the architecture of regarding Tekyeh Dowlat and Royal Albert Hall Royal Albert Hall (Bani Masoud, 2010: 95). In short, are reviewed and finally, by comparing these two the following points can be mentioned regarding this establishments in different aspects, a foundation for approach: answering the main questions is obtained. 1. Emphasis on the importance of Tekyeh Dowlat, the first religious establishment influenced by Western Research Background architecture in Iranian contemporary architecture by ●Tekyeh Dowlat and Its Role in Iranian comparing the architectural structure of European Architectural History opera houses with Tekyeh Dowlat. It is worth noting Following a review of the literature around Tekyeh that the two are very similar from these two points Dowlat, given the discussion goals, three general of view. approaches can be identified. These three approaches 2. Ambiguity in explaining the influence of Western are: architecture on development of Tekyeh Dowlat 1. Architectural history approach: aimed at by incorporating social-historical evidence, so emphasizing the role of Tekyeh Dowlat in Iran’s that Naser al-Din Shah’s trip to overseas has been contemporary architectural history. suggested as a historical evidence in rejecting the 2. Performing arts approach: aimed at putting relationship between the two. emphasis on the historical-social significance of Performing