Architecture, Land, and Man Rereading, reviewing and criticism of Pirnia’s suggested principles for Iranian architecture Mehrdad Qayyoomi Bidhendi* Mohammad Mahdi Abdollahzadeh** Abstract Mohammad-Karim Pirnia, one of the most prominent scholars of the history of Iranian architecture, has recorded two major achievements: the principles of Iranian architecture and the stylistics of Iranian architecture. In this article we will discuss his suggested principles for Iranian architecture. For this purpose, we will first show how his five principles have evolved and completed through time. Then we will refer to his words about each of the principles we have gathered from the original source but widely spread and will present them in an integrated and coherent form. In another section of the article, we will deliberate upon the entirety of these principles and evaluate their worthiness in characterizing Iranian architecture. We will strive to study and review Pirnia’s motivations for proposing them, their underlying assumptions, and their tacit implications. In the end we will show that the current order and content of these principles have both internal and external dimensions whose appearance was necessitated by his time. One may argue that such principles are no longer suitable or credible for contemporary Iranian architecture. However reviewing the internal dimension of these principles is a valuable element for identifying and understanding the Iranian architecture in the context of the Iranian culture. In this case, we will be able to reread Pirnia’s principles and use them to serve as vehicle for improvement of research on the history of Iranian architecture and its development. Keywords: Iranian/ Persian Architecture, Islamic Architecture, Architectural History, Architectural Principles, Architectural Criticism, Persian Art, Mohammad-Karim Pirnia *.Assistant Professor, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Development, Shahid Beheshti University .Email: [email protected] **.PhD Candidate of Architecture, Shahid Beheshti University. Introduction understanding Iranian architecture is only The late Mohammad-Karim Pirnia possible through comprehension of its (1920-1998) was one of the most bond with the Iranian culture. prominent scholars of the history of Iranian architecture. He was one of the Pirnia enjoys an exceptional position first scholars who strived to use modern in the historical studies of Iranian language and knowledge to study and architecture. In a sense, he was the present opinions about old architecture pioneer of studying the history of Iranian in Iran. Pirnia has many traits which architecture in the academic system; and positively differentiate him from his indeed he was the first to study the history colleagues. He was a student of traditional of Iranian architecture systematically. architecture. He was among the earliest His words and works are still the most students of the first modern school of referenced sources for studying the architecture in Iran– Faculty of Fine history of Iranian architecture in Iran; Arts of University of Tehran – where he they are frequently being cited and used. learned academic language as well.1 His Continuing Pirnia’s path and project most significant characteristic – unlike requires an accurate recognition and most of his colleagues- was not only his understanding of him. Still, except for a 73 vast knowledge about Iranian architectural few cases, no study has been carried out history or his acquaintance with modern in this regard and most of what has been academic architectural language; but his published about him are appraising or awareness about the importance of theories stating him.2 on the architectural history of Iran and the necessity of studying Iranian architecture Pirnia published his thoughts and in relation to the Iranian culture. He achievements in the form of articles, class knew that his goals could not be achieved lessons, and a book3 co-authored with without developing certain theories other scholars4. Pirnia’s most important around Iranian architecture, abstracting accomplishments in this field were “The general principles from this architecture, Principles of Iranian Architecture” and identifying general characteristics and “The Stylistics of Iranian Architecture”. categorizing them according to their styles. In this article we strive to review and His goals included inviting his audience deliberate on one of his achievements – to ponder upon Iranian architecture The Principles of Iranian Architecture – and its value and expanding research by relying on original sources and what is on it in order to use its achievements in closer to his own language.5 today’s architecture. He also believed that Quarterly Third Year, No. 11 Summer 2015 I. Development of the Principles the era before his university (1922 - Identification of the Principles of 1940), after university (1945 – 1979), and Iranian Architecture is one of the two then after the Islamic Revolution (1979 – prominent achievements of Pirnia. He was 1997) – he first introduced the principles the first scholar in Iran who proposed some of Iranian architecture in his years after his general principles for Iranian architecture. university studies. In the beginning there The Principles, in their final version, are was no word of the “Five Principles”. as Human Scale; Inward-Looking; Self In most of his articles and interviews at Sufficiency; Avoiding non-essentials; the time, these principles included four Structural Rigidity; and Proportion. principles of “Inward-Looking”, “Human Scale”, “Homogeneous Proportions”, By studying the words and works “Structural Rigidity” and “Symmetry and of Pirnia it becomes clear that these Asymmetry”. For example in the book “Art principles have not been shaped instantly, for Secondary Education “which he wrote but rather being gradually formed in his in 1974 while working at the National mind. This is also one of Pirnia’s noticeable Organization for the Protection of Iranian characteristics. From such gradual Historical Monuments, he mentioned 74 development and its manifestations, it the two principles of “Inward-Looking” became evident that he did not suffer and “Symmetry and Asymmetry”.6 In from the perfectionist complex – which a 1976 article “Human Scale in Iranian had been epidemic among many Iranian Architecture”, these principles include scholars – and proceeded to publish any “Human Scale”, “Inward-Looking”, achievement even if he thought they “Structural Rigidity” and “Symmetry and were not complete or comprehensive. Asymmetry”.7 In 1978 these principles This way, he enabled both scholars and were repeated in the class pamphlet of his students to have a quicker access to “Architectural Styles and Techniques in his accomplishments. By doing so he Iranian Architecture”.8 In addition, in increased their efficiency by exposing one or two other cases he briefly talked them to others for review and criticism about a principle or subject referred to as and improved the principles by benefiting “Economics in Iranian Architecture”.9 from their comments. He consequently availed himself the opportunity to improve For the first time, Pirnia confirmed and develop the principles step by step this recent number of principles – Five without any disposition or bias towards Principles – in the 1980’s.10 But the their initial order. principles themselves were still changing. If we consider three stages for Pirnia’s In his first words in this decade, he named intellectual and professional life namely Structural Rigidity and Proportions as two independent principles and claimed he learned this principle from spoke of Inward-Looking separately.11 skilled Iranian traditional architects: Later on he expanded the subject of “When we discuss the ancient methods of “Economy in Iranian Architecture” and this human and expressive art with skilled categorized them into the two principles Iranian [traditional] architects, they state of “Self Sufficiency” and “Avoiding non- that the work must be mardum-vãr.”14 essentials”. He eliminated Symmetry Mardum in the Persian language means and Asymmetry from the principles humans and people15, and so mardum-vãr and merged Structural Rigidity with means like humans. Proportion.12 A building is Human Scaled when The final naming and combinations human measures have been appropriately of these principles in the 1990’s are as used.16 Appropriateness of human follows: 1) Human Scale; 2) Inward- measures means the organs of the building Looking; 3) Self Sufficiency; 4) Avoiding should be proportionate to and in harmony non-essentials; 5) Structural Rigidity with the organs of the human body and and Proportion.13 Till the time of Pirnia’s human needs.17 If a living room is built, death in 1998, he kept the order of the its measures and the proportions must principles and constantly struggled to be commensurate to the needs of human 75 prove their accuracy and enrich them with bodies and organs.18 An architect had to explanations and examples. be completely knowledgeable of all the acts of family living and resting in the house. Three-door rooms (se-dari), for II. Reviewing the Principles example, were built in places which are In this section, we will review Pirnia’s not viewable to outsiders.19 The architect proposed principles for Iranian architecture chose measures in such a way that it did using the original sources. What you will not seem too spacey for a small group of find here are not the words of the authors people. If the statics and other